This Costco Produce Steal Is the Key to a Healthier Diet

As a family of just two humans, I thought we would never buy any produce at Costco. Comically large bags of onions, huge bunches of bananas and giant containers of grapes just seemed like a waste of fridge space—not to mention a lot of potential food waste. But as large packages of berries reached nearly $10 at my usual grocery store and inflation continued to drive food prices up, I knew had to reconsider. 

While I ventured to Costco in search of blueberries (which are just $4.25 for an 18-ounce package), I was pleasantly surprised by the price on organic spring mix: $4.69 for a whole pound of greens. At my local grocery store, the largest spring mix package available is only 11 ounces and comes in at $5.79. 

After I picked up that first Costco spring mix package, I knew it would become a regular on my grocery list. The mix has much more than just the standard spinach. It’s packed with lots of flavorful greens including arugula, radicchio and frisée—plus, baby kale, chard and green and red leaf lettuces, which add not only extra color and texture but a bit more nutrition as well. A serving has 45% of your Daily Value for vitamin A, 50% of your vitamin C and 20% of your iron. 

How to Use Spring Mix

These prepped greens make for a great side salad when I’m cooking pasta, braises or soups for dinner, ensuring that we are still getting a good serving of veggies with our evening meal. A handful of greens, a few bits of red onion, chopped cucumber and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette come together in about five minutes, so the salad is easy to prepare while I’m waiting for water to boil or a braise to finish. 

Plus, the large size of Costco’s greens makes it possible for me to prepare a few quick salads for lunch and still have plenty of greens left over to make it through the week. For these bigger salads, I’ll usually make a simple whole grain, like quinoa or farro, and add in a variety of toppings. My go-to is chopped apple, goat cheese, nuts and a bit of Costco’s rotisserie chicken—my homemade take on the popular Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl. To build other interesting salads, I keep a few pantry staples from Costco on hand: roasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and walnuts make for great toppings, while microwaveable packs of quinoa and brown rice make it easy to bulk up a salad. 

When I’m making a sandwich or wrap, I’ll add a handful of greens for a bit of crunch. It’s the quickest way to elevate a simple turkey or tuna sandwich—especially if you toast the bread. 

How to Keep Spring Mix Fresh

Unlike some other veggies that still might be useful in a frittata or soup when they’re past their prime, spring mix is really only good when it’s fresh. While those salad bags from my local grocery always seem to start to brown in just a few days, Costco’s greens come in a recyclable, lidded plastic container, so they often stay fresh for a lot longer.

I also extend the life of my greens using an easy tip from my grandmother: I stick a paper towel on top of the greens. The paper towel absorbs excess moisture, keeping condensation from building up in the container. The closed lid also keeps air from circulating in and out of the container, which slows down the decay of the leaves. Plus, a solid container keeps the greens from getting crushed by anything else in the fridge. 

With this method, my greens can stay fresh for around two weeks, which means I’m able to work a lot of salads into my meal plan. Before I bring home a box, though, I always flip them over and check the bottom—you don’t want to see any soggy or wilted greens at the bottom of the package, as that will certainly shorten their shelf life. I try to grab the box with the farthest-out expiration date, too. 

While the greens are prewashed, I always give them a good rinse at home before using them. Before I put them back in the fridge, though, I run them through my salad spinner. Getting as much moisture off the greens as possible is also key to keeping them fresh for longer. 

Now, no Costco run is complete without a container of their spring mix. Since I discovered it, I’ve been able to work a lot of healthy meals into my small family’s diet—and vary these healthy meals too. (Trust me, my partner is not big on leftovers, so finding ingredients I can use in a few different ways is the only way to meal-prep in our house.) Plus, at less than $5, it’s definitely the best price around on salad mix, so we have no excuse to not get leafy greens in our diet.