Healthy Shopping at Costco

I am loving Costco more and more these days. They have an incredible selection of healthy foods and I swear it just keeps getting better. They just keep carrying more and more organic foods and gluten free if that’s what you’re looking for.

First and foremost, I think each location varies slightly so keep that in mind. If you don’t see something I mention, that could be why. Costco is great though about responding to their customer demands, so by all means, tell them what you want to see in their stores! I have always had a good experience with their customer service.

Anyway, I don’t buy everything at Costco because (as I’m sure you know), some things we just don’t need in bulk. I probably head to Costco once a week. If I were a better planner, I may go only once a month or something but alas, I am not. I also sort of enjoy going (um, samples? Yes please). It’s actually easier too with the kiddos-bigger cart and again, samples. Toddlers love samples. Mommas love samples too. I buy a fair amount of produce from their stores too so my once a week trips are a time to restock.

Keep in mind, some of these items are not “perfect.” In my opinion, they are healthier choices than other items might be so they work for me and my family. Some of them are processed. They’re not all organic. But that’s how I shop. I don’t only buy organic food. As much as I’d love to, sometimes financials just don’t allow us to…and that’s cool with me.

Of course, I don’t buy every one of these items every single week. Anyway, if you’re curious about healthy foods at Costco, here are some yummy items to consider:

Snacks (because….they’re awesome):

• Nuts- I don’t have a whole foods or store near me with bulk bins so Costco is the next best thing. Nuts can be pricey so if we’re going to buy them, I buy a bag from Costco and it lasts a long time.

• Dried Fruit- I tend to only buy dates if I’m buying dried fruits. They have a lot of other fruits too but a lot of them have added sugars so just be sure to check the labels if that’s something you don’t want.
• Bars/Shakes- So many yummy bars! They carry protein bars (like Premier Protein), Kind bars, Lara Bars, and Clif kids bars just to name a few.

• Applesauce- The squeezable kind! They have organic applesauces that are great for everyone! My two year old loves them but I do too!
• Renola Lara Bar Granola- These are gooooood.

• Skinny Pop- Addicting.

• Boom Chicka Pop- Also addicting. Not crazy healthy (has added sugar) but ya know, better than cake I guess :). I just bought these for the first time and it was absolutely an impulse buy. They are crazy good.

• Jerky- They have beef jerky and turkey jerky. Jerky is sort of like nuts, it is expensive. Costco’s prices on it are better than the regular store.

• Late July Organic Tortilla Chips
• Annie’s Organic Bunnies- I buy these for my two year old. Or that’s what I tell myself.

Dairy/Dairy Substitute

• Greek yogurt- We buy the big tub of Fage 0%. Costco has a better price than the regular grocery store.
• Eggs- SO MANY EGGS. They sell organic eggs too.

• Organic hard boiled eggs

• Cottage Cheese
• String Cheese (sometimes)
• Organic half and half- I only buy this when we’re expecting company otherwise it’s just too much.
• Kerrygold Grass Fed Butter
• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Pantry Items (nut butters, cooking oils. etc).

• Coconut oil- The best deal! It lasts a long time too.

• Natural Almond Butter/Peanut Butter- They have both!
• Almond Flour- This is new to our Costco and I’m so excited! I usually order almond flour from Amazon or sometimes pick it up at the store. It can be a little pricey at the store so so I’m glad I can get a big bag from Costco.

• Kirkland Organic Chicken Stock
• Organic Maple Syrup
• Organic black beans
• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (in the cartons)- my daughter loves this stuff!
• Hemp Hearts
• Chia Seeds
• Organic Brown Rice
• Organic Quinoa
• Wild Planet Tuna

Meats

• Ground Turkey
• Trident Salmon Burgers- These are so good! I love having them around because they’re really easy to make (and healthy).
• Bag of Frozen Chicken Breasts or Tenderloins
• Rotisserie Chickens- They are so good at Costco!
• Organic Whole Chickens

• Organic Turkey Breast- For sandwiches or snacking.

Produce:

• Superfood Kale Salad- This salad is sooooo good.  It has kale, shaved brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and comes with a yummy poppyseed dressing. I highly recommend it! I’ve seen it at regular grocery stores too, by the way.

• Organic Baby Carrots

• Apples (they have regular and organic)
• Berries when in season (they carry regular and organic)
• Brussels Sprouts- My favorite!
• Peppers- They sell bags of either all red peppers or a mix of colored bell peppers
• Beets

• Frozen organic berries for smoothies

• Frozen organic broccoli- Their broccoli is the best! I usually hate buying frozen broccoli because it’s typically just stems. Their frozen broccoli has actually pieces of broccoli trees. Yum.

Miscellaneous/Refrigerated Items/Drinks:

• Suja Organic Mighty Greens Juice- How cool is this?

• Organic Guacamole- I like that this is portioned out too into 100 calorie packs.

 

• Kombucha- They sell kombucha! Pretty cool, right? Honestly, I don’t buy it often because it’s pricey, but if you’re a kombucha lover this might be a better deal than the regular store.

• Organic Coconut Water

• 2 Minute Grains- Sometimes it’s nice to have something easy and healthy in the fridge. This is yummy and a great mix of wheat berries, quinoa, farro, barley, tomato, peppers, and onion.

My poor daughter. Every time we check out it’s like a game of tetris fitting the food in around her (sometimes on top).  It gives her something to look at and play with at least.

Anyway, those are only a few healthy options Costco has to offer. I have to watch myself when shopping there though. It is so easy to spend too much on things we really don’t need (especially in bulk). You can definitely find good deals on organic or natural foods, but those prices can sure add up. So, sometimes I just have to ask myself if this is something I really need…..a lot of the time, it’s not. Or I ask myself, is this something my husband would be pissed I bought? 🙂

 

Do you shop at Costco? What are your favorite finds?