Sure, there are a couple of neat tricks you can use to shop at Costco without shelling out for an annual membership, like getting grocery deliveries through Instacart or buying a Costco gift card that will allow you to spend a set amount of money during a store visit. But if you want to be able to shop at Costco without any major hurdles or limitations, you're going to have to pay up.

RELATED: 6 Items That Costco Shoppers Never Buy at Costco

Costco currently charges $60 for its basic Gold Star membership and $120 for its higher Executive membership. However, analysts and Costco itself expect that to change some time in the future, since key executives at the company have indicated that fee increases are a not only a possibility, but a foregone conclusion.

While no concrete details in Costco's future membership fee plans have been confirmed yet, here's everything we know about those potential fee increases right now.

"A question of when, not if"

Just because Costco hasn't raised membership fees yet in 2023 doesn't mean it won't. In fact, Costco has been hinting since 2022 that another membership fee hike is in the cards.

In December last year, Costco CFO Richard Galanti told investors that fee increases are "a question of when, not if," adding that "I'll be purposefully coy on when that might be." The following month, CEO Craig Jelinek revealed during Costco's annual shareholder meeting that the company was still holding off on upping those membership dues.

"In our opinion, right now is not the right time to do it. That's not to say that at some point we won't, but at the moment we have no plans to take up the fee," he said.

Most recently in a May earnings call, Galanti revealed that the day where Costco's membership fees would once again go up still hadn't dawned.

"And at some point, we will [raise fees], but our view right now is that we've got enough levers out there to drive business, and we feel that it's incumbent upon us to be that beacon of light to our members in terms of holding [fees] for right now," he said.

So while membership fees are staying put for the time being, members should prepare themselves for that to change in the future.

A brief history of Costco's fee increases

Historically, Costco has raised its membership fees about every five years and seven months. The most recent of these increases took effect in June 2017, so Costco would technically be overdue for another fee increase if it wanted to stick by that pattern.

UBS analyst Michael Lasser predicted in March that Costco would announce its next fee boost in spring 2023 and then implement it in the summer, a forecast that evidently did not come to fruition. If Costco was planning to announce a fee hike while reporting quarterly earnings results, as it did in 2017, customers would still have a few months to wait before knowing for sure since the company's next quarterly earnings call is scheduled for late September.

When contacted for this story, Costco declined to offer any more insight on the potential timeline for membership fee hikes and how much fees may increase by. Galanti, on the other hand, promised during that May earnings call to keep the public informed: "We'll let you know as soon as we know."

Prior fee increases have followed a pattern

Though Costco is staying mum on how much fees will increase, members can make an educated guess by looking at the company's previous price hikes. When fees went up in 2017, the cost of the basic Gold Star membership went from $55 to $60 and the cost of the higher Executive membership went from $110 to $120.

The previous fee increase in 2011 was very similar, with the Gold Star membership increasing from $50 to $55 and the Executive Membership increasing from $100 to $110, according to the Los Angeles Times. If Costco follows the same pattern as those two most recent price increases, members can reasonably assume that the Gold Star membership will increase by $5 to $65 and the Executive Membership will increase by $10 to $130.

But while all the most important details of this highly-anticipated change remain unknown, Costco's roughly 125 million cardlholders should relish in the current state of their membership dues for the time being.

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The post Everything We Know About Costco's Potential Membership Fee Increases appeared first on Eat This Not That.

This time of year, Costco stocks a variety of great frozen treats that rival the ice cream man's. The selections may vary based on your location but you'll no doubt find something delicious, from sorbet and popsicles to chocolate-covered frozen fruit.

You'll want to act fast, though–many of these items are seasonal and won't last long. Here are nine frozen treats to snag immediately.

RELATED: 12 Costco Foods You're Crazy Not to Buy Right Now

If you are having a bunch of friends or family over for a party this summer, we challenge you to find a better variety pack of ice cream. This 40-count box of individually wrapped Nestle frozen treats includes a heavy dose of nostalgia with ice cream sandwiches, cookie-dipped bars, and a variety of Drumstick flavors. There's not a bad pick in the box, and for $16.99 at Costco, you can't go wrong. 

Sometimes you want a little bite of dessert and not something overly decadent. These Tru Fru-brand frozen chocolate strawberries use clean ingredients—strawberries frozen at peak ripeness, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. You won't find any additives here. Plus, they are only 90 calories for three pieces. Costco offers them in a 20-ounce bag for $10.99 at the warehouse. We have a feeling these won't last in your freezer for very long.

These handmade fruit sorbets make the perfect dessert for a dinner party, served in pretty and natural fruit shells. Choose from coconut, berry and grapefruit, mango or pomegranate, although the coconut seems to be most coveted among fans on Reddit. They are gluten free and non-GMO too. There's a touch of cream so they aren't dairy free like many other sorbets. The box will cost you $14.99 for 12 at the warehouse.

There are few things more refreshing than watermelon on a hot summer day and these ice pops from Jonny Pops work perfectly on a day you want something just a little sweeter than a slice. These dairy-free organic ice pops look like a watermelon on a stick with pink, white and green. An 18-count box will cost you $11.99 at the warehouse.

