Our Top Costco Favorites

We don’t even care who knows…we love Costco.

As moms, we don’t love spending our mornings running errands all over town.  We oftentimes have more errands than we can possibly accomplish (10 days of errands in 1.5 hours anyone?) and carting our kids all over Kingdom come does not sound like our idea of a good time.  Enter Costco.  Quality products, fresh produce, cost effective savings.  What’s not to love about that?

Costco is Some Kind of Mom Paradise

Spacious. Clean. Double carts. Super fast checkouts (despite the sometimes long lines, I’ve never waited for longer than 5 mins!), and some of the friendliest employees in town are just a few of the reasons that I love to shop at Costco. Don’t think you need 25 lbs of potatoes (or maybe you do)?  You’d be surprised at how buying in bulk can save your family time and money.  MOM HACK:  Running short on time?  Hit up Costco at lunch. You’ll feed your kids with samples AND get your errands done.  There is always the ridiculously cheap pizza and hotdogs too. 

Here’s our Top Costco Finds

:: Kitchen Staples ::

These are staples.  We love these products and find that their Kirkland Signature brand is one of the most quality store brands around. Often surpassing name brands in quality and cost.

• Milk ::  Hands down one of the least expensive places to buy milk in town.  That gallon of 1% was $1.97.  Whoa!
• Butter ::  Perfect to stock up for holiday cooking and baking!  Butter freezes well so we like to keep it stocked so it’s there whenever the urge hits to make that extra indulgence over the holidays.
• Organic Peanut Butter  :: Seriously delicious peanut butter.  This is the all natural kind that you stir to mix…nothing but peanuts and salt.  SO GOOD.  
• Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt ::  We love this stuff and use it for everything.  Replacing butter in mac and cheese and sauces, in baking, for breakfast with yogurt and berries, in our Indian Cooking…lots and lots of uses for this staple!
• Almond Butter :: Amazing for that protein packed snack that you need for a mid-afternoon pick me up.  Our kids love this on apples with a few raisins on the side.
• Organic Maple Syrup :: If you are a syrup snob (meaning you love the REAL stuff) don’t overlook this kitchen staple!  Amazing taste for an amazing price. Bring on the waffles!
• Coffee :: This should be it’s own category amiright??  Let’s be real, it’d be a national emergency if we ever ran out.  We love this massive bag from Kirkland Signature.  Also, this is roasted by Starbucks. Hand on heart.  It says it right on the front of the package.  For a *fraction* of the price.  Run.  Go now!

:: Quick Dinners ::

Costco is the perfect place to keep items on hand for those nights when a quick dinner (like, every night) is in order.

• Organic Eggs ::  We go through a TON of eggs.  Buying eggs in bulk is extremely cost effective for us.
• Organic Hard-Boiled Eggs ::  Okay, we know hard-boiled eggs are the easiest thing in the world to make, but honestly sometimes it takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r to peel them.  Two dozen organic hard boiled eggs: perfect for snacking, lunches, a quick breakfast. Boom, done.
• Chicken Tortilla Soup :: Friends, it’s soup weather.  This soup is amazing for a quick on the go dinner.  Add a side salad and some bread and dinner is served.
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs ::  Chicken thighs are are more cost effective way to  cook with chicken.  Keep a huge pack like this in the freezer and you’ll always have some on hand to stick in the crockpot with a jar of salsa for chicken tacos.  
• Tuscan Blend Rubbed Pork Tenderloin ::  These little gems can be found over in the prepared entrees.  They are super delicious and cook up easily on the stove top or in the oven. Pair with a soup or salad.  So delicious!
• Rotisserie Chicken :: Ok, no picture because it got shredded and stuck in the fridge immediately.  But there are 1 million reasons why having a $4.99 Costco Rotisserie chicken on hand is a great idea.  Did you know that in 2014 Costco sold 76 million rotisserie chickens and that they also do not have plans to raise the price?

:: Kid Snacks ::

Sometimes, our kids waste more snack food than they consume despite our best efforts.  Buying in bulk is such a bonus for us.  Here are some of our favorites.

• Dried Blueberries and Cherries :: Juicy and delicious, this is the perfect sweet treat for your kids.  
• Organic Apple Sauce Pouches ::  An absolute staple.  When all else fails, our kids will still eat apple sauce pouches.  We probably go through more boxes in a month than we’d like to admit…
• Organic Hummus Cups :: On those magic days when your kids ask for vegetables for snacks, these hummus cups are great and a good source of protein.
• Organic Animal Crackers ::  An absolutely epic, massive tub of animal crackers that will last you at least two days. (*wink*)

:: Household Basics ::

As we mentioned above, the Costco store brand–Kirkland Signature–is one of the best around.  Quality products at a fraction of the price.  Rumor has it that many Kirkland products are produced by name-brand companies simply with the label removed.  Mind blown!

• Baby Wipes ::  These are SO soft and SO strong.  We jumped right on the Costco wipes bandwagon.  Their diapers are also very, very good.
• Laundry Detergent :: Huge bottle…gets our clothes clean…doesn’t smell bad.  Those are all the reasons we need!
• Garbage bags :: Don’t break, don’t smell weird, and you get two massive rolls.

:: Mom Indulgences ::

Okay, #reallife time. We all have that little stash…our treats.  No one else’s treats.  Just our treats.  We aren’t the only ones, right?  Here’s our favorites:

• Coconut Cashew Crunch :: Sweet, salty and coconut-y.  Good for a little treat. It also works in a pinch for a fancy little treat to put out for company or mom-friends who stop by for a coffee/play date.  
• Nature’s Bakery ::  We are absolutely cuckoo for these bars.  Like Fig Newtons for grown ups.  Made with stone-ground wheat, they are perfect for a quick breakfast or a mid morning snack.  (Our little people love these too.)
• Cinnamon Butter Loaves ::  Truth-be-told…these aren’t just a mom indulgence but a whole house indulgence.  Perfect for company or a weekend treat, this bread also freezes well. It is SO good…you’ll probably be upset we told you about it cause you’ll buy it every time.  You’ve been warned!

This is our *short* list. We also buy books, gifts, clothing, kids pajamas, work-out wear, shopped for vacations, tires, electronics, furniture, luggages, vitamins, prescriptions, etc. The list goes on!  

We would LOVE to know ::  What are YOUR favorite Costco items?  Comment below!

And for good measure, here are a few more reasons to shop at Costco!

• Competitive pricing on quality merchandise meets or exceeds local competitors.
• Kirkland Signature products are rated higher than most leading brands.
• Free demos and samples on a daily basis.
• Costco is leading the nation in organic sales.
• The environment in Costco speaks for itself with its cleanliness and well-lit warehouse shopping experience.
• Costco offers many services in and outside of the warehouse: Auto Buying, Check Printing, Travel and Car Rentals, Insurance, Mortgage Financing, Water Delivery, Leaf Guard, Flooring and Windows, Identity Protection, Pharmacy, Hearing Aid, Optical, and Photo Lab.
• Discounts to restaurants, movies, spas, and many more.
• They offer a 100-percent member satisfaction guarantee and will refund your membership if at any time you are not satisfied.
• Free healthy heart screening, osteoporosis screening to all members and non-members.
• They offer pet meds for your fur babies.
• Costco’s meat department is USDA Choice grade or better.
• They have the best Rotisserie 3-pound chicken for $4.99 – no preservatives, MSG free, gluten free, and USDA grade.