Costco Favorites: What I Love, What I Buy

Today is the second installment in a 3-month series on grocery store favorites!

Costco is a family favorite and here our my favorite finds.

Being a family of five, with three kids who eat ALL THE TIME, we have resorted to being that family who "buys in bulk". Or maybe I should say that family who "makes big grocery hauls". Either way my kids eat a lot, I'm cooking a lot and sometimes our monthly grocery hauls look like other people's mortgage payments.

God bless us.

When the husband and I were first married we had a Costco membership, more because it was literally down the street from where we lived and it was kinda fun. Stroll the aisles for a few samples and find something fun to buy? Sure!

Nowadays, it's more out of necessity and feeding our growing family.

This month my three Iowa blogging friends - Stacy, Hilary and Sarah are sharing why we love Costco! If you missed my post last month on ALDI you can read that HERE.

On my last Costco trip I snapped photos of our favorites, along with the items I regularly buy. Some items are fun, some are special treats and some we buy every single time because they feed our family on the regular. 

So let's get started! Here are my current Costco favorites {as of May 2021}.

Sparkling Water

I don't drink pop/soda and we rarely have it in the house, but I do love a good, bubbly sparkling water. It gives that same refreshing, carbonated feel without all the sugar or calories. I will say it does take some getting used {a few years back I wouldn't have touched it}, but it grew on me! Now I love it. This Waterloo brand is awesome, as is Costco's Kirkland brand. Try making my favorite Summer cocktail - sparkling water, vodka and fresh limes. So refreshing!

S'mores Bark

Tis the season for s'mores! This s'mores bark is most definitely an indulgent treat, but oh my goodness are these good. Graham crackers and marshmallows cut up into a milk chocolate bark - there are not too many desserts better than that! Tip: keep this bag in the freezer and you'll love me forever. 

Individual Guacamole Cups

We love guacamole at our house, but sometimes we can't use up those avocados fast enough. These little cups solve that problem! We use them at lunches when we want to add some guac to our sandwiches or to dip with veggies. Then on bigger nights when tacos are being served we grab a few for the whole family. These packets also freeze well!

Pork Sausage Links

Breakfasts in our house are a big time event and breakfasts for dinner are even bigger. About every two weeks, when groceries are getting low I either whip up this breakfast casserole or a batch of pancakes and these frozen pork sausage links make an appearance. They are so tasty! One bag will last your family a very long time.

Rao's Homemade Marinara

I've often said I could bathe in a bath of marinara. I just love it so much. Multiple jars can always be found in my pantry. We use it on simple spaghetti, as the base for homemade pizza or in my million dollar casserole. This version is the MOST authentic tasting.

Frozen Chicken & Cheese Taquitos

Before you begin thinking all things are homemade and made from scratch in our house, think again. I do buy convenience foods! Our oldest boy LOVES these in the air fryer. And I will say myself they are good! When we get home late from sports, he'll often throw a few in to cure those late hunger cravings. We like to dip these in fresh salsa.

Collagen Peptides

So here's the thing - I'm turning 40 this year. Eeeeeeek! With that has come thinning hair and sore joints at times. This brand of collagen powder is the best - in both price and taste {meaning it's unflavored so you can't taste it}. I put a scoop either in my morning coffee or midday drink. It's also great in smoothies and baked goods, even your morning oatmeal!

Grillo's Pickles

We love dill pickles! This brand is just the best in crisp, dill pickle flavor. This big tub usually lasts us a long time in the fridge. I love them on burgers, cold meat sandwiches, my famous crockpot maid-rites and just to eat alongside some cheese and crackers.

Almond Flour Crackers

I first ate these crackers at a friend's house a few years back and I've been buying them every since! They have a faint garlic taste, yet are light and crispy. If you are gluten free, here is a good cracker for you - I'm not but I still love their taste. One box contains two big bags of crackers, so you'll be stocked for awhile.

Butter Cinnamon Sugar Loaves

Anytime I walk by the bakery and see this huge, 3-pack of quick bread I grab a container. I cannot help myself. It's like a cross between a delicious buttery pound cake and a cinnamon and sugar donut. What's not to love! Usually I'll put a loaf in the freezer and then we'll graze on the other two loaves throughout the week. Definitely indulgent, most definitely good.

Bitchin' Chipotle Sauce

The husband's favorite dip! Oh my goodness, this stuff is good {and organic and made of almonds, just so you know}. It's like a spicy mayo, but much healthier. We love to dip veggies and chips in it. It's also especially good on grilled chicken, burgers or as a topper on a cold meat sandwich. So yummy! Last time I bought two tubs and they were gone quickly.

Brownberry Oatnut Bread

This is one of my favorite store bought sandwich breads. You can get two big loaves for just $4! It's nutty and hearty and makes the best toast. It is one of those breads that just holds up well. I can make a slew of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches the night before ballgames, stick them in the fridge and still 12 hours later they aren't even close to soggy.

Kirkland Parmesan Cheese

If I had to pick a best friend it just might be parmesan cheese. I love it so much. We also use it in a lot of things! It is always on the table for pasta night, I sprinkle it in every casserole I make and it's a main staple in my homemade garlic alfredo sauce. I love it's nutty and sharp flavor. This tub will last your family a long time.

Frozen Wild Blueberries

Ever had a wild blueberry? They are little, but pack a punch in flavor. Blueberries are a fruit everyone in our house loves. We eat a lot of them fresh - but you better believe a lot of these also go in my Blueberry Muffin Loaf and my Triple Berry Sour Cream Muffins.

Bacon Crumbles

I love bacon, but I don't always enjoy cooking it. I keep this big {huge} bag of fresh bacon pieces in our freezer. Then when I need some for a dish all I do is grab a handful with no mess required. It was and is the greatest invention.

Kirkland Vodka

Remember that Summer drink I referred to above? Sparkling water, vodka, fresh limes - that's it! We purchase our vodka at Costco because it is so cheap. Just $13.99 for a huge bottle. I also use it in my Sausage Penne Alla Vodka dish, which is so, so good.

Chia Seeds

Want to be stocked up on chia seeds for the rest of your life? This bag will do that for you. Chia seeds will deliver a mass amount of nutrients with very few calories. I have so many recipes that use them - my Cherry Chia Crock Pot Jam is a big favorite. I'll also sprinkle them on peanut butter toast, over oatmeal or put them in smoothies.

White Queso

I happened upon this little gem last year - a tub of queso! Golly, it's so good. Not spicy, just cheesy and smooth. We love it as a dipper with tortilla chips {of course}, drizzled over a plate of sheet pan nachos, on tacos and swirled with some of my blender salsa for a fun dip. A tub will last you awhile, unless you buy it for a party! Then it might be gone by nightfall.

Unreal Dark Chocolate Coconut Minis

One of my favorite candy bars is an Almond Joy. Unfortunately, they aren't that good for ya! When I happened across these one day I grabbed a bag hoping they'd cure that sweet craving. And boy, did they ever. A much, much healthier version of that Almond Joy I craved. If you love coconut and dark chocolate you'll love these.

Did you find a new product you want to try? Curious about getting a Costco membership? Take a look at THIS POST I wrote back in 2019 about why we got a membership after not having one for 10 years. A few of the reasons might surprise you.

Let me know what you love at Costco! I'm sure I'm missing some great items I have yet to come across.