How To Pick The Freshest Fish At Costco Every Time

When shopping for fish, freshness should always be top of mind. If you live somewhere where fresh seafood is abundant, then you are familiar with the importance of only cooking and working with high-quality, fresh fish. Not only is eating funky fish that's maybe been stored improperly or is no longer at its freshest an unpleasant experience, but it can potentially make you ill, as well.

If you don't have the luxury of being able to stop by the town docks and procure fresh-caught fish and instead find yourself perusing Costco's seafood section, fret not. Costco actually has some really solid fresh fish options available. We uncovered an internet-approved hack for ensuring you're always buying the freshest fish possible at Costco, and it's way more simple than you may think. All you have to do is talk to your local Costco employees and ask them when they receive their fresh seafood shipments. Most locations will get the shipments on a schedule, so they should be able to share this information with you easily. Then, make sure to only shop for fresh fish on those days, and select only the ones packaged on the same day as the delivery. That way you know they received the fish and packaged it the same day you're taking it home. Another tip is to check that the use-by date is at least seven days out from the day you are buying it.

After selecting your fresh fish, you want to make sure you either use it quickly or store it properly. Fresh fish and other seafood will last about one or two days in the fridge and should still be inspected before consuming due to its perishable nature. Just like at the grocery store or the fishmonger, storing fish over ice in the refrigerator can help keep it fresh, too. Place the fish in an airtight food storage bag and rest it over a bowl or a baking sheet with a layer of ice.

If you aren't planning on consuming any or all of the fresh Costco fish within the first day or two of buying, you should consider storing it in the freezer. Vacuum sealing is the ideal way to store fish in the freezer as it protects the fresh fish from air, freezer burn, and any cross-contamination with other foods in your freezer. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can double-wrap the fish instead. First, wrap your fish in plastic wrap or a plastic food storage bag with as little air as possible. Then, wrap the entire package again in either butcher paper or aluminum foil.