FOOD NEWS
Why Costco Shoppers Should Choose Cashews Wisely
By Crystal Antonace
Excluding snack-size pouches in mixed variety packs, Costco sells at least three different types of cashews, but choosing the best in terms of flavor and value can be a challenge.
Choices include Kirkland Signature butter toffee cashews, Fancy cashews, organic cashews, and Black Label cashews if you're fortunate enough to find them.
Setting aside organic and flavored cashews, it's worth exploring the distinctions between Costco's Kirkland Black Label cashews and their Fancy counterparts.
Costco sells Fancy cashews in 40-ounce plastic bags for $15, while Black Label cashews, when available, are presented in 38-ounce glass jars for $18.
The Black Label nuts are purportedly W180 cashews, which are larger and more flavorful. Both Black Label and Fancy list cashews, peanut oil, and sea salt as ingredients.
User @newzack wrote that the Black Label cashews were "[m]ore creamy or buttery, and they don't have that slight tangy flavor of pesticide on them."
In response, user @Slingintupe commented, "It's 99% placebo for sure," suggesting that the glass packaging of the Black Label cashews makes them more appealing to customers.
These upscale nuts are typically available only during the holiday season, but the Fancy variety from Costco is still an excellent — and more reliably available — choice.