People are freaking out on Reddit when they find out Costco is selling these Cookie Monster ice cream pops from famed California-based ice cream purveyor Afters. Although these blue Madagascar vanilla pops, filled with cookie dough and sandwich cookies, may only be available on the West Coast currently, you'll want to snag them wherever you see them. According to Costco Hidden Gems, the pops are $14.79 for 10 bars at the store.

Helados México crafts these delicious, traditional paletas—a popular style of ice pops in Mexico and other Latin American countries—using nothing but real fruit, cane sugar, and cream. The 24-count box includes strawberry, mango, and coconut bars for $11.99.

These 60-calorie mini vanilla ice cream sandwiches from Mad Mini Foods are a kid-friendly summer treat and a great option for adults when you just want a little sweet treat with only five grams of sugar. You can get a box of 36 snack-sized cookie ice cream sandwiches at the warehouse for $11.99.

Häagen-Dazs has long been a fan favorite for its rich and decadent ice cream selections. These ice cream bars don't disappoint. Vanilla ice cream is enrobed in milk chocolate with chopped almonds for a classic frozen treat. Grab a box of 15 for $12.99 at your local warehouse.

You won't find these in the freezer aisle at Costco, but rather where the summer snacks are. Think of them like Fla-vor-ice but without all of the artificial colors and flavors. These superfruit organic pops are filled with organic ingredients that include fruit purées and juices. Keep a bag on hand to pop in your freezer. For $9.99, the bag includes 35 freezie pops in strawberry lemon, mango orange, and blueberry pomegranate.

The post 9 Best Frozen Desserts at Costco Right Now appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Numerous Costco members have taken to Reddit over the last couple of weeks to share stories about recent Costco trips defined by these types of stressful encounters with employees. One Redditor shared that an employee recently confronted her mother-in-law at the self-checkout line and demanded to see a membership card, even though she was only tagging along as a guest and didn't plan to buy anything. Per Costco policy, members are allowed to bring their children and up to two guests into warehouses as long as only actual members purchase items.

RELATED: A Politician's $800 Costco Receipt Has Set the Internet Ablaze–Here's Why

Nevertheless, the Costco member who brought her mother-in-law said that she had to get through an intense round of "questioning" before she was even allowed to buy her groceries.

Accused of card sharing..
by u/hummingbird_18 in Costco

"I was so frazzled by the entire encounter and accusation that I could barely check myself out appropriately, but I got ahold of myself and got out of there," she wrote. "If you're really serious about cracking down on people figure out a better system because falsely accusing people and policing at a checkout line in a grocery store (that we pay for yearly) is just not it."

This post has racked up 1,800 comments so far, many from fellow Costco members who shared similar stories and vented their frustrations about being treated like a "criminal" while simply trying to buy groceries.

"Not as bad as your experience, but I was grilled at self-checkout yesterday. They wanted to see front and back of my card then asked me to verbally say my name to confirm it matched. It was such an awkward experience and I felt like the employee was digging to find anything wrong while other customers walked right on by," a Redditor responded.

In another Reddit post that has sparked significant discussion, a customer wrote that a Costco employee accused her of using someone else's card and refused to believe her identity even after presenting both her card and driver's license. The customer noted that she had made a couple of minor changes to her appearance since getting her membership photo taken, like dying her hair and growing it longer, but said the changes weren't drastic enough to make her unrecognizable.

"This happened to me recently," another member responded to the post. "I've grown my hair out and have a beard that I didn't have when I had my picture taken. The Costco self-checkout membership checker gave me a harder time than any customs official on my recent trip out of the country."

When contacted for comment on the member complaints, Costco shared the following statement: "Costco is able to keep our prices as low as possible because our membership fees help offset our operational expenses, making our membership fee and structure important to us. Costco's membership policy has not changed. We have always asked for membership cards at our registers at time of checkout."

"Our membership policy states that our membership cards are not transferable and since expanding our self-service checkout, we've noticed that non-member shoppers have been using membership cards that do not belong to them," the statement added. "We don't feel it's right that non members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members. As we already ask for the membership card at checkout, we are now asking to see their membership card with their photo at our self-service checkout registers."

Though Costco seems to have intensified its crackdown against suspected fraud at self-checkout lines in recent weeks, strict membership enforcement methods are nothing new at the chain. Prior to the recent spate of complaints, consumers had also reported being escorted out of warehouses or having accounts flagged for fraud after trying to purchase items using their parent's cards.

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The post Costco Customers Are Outraged Over the Chain's Harsh Membership Policy appeared first on Eat This Not That.

But chili-heads know that no two bottled hot sauces are the same. There are endless varieties with different consistencies, chili peppers, herbs and spices. (That's why hot sauce diehards make a point to collect and taste as many as possible. Sometimes thousands.)

In recent years, the global hot sauce market has been flaming hot. It's currently valued at over $3 billion and expected to grow 7% annually to over $5 billion by 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights. North American players are throwing their new sauces into the ring, launching small-batch varieties from coast-to-coast, while celebrities capitalize on the nation's love for spicy sauce.  

But which hot sauce has captured the hearts of chefs? Read on to find out the best bottles, according to restaurant pros.

