Buying generic or store-brand products can sometimes feel like a gamble for the sake of saving a little money. However, things are different when it comes to Costco, where the in-house Kirkland products are part of the appeal of a membership. Besides being great deals, they’re often equal or even greater quality than many name brands—especially when it comes to some kitchen staples. Now, a shopping expert is sharing a new Costco tomato sauce that he says is a must-buy, while calling out another popular brand you should probably nix.
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Is Kirkland Organic Marinara from Tuscany worth buying?
Costco
Jarred tomato sauce might be divisive among some culinarily minded shoppers, but there’s no denying that it helps to have some stashed in your pantry in case of a last-minute dinner emergency. But which one is worth your money?
In a recent video posted to Instagram, health influencer Warren Phillips (who goes by the username @nontoxicdad) calls out his new favorite find: Kirkland Organic Marinara from Tuscany.
“This stuff is amazing!” he says of the sauce. “This is a true product of Italy with 100 percent organic ingredients.”
He adds that the product is made from tomatoes specifically grown and harvested in Tuscany in 2024.
“Tuscany has volcanic soils that are rich in minerals, so it not only makes this sauce taste amazing, it’s going to be rich in vitamins and minerals that your body needs,” Phillips explains.
The sauce is made with simple, high-quality ingredients.
There’s no second-guessing what goes into this product, either. Unlike other domestic options that contain preservatives and other additives, the labeling on this product reads like a shopping list instead of a laboratory inventory.
“There’s only six ingredients in this stuff, and they’re all fresh when they mix it into the sauce in Italy,” Phillips points out. “Even the extra virgin olive oil in here is Toscana PGI, which means it’s produced, processed, and prepared in Tuscany, meeting all the strictest standards. And you know it’s single origin!”
He says shoppers may want to avoid another popular brand.
But how does this stack up against other options in the aisle? Phillips then goes on to compare the item to Rao’s, another jarred option that has developed a rabid fanbase. But there’s a big difference between the two that has nothing to do with taste.
“Rao’s…uses Italian tomatoes not from Tuscany, so you don’t know if it’s from that volcanic-rich soil,” he explains. “Studies show that 60 percent of these non-organic tomatoes still have plenty of pesticides inside that sauce.”
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Shoppers are divided on the final verdict.
The idea of switching to a pasta sauce with all organic ingredients seems like an enticing one. But does the product actually taste good? Costco customers jumped into the comment section on Phillips’ video to weigh in.
“I loved it. So good. Not too acidic,” one wrote, while another called it a “beauty” of an item.
However, not everyone agreed with the supporters, with one user writing: “Sadly, [it] doesn’t taste that good.”
Another agreed with the assessment: “Good if a recipe calls for just tomatoes, [but] this isn’t marinara at all.”
