Why You Might Want To Avoid Buying Costco Sandwich Bread

Costco is the second-largest grocery chain in the United States (only behind Walmart), so it's no surprise that you can almost always find someone who's a regular shopper there. While the wholesale chain is best known for its large portions of various foods at affordable prices, one of the mistakes Costco shoppers make is assuming that everything you buy there is always a good value for money. Surprisingly, there are a few baked items to steer clear of at this chain for one reason or another, (you should avoid buying Costco bagels, for instance), and if you're strolling down the bread aisle, the price you're paying for bagged bread might mean it's not the best deal.

This isn't referring to fresh-made bakery bread, but rather the bagged sandwich bread you might grab for school lunches or a quick grilled cheese. But Costco's double pack of sandwich bread isn't the value you think it is for two big reasons: its cost, plus how much bread you're getting versus how much you need. The sandwich bread usually ranges in value between $5 and $7 for two loaves, but when you break it down, that means you could be spending more per loaf than you would at your local supermarket chain. Not to mention that it's possible you may not actually use all the bread before it stales or goes bad.

The cost of grocery store bread varies based on where you live, but it's not unusual to see one loaf of bread cost $2.50 or less — even in more expensive parts of the country. Depending on what type of bread you're buying, it might be as little as $1.49 or so. This means that Costco isn't necessarily giving you the best deal. Of course, it uses more time and gas to go to two separate stores, but if you're heading to another local grocery store for anything else, then it's worth looking at the bread while you're there.

Consider how much bread your household needs, too. The "best by" date on your bagged bread is usually about a week after the date you buy it, though this can vary depending on the bread type. If your house runs through bread on a regular basis, the Costco bread could be worth it if you don't plan to take any other supermarket trips. But in some cases, two loaves of bread is too much for one week, and you end up wasting it (to reduce food waste, you should store the bread in an airtight bag, and freeze it for up to three months). So, if you're considering Costco sandwich bread, first take stock of local bread prices at other stores, and assess your household's bread consumption.