RELATED: 8 Best Sriracha Brands That Aren't Huy Fong

It's a classic for a reason. Food Network series "Chopped" champion Samantha Quintero picked Tapatio as her favorite, hands down. As head chef of Bombo in Los Angeles, Quintero has tried a ton of hot sauces, but she always finds her way back to Tapatio. "I grew up drinking this stuff," Quintero says. "It brings me nostalgia. It takes me back to those hot summer nights in L.A. grilling carne asada with my family." And of course, there's the taste. "It has some heat, but it's not crazy hot. So it's perfect for anyone from young to old and for people who like a little kick." Quintero says she uses Tapatio to spice up her quesadillas, or uses a bit when she's marinating chicken in buttermilk for fried chicken.

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Heartbeat Hot Sauce Co. is a Canadian brand with a few winners in its line up. Matthew Scully, chef de cuisine at Denim in Nashville, Tenn., loves the Pineapple Habanero Hot Sauce. "The best hot sauces come from the layers of flavors you get from the fermentation process that takes upwards of 14 days," says Scully. "I tend to gravitate towards more of a fruity hot sauce, like a mango or pineapple habanero, a little sweet with fiery punch." This sauce is an approachable heat, perfect for avocado toast with eggs or on tacos. "When you can put hot sauce on anything, and it tastes good, then you know you have a great tasting hot sauce," he says. (It was even featured on season 10 of the popular YouTube series "Hot Ones.") 

At Grandmaster Recorders, a former recording studio turned restaurant in Los Angeles, Valentina is the hot sauce of choice—especially when family meal time comes around. "This is something I've found since living in the U.S.," says head chef Blake Shailes, who is originally from Australia. "I love the texture and viscosity of Valentinas, it's typically a bit thicker than the normal hot sauce." Shailes says the Mexican hot sauce is a great all rounder, and it's the clear winner among chefs in his kitchen.

"I could literally talk hot sauce forever," says Isaac Ocejo, chef and owner of Toyshop Ramen in Portland, Ore. But choosing a favorite? "This is an almost impossible question to answer because I have a different hot sauce I like for each meal." If Ocejo absolutely must pick, it would be the Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce. "The balance between heat and tang is delicious and always super consistent, plus it's local to Portland, my hometown." (His other recommendations? Tabasco Original, Sriracha, Valentina, El Pato, Sambal, and Buc-ee's.) 

Here's the thing about chefs: sometimes they make their own hot sauce! Boon is the brainchild of executive chef Max Boonthanakit, who was inspired by his love for traditional Chinese chili crisp. The chili oil has a blend of chilies, spices, anchovies, shallots, and garlic, all cooked in canola oil. Boonthanakit even uses it at his Michelin-starred restaurant, Camphor in Los Angeles. (It's used in the house-made spicy aioli dipping sauce.) Chef Ocejo of Portland loves this one, too. "Boon sauce is delicious and it can go on pretty much anything," he says.

If you feel like you've tried every hot sauce in the world, here's an obscure pick from Jorge Sandoval, chef and pizzaiolo at Brooklyn Ave. Pizza Co. in Los Angeles. Street Fighter 2010 habanero hot sauce is made by the Lucas brothers of Windsor Hills Pizza. "I love heat, but for being a habanero hot sauce, it is very bright, mellow and tangy," Sandoval says. "I appreciate the fact that they took it back to traditional homemade sauce, naturally fermenting his peppers for a natural flavor on the palate." Heads up: This one is only available in-person, so if you happen to spot their food truck rolling through the parks of Culver City, Calif., get on it! Talk about a rare find. 

Let's turn up the heat a few notches. This hot sauce from the Hawaiian Chip Company is not for the faint of heart. And it's totally unique, according to Rob Stevens, director of operations at Old 75 Beer Garden in Richardson, Texas. "It's completely different from most mainstream hot sauces on the market," he says. "It not only brings heat, but also has a great flavor that the heat does not overpower." If you're looking for a totally unique flavor from a Hawaiian company, add this to your list.

The post 7 Best Bottled Hot Sauces, According to Chefs appeared first on Eat This Not That.

You'll find binge-worthy products across every category at Trader Joe's, but one of the biggest fan obsessions has to be the sugary and delicious desserts. The market is stocked with frozen treats, candies, cookies, cakes, pastries–you name it. And, a few of these delectable options have become absolute icons at the store.

Read on to discover which Trader Joe's desserts people simply cannot get enough of and have become some of the greatest of all time.

RELATED: The #1 Best Ice Cream at Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's got tired of waiting around for the sweet sounds of the ice cream truck a long time ago, and decided to slap together its own craveable ice cream sandwich. The frozen dessert is made up of two soft and gooey chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream smothered in between and then rolled in even more mini chocolate chips. The sandwiches quickly turned into a Trader Joe's staple and many customers agree that they live up to their name.

After discovering the product for the first time a couple of years ago, one fan on Reddit shared, "Omg, they were so good! The right level of crunch from the mini chips, perfectly sweet almost a touch salty cookie and perfect vanilla ice cream. That is all. They totally fixed my ice cream craving."

