• As a judge for the Specialty Foods Association, I've evaluated hundreds of high-quality goods.
• I think Costco is a great place to stock up on holiday staples and specialty winter treats. 
• I often grab cranberries, crispy onions, smoked salmon, and praline pecans from the wholesale chain.

Fresh cranberries herald the holiday season.

I'm a produce nerd, so I get excited when the new cranberry crop hits store shelves each fall.

Costco sells a 2-pound bag of Ocean Spray's fresh cranberries for $3.99.

I grab two and freeze one since they keep beautifully in the freezer. I can then bake cranberry-crumb cake any time of year. 

If you have the patience to string them, cranberries also make pretty tree garlands.

Costco has POM Wonderful pomegranates, which can dress up dining tables and holiday dishes.

Fresh pomegranates are beautiful both inside and out.

Their blush skin is part of autumn's palette, and their round shape makes them look like natural ornaments, so they're great as holiday-table decor.

Inside, pomegranates are packed with juicy arils that add a gorgeous ruby-red color and tart flavor to salads, dips, and desserts.

The key to enjoying these gems is learning how to dismantle them. Score the peel with a knife and gently break them up by hand in a big bowl of water. The ready-to-eat arils will sink to the bottom.

A frenched lamb rack makes for an elegant holiday meal.

A rack of lamb can offer a wow factor to your holiday spread. Buying it frenched means the fat and meat have been removed from each rib bone to make an elegant presentation.

If I'm feeling extra fancy, I buy two or three of these lamb racks and tie them in a circle around a mound of stuffing to make a crown roast.

Costco sells this Australian lamb rack for $14.99 a pound. Each pack contains eight ribs, which is about 2 pounds.

The flavor of this cranberry-walnut bread matches many herbaceous, meaty winter dinners.

This large, round loaf from Kirkland's bakery looks great and is fun to eat with almost any meal. I'll set it on a wood cutting board with a ramekin full of room-temperature herbed or salted butter.

The cranberries, walnuts, and whole-rye grains would complement a Thanksgiving spread or the holiday flavors of a winter roast.

Costco sells the 30-ounce loaf for $8.99.

You can't make classic green-bean casserole without crispy onions.

My family didn't serve green-bean casserole topped with lots of crispy onions at Thanksgiving when I was a kid, but as an adult, I've more than made up for this deficit.

Fresh Gourmet's crispy onions come with recipes for the classic side dish on the back. I also like this particular brand since it's made with non-GMO onions and no trans or saturated fat.

These onions are also great for topping burgers, mashed potatoes, rice, and mac and cheese.

Smoked salmon can upgrade your brunches and traditional latkes.

I often keep smoked salmon in the fridge, but I like to have extra during the winter holidays.

For $20.99, this Kirkland two-pack contains 24 ounces, which is technically a dozen servings, but more like six in my house.

The topping can elevate your holiday brunch. I serve it alongside bagels and scallion cream cheese or under poached eggs and hollandaise sauce as a meatless eggs Benedict.

During Hanukkah, I use this smoked salmon to top latkes, traditional fried potato pancakes. Its silky texture is a nice contrast to the thin, crispy bites. Plus a dab of crème fraiche and caviar makes for a perfect combo.

El Almendro's nougat candy is a European holiday tradition.

The Spanish company El Almendro has been manufacturing treats for about 140 years, and the turrón duro — a firm, almond-chocked nougat — is a Christmas staple. 

It's made with honey, sugar, and egg whites, but since it's mostly almonds, the bite isn't cloyingly sweet. I like to add this white brittle to platters of cookies.

Costco sells three-packs of the festive treat for $10.99.

Praline pecans are a good addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes.

Kirkland's praline pecans are a Costco favorite. I buy them during the holidays to add sweetness and crunch to a variety of dishes.

Pecans have a distinct buttery, slightly woody taste that's enhanced by the sugary praline coating.

I like to crumble these over a Thanksgiving sweet-potato casserole, toss them into salads with goat cheese, and top pancakes with them for a decadent breakfast. They're also great on a cheese plate.

A 40-ounce canister of praline pecans costs $15.99.

This fruit-forward cabernet sauvignon has a surprising flavor profile.

I'm not usually a cab drinker, but the Gnarly Head 1924 limited-edition Double Black cabernet sauvignon piques my palate.

This wine spends some time aging in bourbon barrels, where it picks up notes of brown sugar and a hint of char. It's bold and jammy, heavy on blackberry, with the cherry and fig undertones making it a rich accompaniment to a winter meal.

A bottle of this California wine costs $12.99. And in some states, Costco's liquor outlets don't require a membership to shop, so check your local store if you're not a member.

Don't forget about beer drinkers during the holidays.

Costco sells 12-packs of Samuel Adams' holiday-themed Beers for Cheers, featuring some of the brand's seasonal brews.

The half-case pairs timeworn favorites, from the sweet, malty Old Fezziwig and new, trendy cold IPA (which is fermented at lower-than-normal temperatures) to the hazy Holiday White Ale and mocha-kissed Black Lager. So the collection is perfect for seasonal celebrations.

It even includes two regular Boston lagers for those who prefer beer that simply tastes like beer.

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