Costco's New Bread Bowls Are Seriously Dividing Shoppers

Sourdough bread has arguably had a burst in popularity since the pandemic, one that shows up in an ever-increasing range of sourdough products becoming available. Shoppers have been seeing one such item at Costco: four-packs of sourdough bread bowls, about 2 pounds of bread for $7.99. But as exciting as that sounds, this debut has been met with controversy.

While some are excited for another new Costco bakery product, lamenting that these should have debuted in time for the winter soup season, many commenters on Instagram take issue with a long-looking ingredient list.

Multiple users asserted that true sourdough bread should only be made of flour, water, and salt. The ingredient list for this bread is somewhat deceptively long — for instance, instead of letting it stand alone, the label lists every ingredient in enriched flour. But even accounting for that, this Costco bread does contain added yeast and ascorbic acid as mass-production shortcuts. It's definitely more processed than homemade sourdough would be, but that doesn't mean it's not worth trying.

Contrary to scary-sounding suggestions around the phrase, ultra-processed sourdough can easily fit into a healthy and balanced diet, even if it's not quite as ideal as homemade. Costco's sourdough bread bowls are pretty new to the scene and definitely worth trying with any of Costco's must-have premade soups, like Kirkland Chicken Tortilla or Tomato Basil.

But for more discerning consumers, though it's not a bread bowl, some Costcos do carry Boudin Bakery Sourdough Rounds, the best-ranked loaf among popular store-bought sourdough options. Satisfied customers suggest it tastes like fresh sourdough should taste, despite the convenience of being store-bought.

Luckily for the purists, though, it's not difficult to make your own bread at home. Consumers striving for the realest deal can follow this no-knead recipe to make your own sourdough bread in whatever shape you like, be it loaves, bread bowls, rolls, or more. It won't be as simple as pulling a bag off of a shelf, but you also won't have to brave the Costco parking lot.