Why You'll Probably Regret Buying Milk At Costco

Costco just might be the best place to shop in bulk. If you want to stock up on everyday household items, most people agree that your nearest warehouse is the place to go. At Costco, you can snag lots of savings on everything from groceries and housewares to baked goods and pantry items. However, there are some things that just aren't a good idea to buy in bulk, namely, any products that tend to expire fairly quickly.  

Milk is one of the worst offenders when it comes to spoiling easily. Once opened, regular milk usually only has a refrigerator life of around five to seven days, according to Shelf Life Advice, and even less for whole milk. So unless you have a very large family or drink a lot of milk every day, it's likely that a large Costco milk container will go bad before you have time to drink it. 

Costco sells gallon jugs of milk in two-packs and the price can seem like quite a good deal at $4.99 for 2 gallons of milk. In fact, according to Saving Advice, this is a significant 79 cent per gallon savings over the average cost of milk, which is around $3.28 per gallon. However, the money you save won't add up to much if you end up throwing most of it away. Additionally, as Eat This Not That notes, Costco's large milk containers can be hard to pour, making it more likely you'll end up spilling more of your savings on the counter than drinking it.

Instead, Eat This Not That recommends purchasing your milk alternatives at Costco. They carry a wide variety of plant-based milk, from the classic soy and almond to oat, hemp, coconut, and even pea milk, via Instacart. These don't expire as quickly as dairy does, which makes buying them in bulk a much smarter option.