You can't possibly talk about Trader Joe's all-time best desserts without mentioning the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. These bite-sized pieces of heaven arrived in 2010 and just this year earned a spot in the retailer's Product Hall of Fame. This honor is only bestowed onto items which have dominated their respective categories for at least five years as part of the yearly Trader Joe's Customer Choice Awards. The cups are the perfect mix of sweet with a little bit of salty from the peanut butter, and fans say they put mainstream Reese's Cups to shame.

Trader Joe's was not monkeying around when it came to creating these Gone Bananas frozen treats. They are such a simple idea, consisting of just Thailand-grown bananas covered in Belgian chocolate. But, they hit the spot every time. Back in early 2021, Instagrammer @mrs_traderjoescart thought so too and gave the product a perfect score of 10 out of 10, noting that the bananas never get slimy or mushy like other similar items. The price is also right for this treat at just $2.79 per box.

Even if you're not a frequent Trader Joe's shopper, you've likely heard people incessantly gabbing about this spread. Speculoos Cookie Butter has the consistency of peanut butter, yet transports you right back to Christmas Day with its unique and delicious notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The taste is reminiscent of gingerbread, and, at the same time, a Biscoff brand cookie.

But, one of the best things about the cookie butter–and what helped it to become Trader Joe's most popular product in 2016–is its versatility. You can spread it on toast or pancakes, add a dollop to your ice cream, blend it into a smoothie or milkshake, dip fruits in it, or shamelessly scoop it out with a spoon. The options truly are endless–and all equally delicious.

Hold the Cone Mini Ice Cream Cones are legendary and highly sought-after Trader Joe's desserts. But, in 2017, they received a facelift that elevated them even further with crispier cones, richer chocolate coating, and creamier ice cream. This recipe change was clearly well-received, as the frozen treats have since been one of the store's most popular products for multiple years. They've also attracted the attention of celebrity chef and host of Food Network's "Chopped" Ted Allen, according to The Kitchn.

Find them in flavors of Chocolate Chip, Vanilla Chocolate, and more seasonal flavors such as Coffee Bean, Peppermint, and Pumpkin Ginger.

The Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds are an oldie but a goodie, and have attracted a similar fandom as that of Trader Joe's beloved Peanut Butter Cups. What makes these nuts truly special is the turbinado sugar–a type of raw sugar made from sugar cane that also retains some molasses and keeps its crystallization even when cooked.

Through their Sweet on Trader Joe's blog, mom and dad bloggers Bridget and Mark gave the chocolate almonds "a very enthusiastic 5 of 5 stars" in their review in 2021. Bridget notes that the chocolate-covered almonds were even able to crack their way into her top 5 Trader Joe's treats. And, Mark adds that they are "not only drenched in dark chocolate but drenched with flavor."

When the weather starts to turn a little cooler, Trader Joe's is the place to be. That's because each fall a host of pumpkin-flavored treats spookily appear on the store's shelves, each one more delicious than the last. But, one of the chain's most highly-anticipated autumn treats has to be the Pumpkin Spiced Joe-Joe's. The recently revamped sandwich cookies are pumped with pumpkin cream filling and now doused in a pumpkin yogurt coating and topped with sea salt. Who else is counting down the days until fall?

This wild dessert is a more recent Trader Joe's obsession, first making its debut in summer 2021. But, it's destined to go down in history as one of the best treats to grace the store's freezers. Each pint is crammed with swirls of blueberry, elderberry juice concentrate, a mix of raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry purees, and chunks of classic cheesecake, according to the retailer's website.

Love letters to the ice cream can be found all across social media. On Reddit, one fan proclaims, "This is Trader Joe's best flavor and I'll die on this hill!!!" And, over on Instagram, a commenter on @traderjoeslist's post on the product begs, "@traderjoes please never stop making this everrrr!!! This is the best is the most delicious icecream ever ."

Warning: these macarons are highly addictive and may have you going out of your way just to snatch up another box. The decadent French desserts are crisp yet airy–just how you would expect them to be when they're served fresh from a high-end bakery.

But, the kicker is that they are sold frozen and come in at an extremely reasonable price of just $5.99 for a dozen. They also come in six intriguing flavors of Fig, Lemon, Apricot, Coconut, Pistachio, and Salted Caramel.

At Trader Joe's, these Scandinavian Swimmers are small fish in a big pond. The gummies are essentially the store's take on Swedish Fish. But, if you ask avid Trader Joe's fans, they would say they are far superior to the classic candy because of their variety and nutrition.

Five Swimmers contain only about 83 calories and 16 grams of added sugars compared to 110 calories and 23 grams of added sugars for the same amount of Swedish Fish. Plus, at Trader Joe's, not only do you get orange-flavored fish, you also get huckleberry dolphins, red berry starfish, and strawberry clamshells.

In 2019, the grocery chain even announced the arrival of Sour Scandinavian Swimmers on its Instagram page after the rollout of its original underwater treats went so swimmingly.

Treating yourself has never tasted so good. These individually sized Chocolate Lava Cakes are each pumped with a puddle of rich chocolate ganache that oozes out from its core at every bite. They also come with some of the easiest preparation instructions we've ever seen–simply microwave for 45 to 55 seconds and ta-da! You have yourself a near Michelin-starred dessert.

