5 Costco Foods You Need To Try Before Summer Ends

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

As soon as the summer starts, it's almost over! One minute you're prepping your pantry for hot weather and making sure your fridge will keep things cool when the mercury rises, the next it's almost time to send the kids back to school. Okay fine, those last weeks of summer vacation can seem like the longest. Summer might not be ending quite yet, but with Dunkin's fall menu leaking and Sam's Club stocking distinctly autumnal pumpkin blondies all of a sudden, it's time to start making the most of the long hot days and the food that goes with them. 

As usual, Costco comes to the rescue here. The warehouse store has everything you need to enjoy the dog days of summer, culinarily speaking. From seasonally stocked desserts and tropical fruits that only grow in the summer to ready-to-eat charcuterie boards built for picnic season, here are five must-try summer foods you need to grab before the leaves turn and the ghost of pumpkin-spice-present starts haunting the grocery aisles.

These Island Way Sorbets are quickly becoming one of my frozen summer favorites. While they're not strictly a sorbet as they contain that "touch of cream" mentioned on the box, they're still delicious. According to the rules of fruity summer iced dessert classification, the fresh, fruity Island Way treats are actually sherbets. They're also gluten free, made from real juice, and relatively low in calories when compared to ice cream (so you can have two ... that's the rule, right?).

My favorite thing about these single-serve freezer snacks might be their kitschy presentation. They're all served in hollowed out fruit shells. These 12 packs contain three coconut, three red berry and grapefruit, three mango and passion fruit, and three pomegranate sherbets. The fruit shells are essentially fruit skins made into a small bowl. The exact logic behind which flavor goes in which shell is unclear, but it's the kind of whimsy you need on a sweaty summer's day. If the flavor doesn't transport you to a far flung beach vacation, the pure silliness will.

The Island Way Sorbet Assortment is priced at $19.28 at Costco.

If you see an Ataulfo mango, buy it! I grew up calling these honey mangoes, and when they were available we would buy the box. Also called champagne mangoes, this fruit is grown in Mexico and harvested between February and August. When ripe, Ataulfos are creamy, sweet, and juicy with a custard-like texture. They're one of the least fibrous types of mango and are rarely tart or sour. They also have relatively thin skin, making them easier to peel than other varieties, like the standard green and red Tommy Atkins mango. In fact, once you've tried Ataulfo mangoes you may turn your nose up at their larger cousins. 

Costco shoppers can pick up six-packs of Ataulfo mangoes sourced from Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. If you're new to these mangoes and want to keep things simple, they're great plain, in a fruit salad, or with the classic combination of lime juice and the tangy Mexican spice blend known as Tajin. More adventurous tropical fruit lovers could pick up some sticky rice and coconut milk to pair with perfectly ripe, sliced champagne mango, or use some of the fruit to whip up a simple summer sorbet. There are plenty of ways to serve Ataulfo mangoes, and if you're anything like me and my family you'll probably be buying them all summer long (and daydreaming about them all winter). 

Pick up six Ataulfo mangoes for $10.20 at Costco.

Apple pie, but make it summer ready! This Costco seasonal classic is back in the bakery section, and it'll be gone come fall. The addition of strawberries to a classic all-American apple pie gives the dessert both sweet high notes and a fresh tartness that just screams summer treat. The pastry is light and flaky, so a slice doesn't feel like too much for dessert on a warm day, while the latticework top revealing its bright red filling means this pie is pretty enough to take to a summer picnic or garden party. Weighing in at almost five pounds, Costco's Apple Berry Pies are are also big, so sharing the dessert with a hungry group shouldn't be a problem. 

If you want to make the dessert even more summer-appropriate, add a scoop of your favorite ice cream or control that berry-sweetness with some home-whipped cream. If the pie is a hit remember it won't be around forever, so you'd better stock up while you can. (Most locations are showing it's currently out of stock, but keep your eye out for it later in the summer.)

The Apple Berry Pie is $15.99 at Costco.

Available in two sizes, the Luxe Bites Ready-to-Eat Charcuterie Boards are a great gift and the perfect summer party catering hack. They feature meats, cheeses, nibbles, dried fruit, crackers, and adorable mini Bonne Maman preserves all presented in a classy wooden box that doubles as a charcuterie board. 

Alongside premium cheeses like aged cheddar and truffle pecorino as well as quality deli meats like calabrese and dry Italian salami, the Sweet and Savory Charcuterie Board includes desserts; and I'm not talking a few dry cupcakes. There are macaroons, chocolate bark, brownie and lemon cake bites — and that's just the start. This board also comes with one additional kind of cheese, and three more deli meats than the smaller Classic Charcuterie Board. 

Because of the price, these glorified snack packs aren't an every day buy, but they're a great time saver if you have something to celebrate. They're also stuffed with quality (and in some cases name brand) ingredients that would be pricey in full sized packages, and might be ridiculous purchases if you're not making a charcuterie board every weekend. Who knows, if you treat yourself to a fancy cheese summer you could get a taste for it and become a charcuterie devotee? Until then, these boards just make sense. 

The Luxe Bites Sweet and Savory Ready-to-Eat Charcuterie Board is priced at $209.99, while the smaller Luxe Bites Classic board is $119.99. Both are available only online.

These pre-marinated chicken wings offer a quick and easy summer dinner solution that still has that home-prepared touch. With the average package containing more than 6 pounds, you get a lot of bang for your buck with this party pack. They come marinated in a tangy, spicy garlic chicken mixture so the wings are ready to throw in the air fryer before friends come over to watch sports or on the grill for a big cookout. As long as you steer clear of common chicken grilling mistakes they're super easy to prepare, but your guests will feel like you're doing something special for them if you utilize a two zone grilling method to deliver the exact level of char everyone likes best. 

If you don't have any big gatherings coming up, these wings could also be part of summer family meals. There's a few tricks to getting poultry storage right, but chicken keeps great when frozen. Since marinades don't continue imparting flavor when meat is frozen, there's no weed to worry about major flavor changes while your wings are in the freezer. Just use what you need and save the rest for another wings night. 

Kirkland Signature Garlic and Pepper Chicken Wings are priced at $4.53 per pound at Costco.