Stop Doing This When Shopping At Costco (It's A Complete Waste Of Time)

If you've ever been crouched or stretched to reach for milk or bagged salad with a later expiration date, you're not alone. Many Costco shoppers are on the hunt for the elusive item that will last a little bit longer than the one in the front. Typically, that's a good policy. Most stores carry goods with various expiration dates for the same item, putting the ones with the later dates (the ones that will last longer) in the back so shoppers take the ones with an earlier expiration date first.

However, according to someone claiming to be a Costco employee on Reddit, it's a huge waste of time to search for a better expiration date when it comes to the warehouse giant. One shopper responded that they always reach in the back for a fresher milk, but the employee argued that the expiration dates, if different, are only two days fresher than the ones in the front, making it a waste of time to grab one from the back. Of course, for some shoppers, having an extra couple of days can mean the difference between finishing or throwing out spoiled food. But that seems to be an outlier, anyway, as Costco having items with different expiration dates is relatively rare.

Another self-proclaimed Costco employee explained that everything comes out on one pallet. There are no fresher items in the back because each whole pallet comes out at once. Non-warehouse stores bring out smaller bundles of items to replace what shoppers have taken, so pallets can overlap. But Costco does it differently.

Besides being a waste of time, A Costco employee named Stella told The Kitchn that employees want you to stop looking for a better expiration date because shoppers often leave a mess that employees have to clean up. The employees already spend a lot of time searching through produce to remove anything moldy, spoiled, or crushed before bringing the pallet out for shoppers, though it's still a good idea to check individual produce before leaving the store, especially if it's on the list of frequently returned Costco items.

One of the Reddit Costco employees also says they've seen shoppers grab a carton of milk from the bottom of the pallet, which can cause the whole thing to tip over. Then they have to clean up wasted milk, all because a shopper wanted a jug with a month and two days until the expiration date rather than just a month.

If you really want to get the freshest goods without annoying Costco staff, ask an employee when the deliveries come in for the specific products you want — including rotisserie chickens, dairy products, and produce. If they come in on Wednesday mornings, it may be best to shift your grocery shopping day to Wednesdays. That and tracking Costco sales can land you the freshest food and the best deals.