With these credentials, the chocolate cakes have earned themselves a runner-up spot in Trader Joe's Customer Choice Awards in the category of favorite desserts several times, including just last year in 2022.

If you're unfamiliar with what a Brookie is, let us break it down for you. It is a flawless and genius mash up of two of America's most cherished desserts. It starts with a gooey and fudgy brownie at the bottom and ends with a golden chocolate chip cookie on top, perfectly speckled with sweet morsels.

The hybrid confection was unleashed in 2018, and it's been delighting customers ever since. In a Reddit post from five years ago, one fan shared a picture of his own Brookie discovery and announced, "TJs, these are sublime. I picked them up today and am hoping they last the night."

The O & H Danish Kringle flies under the radar at Trader Joe's compared to other attention-grabbing desserts. But, that's not to say its consistency and deliciousness go unnoticed. The authentic pastry–which consists of a circular flaky exterior stuffed with sweet filling and topped with icing–has been voted as a runner-up in the Trader Joe's Customer Choice Awards nearly every year since the survey's inception in both categories of favorite dessert and bakery item. And, it even had its shining moment in the sun during 2017 and 2018.

The only problem with the Danish Kringle is that it's more of a seasonal dessert, so it's a tad flighty. But, each season also offers a new flavor ranging from almond and apple to birthday and cream cheesecake.

The post 13 Best Trader Joe's Desserts Of All Time appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Stefani Lord, a Republican who serves in New Mexico's House of Representatives, set off this fierce debate when she posted a picture on Twitter earlier this week of a receipt for $799.38 that she said came from Costco. And in the tweet where she posted the picture, the lawmaker seemingly blamed President Joe Biden–who has been no stranger to criticism over rising inflation during his administration–for her high grocery bill.

RELATED: 6 Items That Costco Shoppers Never Buy at Costco

"Thanks, Joe Biden! $799.38 for ONE full cart at Costco with 58 items and only 9 non-food items like paper towels, plastic bags, trash bags, and razors," Lord tweeted.

Thanks, Joe Biden!
$799.38 for ONE full cart at Costco with 58 items and only 9 non-food items like paper towels, plastic bags, trash bags, and razors. pic.twitter.com/wbNWojGiDz

— Rep Stefani Lord (@Lord4NM) June 20, 2023

There's no arguing against the fact that grocery bills typically cost much more nowadays than they did a couple of years ago. Food at home prices were 5.8% higher in May 2023 than they were in May 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But while Lord received some sympathy for her nearly $800 grocery bill from some Twitter users, others weren't as ready to accept her arguments that Biden was at fault. Many have pointed out that Lord's receipt picture showed her total, but not the actual items that she purchased. This spurred some Twitter users to speculate that she bought some especially expensive products that hiked up the cost of her overall shopping trip.

"Notice how she won't show the whole receipt. Y'all know Costco sells wagyu and king crab there too," one Twitter user wrote.

Others noted that even if Lord didn't grab anything that was very expensive by itself, $800 may not be an unreasonable price for a full cart since Costco sells bulk-sized groceries that can last for some time. For context, $800 divided by 58 would come out to about $13.79 per item.

"$800 for a packed Costco cart has always been the typical cost—not inflation. Stefani Lord won't even show the 58 items," a Twitter user commented.

Some social media users even went so far as to question whether the receipt actually came from Costco, but Lord dismissed those suspicions in a follow-up tweet.

I'm laughing at how #triggered the #progressive left-wingers are about my Costco receipt. "sHoW tHe rEcEiPt oR iTs fAkE!" Nope, it's real, and all 58 items are food but 9 small purchase items like paper towels, razors, etc. No alcohol, no tires, no electronics, no big…

— Rep Stefani Lord (@Lord4NM) June 21, 2023

"I'm laughing at how #triggered the #progressive left-wingers are about my Costco receipt. 'sHoW tHe rEcEiPt oR iTs fAkE!' Nope, it's real, and all 58 items are food but 9 small purchase items like paper towels, razors, etc. No alcohol, no tires, no electronics, no big purchases, no steaks, no junk food, no sugary foods, no vitamins, no cosmetics, no medicine, and no soda. Lots of frozen broccoli, if you must know, and two packs of chicken thighs," she wrote.

As of today, June 22, Lord hasn't shared a full breakdown of all the items she purchased during this ill-fated Costco trip. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the debate set off by her tweet.

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The post A Politician's $800 Costco Receipt Has Set the Internet Ablaze–Here's Why appeared first on Eat This Not That.

This year, a new group of recipes infiltrated the social media platform, racking up copious views, likes, and comments. These trends span across multiple categories, including snacks, desserts, and beverages.

Although we're only halfway through 2023, the year has been filled with several captivating recipes that have generated significant buzz. Here are seven of the biggest viral food trends that have hit the internet so far this year.

