So you’ve bought your Costco membership, now what do you do? What items should be in your shopping list every time you go to the store? We asked the moms in our Village Facebook Group and here are their suggestions!
My Must Haves from Costco
We have three kids, and all three have passed me up in height. So it’s fair to say that we have 5 adult-sized people in our home. This affects my grocery budget like you wouldn’t believe! So shopping intentionally is a priority. If you look at our receipts for groceries, gas, and household items, you shouldn’t be surprised to see this giant warehouse is the main place where we get all of our supplies! My list of must-haves make their way into my cart every shopping trip, and inevitably, I choose the Kirkland Signature brand because I find it just as good as any other name brand items, and many times even better! The Kirkland Signature brand is private-label brand that only Costco carries and you’ll find it on about 20% of the products in your local warehouse, on everything from clothing to laundry detergent, pet food to toilet paper, canned foods to cookware, automotive products to health and beauty aids.
These are our top choices that make it into our cart nearly every time we are at Costco:
Protein Bars
My son is on the varsity football team this year, which means he goes straight from school to football practice. He needs food. Like all the time. So protein bars are a staple in his backpack. He loves the variety of protein bars that Costco has.
Milk and Eggs
Unless we are in some sort of emergency situation, Costco is the only place we will buy milk and eggs. Again…my son…football team. We eat A LOT of eggs, people. A LOT!
Laundry Detergent
You guessed it! Football. You’re probably seeing a pattern here. The smells that permeate off of that boy when he comes home can take your breath away. Every night the washing machine does its magic. The Kirkland brand truly works wonders, and dare I say is as good as the detergent I would ONLY use.
Paper Products
We have purchased toilet paper, paper towel, paper plates, etc. in bulk for YEARS. Once you have kids, buying the soft fluffy toilet paper is not a priority. Instead we buy the humongous 96 roll box (which is safe for septic tanks!). Buying this stuff in bulk is crucial. We have 5 adult size people in this house, remember?!
Wine
This one needs no explanation. 🙂
Honey
A daily staple in our home is protein balls. I literally make a quadruple batch for my family every Sunday night. It’s a good thing I have a view of the T.V. from my kitchen. I turn on an episode of Chopped and pretend I’m making a gourmet dish for the judges to love.
Gas
I will push my tank to brink of empty if it means I can wait to fill up until my Costco trip. Why? Because they are ALWAYS at least several cents cheaper per gallon than local gas stations. After the van is loaded down with our Kirkland haul, we always finish our trip by filling up the tank!
Snacks
Costco consistently has healthy and organic snacks that are great for school snacks or just to have around the house – because these kids are ALWAYS eating.
Other Items
The moms in our Village also recommended fresh fruit (we love their mangos and apples) and veggies, cheese, the parma prosciutto, bakery items (we’ve tried it all and LOVED it all) and the fresh salmon. Their pre-made items are also a great option for busy nights because they just need to be popped in the oven to heat up!
Have you been considering a Costco membership?!
Have you never been to a Costco?!
First published 10/14/16, updated 2/1/25
Sounds fun!