Does Costco make you fat??

So I haven't been a Costco member since before RNY (over 6 years ago).  I would always use a friend's card for the one or two times a year I would want or need something.  It's just my wife and me so we don't need a large amount of items.  I just picked up a new card yesterday because of a business we now have.  So I'm looking at the clients at the store and realize that majority are obese.  It looks like a larger percentage than the national average.  Yeah, I know about the samples and the hotdog or polish dog and the soft drink special...Or the slice of pizza special.  These were the things that got me close to 300 pounds.  I don't want to go down that road again...BUT IT'S FREE SAMPLES!!  Did you hear me..."FREE SAMPLES"!!  I don't dump and have gained 40 pounds since my lowest.  I need to be careful to use this store and not abuse it (pre op).  I am the kind of person who can never go on a cruise because of all the free food...Midnight ice cream bar...SURE!!...Thirds...Sure!!  I'm entering into a slippery slope and I know it.  I went to Costco for an alarm system...I came back with a box of pastries, box of frozen yogurt, polish dog and a Pepsi.  Let's be careful out there people...

I can see where you are coming from.  I try to stick to the fresh fruits & vegies, vitamins & other stuff I need.  Those freebies are pretty tasty, but since I journal what I eat, the reality sets in pretty fast, and for me, accountability helps.  Handy to get the vitamins & stuff like that..larger bottles last longer. 

Costco does not make me fat.   I shop there all the time.  Some food makes me sick, other - I chose not to eat ,,,  It is about choices.   Same food is everywhere else. 

Samples - I only pick some that are proteins.  And only AFTER I read what is in that. Otherwise - I don't bother.  Cheese, meats, even spreads (hold the cracker) ...and so on.  

Meat, fish, fresh veggies and fruits( only some of them) are my choices. They do have good selection and not too bad pricing. 

I have never been to Costco, but we go o BJ's all the time, my boyfriends owns a bar/restaurant, I can honestly say I have tried some samples, last time it was for a nut mix.  I never get tempted to buy anything there besides lemons, and those don't even come in large bags.  We went to restaurant depot last week and I window shopped in the dessert freezer.  Large sizes of food hold no appeal to me, my boyfriend spent over 400.00 dollars and I got nothing there either.  I find food stores very overwhelming, I don't try new things often, and looking at the calories or sugar usually ruins everything for me.  My indulgence is nuts, almonds or cashews or pistacchios.  I broke the hold food had over me, the only thing I think about now that makes my mouth water is my beloved lemons.  I eat at least three a day, I cut them up and add them to very weak unsweetened ice tea, bring three twenty ounce cups with me to work filled with lemons, ice and tea.  I drink the tea, add water until the ice melts and then eat all the lemons.  I love them, I would eat more of them but thy are hard on your mouth and teeth, yet alkaline when digested.  I do this 5 days a week while at work, never eat a thing, no blood sugar issues, no hunger, no nothing, I eat dinner when I get home and two snacks.  I still weigh my goal weight.  Google lemon diet if you want to see the health benefits.  But it does work, I have RH, and if I start to feel sick go straight to my lemon tea, makes the queasy feeling go away.  Obviously you need to love lemons for this and I guess not everyone does, although that is hard for me to imagine.  When we were preparing for Hurricane Sandy, the only thing I bought was two bags of lemons.  I guess you can say I love them.

Good luck.

I've never been to a Costco, but have been to Sam's.  Sam's offers samples, also.  When my parents were alive, they would go to Sam's for "lunch", eating all of the samples as their afternoon meal. 
The only samples that I try at Sam's are the proteins, and only if there aren't the high amounts of fats and sugars.  I've not been a fan of the hot dogs, pizzas, or other foods that they have to offer in the fast food area, so that's not an issue for me. 
Most of what I get at Sam's, in bulk, isn't food.  We get laundry detergent, toilet tissue, vitamins, protein powders and premixed drinks, water, and other health and beauty items.  If I do get foods, it's usually something for school lunches...fruit cups, granola bars, baked chips, etc. 
Oh!  And the rotisserie chicken.  Love the chicken and the price! 
I agree with another post that it's about choices.  If you know when the samples are offered, don't go during that time.  I know that Sam's only offers the samples on certain days and times, so I usually don't go during that time. It's also not as busy when the samples aren't given out. 

Janet

I go to Sam's too.  I have 2 teenage boys and a construction worker husband to feed so I stock up on bulk foods. LOL

I buy vitamins, premier protein shakes (pre made)  fruits, veggies, cheese, meat and the wonderful rotisserie chickens.  Plus household supplies.  I do eat samples sometime, but they are always just a bite or two so I dont worry about it.

Go when it opens at 10am - NO FREE SAMPLES!!!    Problem solved!   

I shop there twice a month or so and really have no problem turning down the samples - unless it's something I would eat anyway ...   

Depends on your shopping list! No ice cream bars. 

I am a regular Costco shopper and get lots of produce there: oranges, fresh spinach, asparagus, berries, hearts of romaine, baby carrots, lemons for hot lemon water....other things dependng on the assortment.

Other things I love to get at Costco: Salsa, tilapia, salmon, roasted chicken, ****tail shrimp ring, deli style turkey (although I am not fond of the sodium content in this one), frozen salmon burgers. 

I'm also fighting regain after nearly 4 years out. Costco is one way I am sure to have enough of the right foods in the house, and gives hgih quality at reasonable prices. 

I do have an occasional hot dog, but it's not a regular stop for me. 

We don't have Costco but have Sam's.  I shop there about twice a month, rarely if ever try the samples and if so it's a veggie or meat I want to see if it's worth buying.  Now my boys (12 & 13) I have to keep them away from all the samples or I'd be buying way more than I already do.

They bring lunches to school (our school lunches suck) so it's easier to buy things in bulk for school lunches and I buy eggs, milk, yogur****er, Gatoraide and cleaning supplies there.  Much easier than going to the grocery store so often.

Does McDonalds make you fat?  Does Longhorn Steakhouse?

It is about personal responsibility.  Period. 

I go to Sam's a couple times a month, and maybe twice in the past 4 years I've tasted something. As a matter of fact, one item was Jambalaya mix, and I bought it!  If I WANT something they are giving away, I'll try it.  However, I BALANCE my daily food intake with exercise, so a few samples would not derail me. Oh, and I did try several cakes at the holidays.......red velvet, Italian cream......yum............

I "get" the spirit of your post, but really, WE need to be responsible for what gets into our mouths....IT IS NOT anyone's fault but our own if we overdo it. AND we can have a bit of everything as long as we cut back somewhere else or up the cardio to burn it off.