RELATED: "Lazy" Trader Joe's Meals Are Going Viral for Being Low Effort & Delicious

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Yogurt Clusters

@kalejunkie

This is the snack of the summer! Chocolate covered strawberry yogurt clusters! #healthyrecipes #greekyogurt #easyrecipes #strawberries

♬ Pretty Girl Era – LU KALA

These chocolate-covered strawberry yogurt clusters are the latest sweet treat to take over TikTok. In April, cookbook author and KaleJunkie founder Nicole Keshishian Modic shared her recipe for the snack, which has since blown up on social media. The hashtag #strawberryyogurtclusters currently has 11.2 million views on TikTok.

In her video, Modic chopped up some strawberries, coated them in yogurt, and popped them in the freezer. She then covered the clusters in a mixture of melted chocolate and coconut oil, put them back into the freezer, and sprinkled them with some flaky salt after they hardened. Modic said, "I think that balances out the sweet, but as always, you do you."

And it looks like people have been doing just that. Social media users have put their own spins on the fruity clusters by adding honey to the yogurt and using different types of chocolate, such as white and dark.

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Fruit Roll-Up Ice Cream

@golisdream

#sweetdreams #fruitrollups #icecream

♬ original sound – Goli

This frozen treat captured people's attention not only because of the unique ingredient combination but also because of the attention-grabbing sound it produces upon biting into it. Back in February, TikTok user Golnar Ghavami, whose TikTok username is @golisdream, posted a video of herself making and eating ice cream wrapped in a Fruit Roll-Up. Within seconds, the ice cream froze the Fruit Roll-Up, giving it a satisfying, potato chip-like crunch that had viewers raising their eyebrows.

Ghavami's video now has 14.5 million views, while the TikTok hashtag #fruitrollupandicecream has amassed 146.5 million views. Over the last few months, social media users have hopped on the viral food trend by creating their own versions of it with different flavors of ice cream and Fruit Roll-Ups.

Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

@lainiecooks

Strawberry cheesecake ice cream ..im obsessed #cottagecheeseicecream #cottagecheeserecipe #highproteindessert

♬ Caalm Dooown – EL Locco

Also trending in the ice cream world is the viral cottage cheese ice cream. The better-for-you, protein-packed frozen dessert gained heightened attention after content creator Lainie Kates—also known as @lainiecooks—shared her recipe for strawberry cheesecake cottage cheese ice cream. This flavor only calls for four ingredients: cottage cheese, a sweetener such as maple syrup, strawberries, and crushed graham crackers.

Since Kates' video went viral, social media users have replicated the recipe and created their own versions by adding various sweeteners and mix-ins to cottage cheese and then freezing it. At 32.3 million TikTok views, the hashtag #cottagecheeseicecream covers a range of flavors, such as birthday cake, banana cream pie, and cookies and cream.

Flavored Water

@takingmylifebackat42

WATER OF THE DAY USE TONYA42 to save $$ #water #drink #recipe #pinacolada #weightloss #flavoredwater #weightlosscheck #goals #motivation #vsg #wls #drinkwater #easyrecipe #yummy #fy @Simple Modern

♬ Forever – Labrinth

While flavored water is nothing new, the concept exploded on TikTok after Tonya Spanglo, whose username is @takingmylifebackat42, went viral for sharing her "water recipes." From piña colada water to salted caramel apple water, Spanglo has shared numerous water concoctions that feature water flavored with different syrups and powdered drink mixes. The content creator told Vox that making these beverages helped her reach her daily water goal and break her soda drinking habit after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery.

Among the social media users on what is known as "WaterTok," many have said these drinks have helped them drink more water, lose weight, or stop drinking soda. However, the trend has not gone without controversy. While some have expressed concerns about the ingredients found in drink flavorings, others have called the trend a diet culture fad, as these dessert-flavored waters are made with powders and syrups that are often sugar-free and zero-calorie.

Lemon Popcorn

@leels_

another episode of: cooking but not actually cooking with leah #snack #lemonpopcorn #popcorn #lemon #snackobsession #snacks #voice #story #newsnack #storytime #latenightsnack #seasalt #makeup #contour #contouring #cooltone #cooltonemakeup #cooltones #greenscreen #stitch #duet #boston #bostontiktok

♬ original sound – le

Lemon popcorn recently got people talking after TikTok user @leels_ shared a video of herself making the simple recipe, which she called a "new obsession snack." The poster combined lemon zest and sea salt in a small bowl before adding it to a larger bowl of freshly popped microwave popcorn. She then topped it off with fresh lemon juice, mixed the ingredients together, and delighted over her creation. Her video now has 21.3 million views while #lemonpoporn has received 23.8 million views.

Within the post's comments section, TikTok users offered suggestions on how to enhance the snack, such as adding hot sauce, tajin, or parmesan cheese. Another TikToker recommended using air-popped popcorn and drizzling with with a combination of lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic salt, and melted butter.

Smashburger Tacos

@chilesandsmoke

Smashburger Tacos are hitting the streets. Grab some tortillas and let's GO! I've been working on this process for a bit and realized that smashing the meat with the flour tortilla directly on the griddle is very effective, and saves a few steps of preparation. The full walkthrough is in my bio. These cook quickly, and with a tortilla instead of the buns you can crush more meat + toppings. #smashburgertacos #smashburgers #streettacos

♬ original sound – chilesandsmoke

Why choose between burgers and tacos when you can bring them together in one bite? In a viral video that currently has 3.8 million views, Phoenix-based chef Brad Prose—aka @chilesandsmoke—shared his recipe for the food mashup.

