My Favorite Items to Buy At Costco

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I am a huge fan of stocking up on products that we use in our house on the daily.  This is especially true for me these days as a new mom, knowing how quickly we go through certain items! And with the upcoming holidays coming that include out-of-town guests or impromptu well wishers (or even with our nanny/grandparent child care arrangement for Bryce), I definitely don’t want to get caught without essentials like toilet paper, soap, etc!.  I’m a planner…and I want to have everything on hand to keep things moving smoothly–for myself, and for our guests!

That’s where good ‘ol Costco comes in.

I love that I can head there and stock up on all my household, food and baby essentials in one trip and have enough of everything that I don’t run out for a while.  It’s also nice to get out of the house (especially now that I’m working from home!)  We make it a family outing…Bryce loves looking at the products that go floor to ceiling, and T and I love grabbing dinner from their food court (talk about a cheap meal!)  Oh, and did I mention their samples?  The best!

Costco definitely saves us time- which we can appreciate with all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  Plus the products last longer, and save us the embarrassment of running out!

So to keep our home stocked up throughout the year, we keep several staples on hand. Here’s our favorites:

• Dawn Platinum Advanced Power. I’ve tried several other brands of dish soap, and Dawn is hands down the best.  We use it constantly to wash dishes and Bryce’s bottles, my pumping equipment, toys- you name it!
• Bounty. You can never have enough paper towels on hand to clean up messes like those peas that Bryce feels are more suitable for the floor than his mouth…
  
• Cascade Complete. Love these mess-free pods to throw in the dishwasher to clean dishes, bowls, silverware and even sterilize baby items.

• Charmin.  Let’s be honest- you never realize you are out of toilet paper until you are in dire need of it :-)  I never want to run into that problem with guests (or with our nanny or parents when they are taking care of Bryce) so I make a point to keep the guest bathroom stocked!
• Tide Original.  It’s the tried-and-tested detergent that cleans our clothes well (except Bryce’s- his are washed with Dreft), and also Izzy’s bedding/toys, rug mats, towels, bedding and even pillows!

Beyond household products from brands like Procter & Gamble, we also stock up on food and other items like:

• Prenatal vitamins.  You take ‘em before, during and after pregnancy so might as well get a ton!
• Baby formula.  Even though I am still exclusively pumping, I don’t produce enough these days, so formula helps us fill the gap!
• Rotisserie chicken. These are delish, cheap and perfect for a quick week night dinner!
• Kale salad mix. Every time we go to Costco, we grab a bag of this from the walk-in refrigerated section.  Comes with dressing and all the fixins…and it’s GOOD.  Around $5 for a huge bag.  Awesome option for lunches or side with dinner (or even as a dish to bring to a party!)
• Printer paper. Cheaper than other stores, and saves me a trip since I’m already there!
• Handmade greeting cards.  Every year or so, I grab a box of their handmade cards.  They come in a variety (get well, congrats, new baby, birthday, etc.) and they are so cute and MUCH cheaper than buying cards at a drug store or card store.
• Coffee.  Because raising a tiny human is exhausting :-)
• Items for freezer meals like chicken, ground beef, broth, veggies, cheese, etc.  There are several great roundups of freezer meals specific to Costco items that you can buy all over Pinterest.  It looks like a lot when you are buying everything, but I prep everything in an afternoon and I’m done and have several meals…and nothing goes to waste!
• Chocolate chips.  Yes, I buy the five pound bag of chocolate chips because I’m a chocoholic and will eat them plain if I need a fix…oh, and because I bake with them too :-)
• Pre-packaged guacamole.  There are several kinds, but we like the single serve containers.  They keep well in the freezer too!
• Kirkland Peanut Butter. Comes as two large jars and contain literally only peanuts and salt.
• The occasional impulse purchase.  I’ll grab a cute book or baby clothes for Bryce, or their amazing workout capris for myself. Those middle aisles in Costco get me every time.

What items do you like to pick up at Costco? What kinds of products do you don’t get caught without?