Why You Should Think Twice Before Buying Asparagus At Costco

Imagine planning the perfect weekend dinner. Maybe you're going to grill some steaks, or you have a new pasta dish in mind. You went shopping and picked up everything you needed, including fresh, delicious asparagus. After a day in the fridge, you open the bag and a strong smell of rotten asparagus fills your kitchen. Dinner is ruined and you need a new plan. Few things are more frustrating than buying fresh vegetables only to find they've spoiled within a day or two. It's a waste of time and money and it's why you might want to think twice before buying asparagus at Costco next time you're there.

No store is infallible and occasionally a bad batch makes it onto shelves. We've all purchased produce that spoiled before we got a chance to use it. In the most egregious circumstances, you can take it back and get a refund. One of Costco's perks is that it offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee to its customers, and bad asparagus is one of the reasons people have taken advantage of that policy in the past.

Some shoppers have bought asparagus from Costco, and within a day, they opened the bag at home and discovered it smelled rotten. Others reported that this has been a recurring problem with several kinds of produce, but slimy asparagus has led to them throwing the whole batch out.

Asparagus from Costco is sold in bags. Some shoppers say part of the problem is that the bags aren't ventilated, which prevents the asparagus from breathing. This allows moisture to build up, causing it to spoil faster. One person said their solution is to open the bag immediately at home and place a couple of paper towels inside to absorb the excess moisture and extend the shelf life. You really shouldn't have to do that with fresh vegetables, though.

The challenge is that the asparagus often looks fine in the store. Once you open the bag at home, however, the smell of rot is unmistakable. At that point, you can either throw it out or hold on to it until you can go back to Costco for a refund, which is something a lot of people aren't inclined to do if it's already evening and they're planning to make dinner. It's easier to just toss it out and forget about it.

Many of the complaints about the quality of the asparagus are recent, but some date back at least five years. So this isn't a sudden issue at Costco by any means. A former employee posted on Reddit advising shoppers to return products like asparagus if they are bad because the company won't know there's an issue otherwise. While that approach does make sense, avoiding the asparagus altogether will still send a message and also save you money and aggravation at the same time.