Costco can be overwhelming and its REAL easy to blow your budget before you even know it. I've dialed in my must-haves and thought I would share them with you! If I can help save your budget, I've done my job!
I want to acknowledge that every Costco is different. I've been to three different stores within and around my own city and sometimes and I can't find certain items on my must-have list.
I have fairly strict requirements when it comes to buying pre-packaged foods. I try to only buy products where the ingredients are the products themselves, or they have very few simple, real-food ingredients.
Starting from right to left, these are my favorites, their prices, and why they're on my must-have list.
Kirkland Maple Syrup, 33.8 oz. - $11.99: As you will see with most items on this list, I love this because its a great deal! You're going to pay at least $8-$9, for 12 oz., depending on where you live in the regular grocery store so this is a no-brainer.
Autumn's Gold Grain Free Granola Bars, 16 count - $16.99: One of my kids is dairy free and gluten free, so these granola bars are a household staple. They have simple, straightforward ingredients and the whole family eats them!
That's It Mini Fruit Bars, 24 count - $13.99: I love these. There's three different flavors (mango, strawberry, and blueberry) and they are all only two ingredients: fruit and apple. I always have them stashed in my purse for a quick snack, if I'm stranded without healthy food.
Kirkland Organic Fruit & Vegetable Pouches, 24 count - $10.99: My kids go crazy for these and the applesauce pouches. I had to give them each a 2-per-day-max rule so I'm not at Costco once a week. Simple, natural ingredients and no added sugar.
Sunny Fruit Organic Sun-dried Figs, 40 oz. - $6.99: These make a great snack for kids and adults alike. Again, this is just another killer deal. Figs can be pretty expensive at the grocery store.
Terra Real Vegetable Chips Classic, 18 oz. - $6.69: We eat a lot of salsa and the kids love chips. They love how crunchy they are and they each have a different favorite chip. The ingredients consist of 2-4 different root vegetables, oil, and salt.
Double Date Organic Premium Medjool Dates, 2 lbs. - about $16.00: These are just the sweetest, juiciest, best dates you'll ever eat. These are my snacking dates. I also like using these dates for my dessert recipes because of their sweetness and richness. I've got to be honest, I'm not sure about the exact price of this item. Sometimes they come in a large bag, other times in a plastic tub. Sometimes I can't find them for months. But whenever I do find them, I always buy TWO!
Kirkland Shelled Pistachios, 24 oz - $14.49: Great for snacks, salads, desserts, trail mixes, and my kids love them. I think its the color. Just two ingredients: pistachios and salt!
Gefen Organic Whole Red Beets, 3 packs/17.6 oz - $6.99: Pre-cooked beets at the ready for a quick healthy meal? YES, PLEASE. Fresh are always best, but sometimes options are limited. These are a great pantry stable for those times.
Kirkland Texas Raw Unfiltered Honey, 3 lbs. - $8.99: I use honey every day. For my morning lime water, mid-morning herbal tea, and everywhere in between. Honey is notoriously expensive, so I exclusively buy my honey at Costco to avoid busting that budget.
Kirkland Organic Dried Mangoes, 40 oz. - $15.99: Another great snack for the whole family. Sweet, chewy, no additives or preservatives. I like mixing my own trail mix and using some chopped mangoes, big coconut flakes, and the pistachios from above. Delicious and beautiful!
Kirkland Creamy Almond Butter, 27 oz. - $5.99: This is one for my husband. His favorite snack or pre-workout bite is a banana and almond butter. I also like to use it for various dessert recipes. It only has ONE ingredient!
Kirkland Ground Himalayan Pink Salt, 80 oz. - $6.49: Alex rolls his eyes at this stuff. He thinks its so pretentious. He could be right, but pink Himalayan salt's commonly stated health claims are the improvement of respiratory diseases, balancing of the body's pH, reducing the signs of aging, improvement of sleep quality, regulating blood sugar, and increasing libido.
Kirkland Organic Whole Cashews Unsalted Unroasted, 40 oz. - $17.49: If you're a fan of my recipes, you can see that I use cashews a lot for a lot of different recipes. This is the most cost effective way to make that happen.
Hadley Organic Pitted Deglet Noor Dates, 3.5 lbs. - $8.99: These are my smoothie dates. The Medjools are my snack dates, the deglets are my smoothie dates. By nature, these dates are a little drier than the medjool and are not quite as decadent as the medjool. This is a great price for the amount of dates you get.
Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil, 2 liters (not pictured) - $18.99: I like to use this oil for high-heat type situations, like frying. I will say this is a LOT of oil and Avocado oil can go rancid quickly, depending on your storage conditions. If you do not do a lot of cooking or frying, I would not spring for this one. I only buy it occasionally and it takes me a while to go through it all.
Kirkland Signature Organic Quinoa, 4.5 lbs. (not pictured) - $8.99: Just a really killer deal!
Go Raw Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds, 22 oz. (not pictured) - $8.99: I don't buy these very frequently, but they're always a big hit. Great for snacks or salads, and a great deal!
2 ingredients: pumpkin seeds and salt.
Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds, 48 oz. (not pictured) - $7.79: This is a shitload of chia seeds. But I use them A LOT. I love them. I named my dog after them. If you do not use them that much, you might consider skipping this item.
Kirkland Signature Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, 3 bottles/32 oz. each (not pictured) - $7.69: Killer Deal Alert!! Its the vinegar we use the most in my house, so I love buying it in bulk.
Kirkland Signature California Granulated Garlic, 16.6 oz (not pictured) - $5.49: Its my favorite granulated garlic. It doesn't clump or stick together, and one of these containers will last me at least 4 months and y'all know I cook all. the. time.
Organic Millet & Brown Rice Ramen Noodles, 12 pack (not pictured) - $7.99: This product is a recent discovery for me and its already made it to must-have status. The only ingredients are millet and brown rice. Amazing.
Kirkland Signature Applesauce Pouches, 24 count (not pictured) - $8.49: See above. Kids love it. It's cheap. No added sugar. End of story.
Autumn's Gold Grain Free Granola, 20 oz. (not pictured) - $14.99: Much like the product above, its a family favorite. We love it on yogurt, nice cream, or just plain oat milk.
If I find anymore awesome healthy deals, I'll be sure to update this post. What are your favorite healthy Costco finds?