Nutrition & Safety, in Plain English
Saving money is pointless if you’re compromising your health with low-quality food or unsafe supplements. A frugal household is a healthy household. Understanding what’s actually inside the package is just as important as what you pay for it.
Beyond the Marketing Claims
The front of a package is advertising space. Words like “natural,” “wholesome,” and “artisan” are often legally meaningless. Your source of truth is the black-and-white Nutrition Facts panel on the back. This is where you find the facts, regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). When you scan it, focus on a few key areas. Look at the added sugars, which are sugars that don’t occur naturally in the food and offer no nutritional benefit. The American Heart Association recommends strict limits on these. Also check the sodium content; many packaged and frozen foods, even at Costco, are loaded with it. Finally, look at the type of fats. Small amounts of unsaturated fats are healthy, but trans fats should always be avoided.
The ingredient list is your other window into the product. It’s listed in order by weight. If sugar or an unpronounceable chemical is one of the first few ingredients, it’s a red flag. Be wary of ultra-processed foods—products made from substances extracted from foods, with additives to mimic natural properties. They often contain long ingredient lists and are designed to be hyper-palatable, making it easy to overeat.
The Special Case of Supplements
The supplement aisle at Costco is vast, but the industry is notoriously under-regulated. The FDA does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness before they are sold. This is where third-party verification becomes critical. Look for a seal from an independent organization that has tested the product for quality and purity. The most respected is the USP Verified mark. This indicates that the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) has confirmed that the product contains the ingredients listed on the label in the declared potency and amounts, does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants, and will break down and release into the body within a specified amount of time. It is not a guarantee of effectiveness, but it is a crucial mark of manufacturing quality. You can find more neutral information on dietary supplements from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS).
