You’ve probably seen the headlines: new tariffs (Read: What is a tariff?) announced in April 2025 may increase the cost of goods we purchase daily, like food. In today’s times, budgeting is increasingly important, especially when shopping for groceries. While we don’t want to encourage the bulk-buying frenzy of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, we don’t see anything wrong with taking advantage of your Costco membership to grab some of the impacted ingredients in bulk.
The wholesale store’s biggest perk and toughest hurdle is the volume you get for each ingredient. If you’re not accustomed to buying in bulk or don’t typically stock up on the ingredients below, you might not know how to store them. Even regular Costco shoppers can benefit from smarter storage solutions to help keep everyday ingredients like cooking oil, salmon, spices and coffee as fresh as can be for as long as possible. To help, we’ve compiled the best ways to store the top ingredients to buy at Costco before prices potentially climb further.
Cooking Oil
Aozita Glass Oil Dispenser
Amazon
Oil prices will be a bit convoluted since many of them are imported, like olive oil. Some of them, like avocado oil, are made from ingredients heavily impacted by tariffs. It’s worth buying in bulk, just don’t buy more than a year’s worth, since many oils only stay fresh for 18 to 24 months. How to buy cooking oil: Buy oil in a tinted bottle because light causes faster spoiling, so a tinted option adds additional protection. Keep the large bottles in a cool, dark area, like your pantry. Keep a tinted bottle on your countertop and refill it as needed. This Aozita dispenser is well-loved for its protective green bottle and spout, which makes drizzling easy. It even comes with a funnel for fuss-free refilling.
Proteins Like Salmon and Steak
NutriChef PKVS Vacuum Sealer
Amazon
Most of our steak comes from Canada, believe it or not. Salmon isn’t too different—it’s mainly imported from China. Buying in bulk can sometimes be cheaper, and they freeze incredibly well. They should be portioned out and packaged airtight before storing to get the most out of your purchase.
That’s where a vacuum sealer comes in. This NutriChef model is one of our favorites, and it’s less than $50 with current discounts, so it will pay for itself in the long run. It’s gentle enough for more delicate foods like produce and creates a strong seal for locked-in freshness, which you want when storing food.
Imported Cheese
Formaticum Wax Cheese Storage Bags
Amazon
Cheese is one of those ingredients that’s equally as good for the soul as it is for your diet. Hard imported cheeses, like Parmigiano Reggiano, keep for a long time when wrapped properly. It turns out that plastic wrap or plastic bags are not the best way to store these tasty blocks. Wax sheets keep cheese fresh and allow the cheese’s healthy cultures to breathe and thrive. These nifty bags were designed to do just that. Pop your open blocks right in, fold them up and store them in your refrigerator drawer to keep them fresher for longer.
Wine
J.K. Adams 12-Bottle Wooden Wine Rack
Amazon
There’s a reason the saying “aging like fine wine” is popular. There’s some cold, hard truth to it. Imported wine is a great thing to buy at Costco and store for a later date, so long as you do it correctly. Bottles should be kept in a cool, dry and dark place, ideally between 45°F and 65°F. The way the bottles are oriented is also important. Keeping them horizontal helps keep the cork moist for better preservation and prevents oxidation. A simple wine rack will do the trick, like this wooden model from J.K. Adams. It has 12 slots for your bottles but is compact, measuring 12 x 14 x 3 inches.
Rice
Ball 64-Ounce Wide Mouth Half Gallon Mason Jar
Amazon
So many cultures rely on rice, and most of our rice comes from parts of Asia, like India and Thailand. Keep rice in a cool, dry place away from heat sources (so avoid cabinets near your stovetop). Once you’ve opened the bag, store portions in large mason jars—glass is nonporous and can prevent too much oxygen from entering, thanks to airtight seals from the double lid system. They’re also great for other storage options like other grains, seeds, snacks, produce like tomatoes and more.
Spices
Polyton 32-Ounce Amber Wide Mouth Mason Jars
Amazon
Speaking of mason jars: Here’s another use case! These are amber-tinted, making them an ideal option since they help block out light. Take spices out of their plastic containers and pop them in here for convenient pantry storage. As with any food transfer, mark the expiration date for future reference. You can also put them into an airtight reusable storage bag, like our favorite Stasher bags, and freeze any spices you don’t use often.
Coffee
Planetary Design Airscape Stainless Steel Coffee Canister
Amazon
Coffee keeps many of us going, whether due to the actual caffeine or purely because of how happy it makes us. For smart budgeting, buy coffee in bulk ahead of the tariffs, which will impose a 10% increase on beans from our largest coffee importers, Brazil and Colombia.
When buying coffee for long-term storage, pick multi-packs of regular-sized packages instead of the individual big bulk bags. Once you open the bag, the beans begin to lose their freshness, and because of this, you should keep coffee sealed in the original packaging for as long as possible. Whether ground or whole bean, pop the coffee from the open bag into an airtight container like this one from Planetary Design. It’s specifically designed to keep this product fresh thanks to its double lid that pushes oxygen out and locks moisture in.
Chocolate
Pyrex Simply Store Glass Food Storage Container
Amazon
Because of the climate in which cacao beans need to grow, most of it is harvested outside of the U.S. Regardless of whether it’s a bar or chips, it can keep for at least a year, but you need to store it properly to prevent the chocolate from blooming or spoiling. Keep chocolate at a consistent temperature below 72°F and store it away from moisture.
A simple, airtight container is a great way to ensure it stays fresher for longer. The full set of these Pyrex Simply Store containers aced our tests for glass containers thanks to their versatile, functional and airtight design. This size is excellent for stocking up on bars, chips and other chocolate morsels.