To make his smashburger tacos, Brose put seasoned ground beef patties onto a hot griddle and placed a tortilla on top of each one before pressing them down with a burger press. Once the meat was cooked, he flipped the tortilla-topped burgers over, added cheese, and loaded on other burger toppings like pickles, shredded lettuce, and sauce. "These are amazing," he said.

Upside Down Pastries

@lilyghodrati

Caramelised Honey & Nectarine pastries #honey #nectarine #pastry #pastries #patisserie #puffpastry #caramelised #bake #baking #sweet #snack #foodhack #EasyRecipe #Recipe #eats #food #FoodTok #Foodie #fy #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

♬ Sleep Walk – Santo and Johnny

Whether you prefer your pastries sweet or savory, TikTok's recent puff pastry hack is sure to satisfy. Simply place any kind of filling onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover the filling with a square of puff pastry, press the edges down, paint it with egg wash, and bake until golden brown. The final product will look like a normal pastry once you flip it over.

As recipes continue to circulate on social media, the hashtag#upsidedownpastry has racked up 53.2 million TikTok views. Pastry fillings range from caramelized honey and nectarines to caramelized shallots, ham, and gruyere cheese—though the possibilities are endless.

The post 7 Biggest Viral Food Trends of 2023—So Far appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Aside from the classic hamburger and hot dog combo, one thing that really elevates a cookout is a big, juicy steak. And one of the best places to get high-quality steaks at affordable prices is BJ's Wholesale Club.

With 238 locations across 19 states, the New England-based warehouse chain prides itself on offering big savings compared to traditional supermarkets, and its meat department is no exception.

Here's a mouth-mouthing look at the top-rated steaks that BJ's members are currently raving about online. All prices and cuts shown come from the BJ's location in Millsboro, Del. Prices and cuts may differ at other locations.

RELATED: 4 Best Cuts of Steak For Summer Grilling, According to a Pitmaster

The classic strip is a staple of summertime grilling, and the USDA Choice strip loin steak from BJ's private label Wellsley Farms, priced at just $7.99 per pound, is a customer favorite. "The meat is always tender and flavorful," wrote one online reviewer. "Nothing like a good steak on the grill. We have never gotten a bad piece of meat from BJ's. When ever we want steaks we head to our local BJ's for a great selection and delicious meat."

Added another, "These steaks were the best by far that we ever had!! Needed very little seasoning and had very little fat! They were very big and my husband and I were able to split one, so a package of 4 gives us 4 meals, and the price is excellent."

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Ribeye at $12.49 per pound is as good as it gets, and BJ's sells these AAA-rated cuts from Canada in packs of three. If you're out for a nice steak dinner, be prepared to spend at least $30 on a ribeye and upwards of $100 if you want the cowboy/tomahawk variety. 

But there's a reason that the ribeye is as expensive as it is. Unless you're in the market for high-end A5 Wagyu, your grocery store won't have a steak in stock with better marbling and fat content, short of a strip. A ribeye thrives on the simple fact that it's an extremely fatty piece of meat that retains the tenderness necessary for traditional grilling. 

"These steaks were the perfect thickness," raved one buyer. "When grilling I was surrounded by good comments and compliments. Don't think it ended at the cooking area! Prepare for table salutes, 'this is so tender!' Wow, 'this steak is the best I've ever had!' Etc, etc.. Thank you for offering such a quality product. We can not thank you enough!"

Chuck steaks are becoming more popular because they're incredibly cheap with high fat content. If you're not on a ribeye-level budget, chuck is your next best bet. At only $6.69 per pound at BJ's, chuck steaks will provide you with that high fat content that makes a ribeye so desirable without breaking the bank. It might not be quite as tender as a ribeye, but it'll be just as tasty. 

"Once I found the type steak I like at BJs I have not bought anywhere else," a reviewer wrote. "I don't eat steak often so when I want to enjoy with no disappointment it's the steak at BJ's. No other store can compare or even get close to this."

Short ribs in the United States are typically thought of as a hearty, wintertime dish that needs to be slow-cooked for hours. But you don't have to wait until the cold months to enjoy these tender cuts of beef. Instead, try preparing your short ribs the Korean way. Korean short ribs, or Galbi, are broken down in a soy sauce-based marinade, then grilled for a bite with intense char and great fattiness. 

Priced at only $6.99 a pound at BJ's, short ribs make an insanely flavorful meal on the grill for a small amount of money. "Very meaty and tender ribs," one online reviewer wrote. "[D]elicious when cook on a Primo ceramic grill."

A flank steak marinated to perfection is your best friend on the grill. BJ's sells this pre-trimmed Rumba flank steak from Texas for $12.49 per pound.

"We purchase the flank steak often at a great price from BJ's," noted one verified buyer. "It is always beefy in flavor and works well in sous vide, instant pot or even the grill. We like to marinate it and serve it up fajita style."

The post 5 Best Steaks to Buy at BJ's Right Now, According to Customers appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Water sommelier Martin Riese, who tastes and judges water as if it were wine, tipped off fellow shoppers in a TikTok video this week that Costco is now carrying the sparkling version of that special water from Socosani. In the video, which has received a whopping 722,000 views, Riese explained that he considers Socosani to be "one of the most fascinating sparkling waters right now," partially because of the high levels of minerals and electrolytes found in the beverage.

RELATED: 6 Items That Costco Shoppers Never Buy at Costco

The mouthfeel of this water sets it apart from the agua you'll find from more basic water brands, according to Riese. He said that it boasts a high silica content, a mineral that makes water "very very smooth on the palate." Riese noted that silica is also what gives that soft, pleasing mouthfeel to the artesian water brand Fiji. As an extra bonus, Socosani boasts a lower sodium content in comparison to other mineral waters, according to Riese.

@martinrieseofficial

Super excited to find a new sparkling water at Costco #watersommelier #martinriese #h2o #water #costco #socosani #sparkling #sparklingwater #peru #bubbles #mineralwater #tds #fyp #foryou #fy #foryoupage

♬ original sound – Martin Riese

Costco's deal for Socosani water is nothing to balk at either. Twelve-packs were going for $11.97 apiece at the warehouse Riese visited—that's roughly one-third of the $36.99 that similar-sized cases cost online.

"So when you're at Costco right now and you're looking for an interesting sparkling water, I highly recommend to get Socosani, one of my favorite waters on this planet," he said.

Riese did not specify the exact warehouse where he found the Socosani water, but the video was tagged as being in Los Angeles County. Source to Bottle, a company that sells Socosani water, confirmed that the drinks are currently available in two dozen Costco warehouses across the L.A. area, including in Culver City, Burbank, and Irvine.

Wherever the water sommelier spotted the Socosani water, there's a chance that it may not be stocked in that warehouse on a permanent basis. One TikToker who claimed to be a Costco employee warned in the comments section that whenever a product has a price ending in .97, that means Costco doesn't plan to restock the item again for the time being. So any water enthusiasts who want to pick up a case of Socosani should check with their local warehouse first to confirm that it's available.

Consumers can also find Socosani water on Amazon and at Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide.

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The post Costco Is Now Carrying a Top-Quality Beverage—But It Won't Be There for Long appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Checking an item's availability online is not an option. Both the Costco website and mobile app are completely useless in this regard.

Many other big-box retailers conveniently offer this capability on their sites—including America's other major warehouse club, Walmart-owned Sam's Club, which allows you to search inventory at your local store by item number, model number, product description and keywords.

But not Costco. At least not yet.

RELATED: 4 Reasons Why Costco's Online Shopping May Not Be Worth It

During the company's earnings call last month, chief financial officer Richard Galanti said Costco members would eventually have that ability, too: "When you go to look at an online product, if we're selling in a warehouse near you based on where you've shopped, in the next several months, cross my fingers, you will be able to, say, you can go ahead and get it in store at the Kirkland or Issaquah [Wash.] location, which also has it in stock right now."

Costco execs have been promising this upgrade for months now. CEO Craig Jelinek made a similar statement during the company's annual shareholders meeting back in January, noting that an internet-based warehouse inventory lookup feature is "something that everyone has asked for" and would be one of several "enhancements" to expect in the new year.

Indeed, Costco members on Reddit have been clamoring for this feature for years. "Even Walmart has this feature," one shopper wrote back in 2020. "You can look up a specific item in a specific store to see if it's in stock. Ridiculous that a trillion-dollar company that is anal about keeping things in order doesn't offer this."

Theories abound as to why the popular warehouse club has lagged behind its competitors for so long. Some blame the company's current, antiquated inventory-tracking system and the high cost of modernizing it, which could drive up prices for members as a result. One wrote, "I chuckle every time someone complains that Costco doesn't have a frivolous convenience feature that other retailers have because they simply do not understand how the adoption of these features will inflate operational costs that will in turn raise membership fees and product prices."

Others suggest the company's foot-dragging is simply by design. "They want you in the store. $$$," one asserted.

During last month's earnings call, Galanti acknowledged the company is still in the "early innings" of a major effort to upgrade its technology in many areas. He noted that Costco hired a new vice president in charge of "digital transformation" last year and recently began a "two-year road map" to improve its e-commerce business.

"We're currently building and dramatically increasing the number of engineering capabilities that we have," Galanti said. "Just in the last three months, as an example, we've had three small releases to our mobile app that are improvements of it," he added, without mentioning specifics. "And we're now on plans to have small improvements in that app each month for the several months going forward."

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As customers continue to wait for the official online inventory feature to materialize, some have figured out a few workarounds. One such "hack" recently posted on Reddit involves Costco's delivery partner: "Use the Instacart app to search for the item you want. You don't have to buy it on Instacart but if it isn't on Instacart it usually isn't in stock. Not foolproof but super helpful and accurate for the most part."

Others have suggested that Costco's same-day delivery portal also provides good clues about which items are in stock at your nearest warehouse.

The post Costco Vows to Finally Launch an Upgrade That Customers Have Been Waiting For appeared first on Eat This Not That.