i recently shared my latest costco haul on my instagram stories (the videos are saved under my highlights!), but i wanted to post the items here as well just in case you needed inspiration for your next trip to the warehouse store. here’s what i bought on my latest trip:
produce (fresh & frozen)
frozen zucchini noodles || zoodles (zucchini + noodles)! being gluten-free, i’m always looking for great alternatives to pasta-type products. while we have a spiralizer attachment for our kitchenaid to make zoodles at home, you can’t beat the convenience factor of this pre-packaged frozen version. the box comes with four packages perfect for a single-serving meal. i like to saute mine with a little coconut oil, salt + pepper, and pair them with a chicken-apple sausage. you could also use zoodles for your favorite pasta dish and serve them topped with tomato sauce and turkey meatballs (i also love the vegetarian meatballs from trader joe’s).
frozen riced cauliflower || i discovered riced cauliflower on a whim after seeing it at trader joe’s. i found it to be a great alternative for regular rice and a tasty way to sneak in extra veggies into my regular diet. i tend to eat the entire bag in one sitting so i was happy to find it in a bulk version at costco. the large bag includes four smaller bags, each ready for heating and serving in minutes. my favorite way to enjoy the rice is sauteed in a pan with bragg’s liquid aminos and a side of grilled veggies or shaved brussels sprouts, and a big helping of trader joe’s pre-cooked lentils. but it’s also great paired with asian cuisine as an alternative to sticky rice.
frozen broccoli florets || since veggies can go bad pretty quickly if left uneaten, i like to buy them frozen whenever possible to ensure they don’t go to waste. this giant bag of frozen broccoli is further divided into four one pound bags, perfect for steaming or grilling in a pan to serve alongside grilled chicken and rice, or any protein and starch of your choice.
frozen organic blueberries || similar to frozen vegetables, frozen fruit lasts a whole lot longer in the fridge than the fresh kind. blueberries have so many health benefits that i prefer them over the other varieties. i usually throw a cup into my morning smoothie or layer them between unsweetened coconut milk yogurt and go raw granola for a delicious and decadent parfait. i also just eat them plain with a sprinkle of stevia.
frozen organic three berry blend || as i mentioned in my instastory, costco has an abundance of frozen fruit options (cherries, mango, pineapple, etc.). since i tend to go through my blueberries fairly quickly, i opted to add a bag of their three berry blend which incorporates blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries for a little variety. i plan on using this product the same way i do the blueberries -in smoothies and in my morning yogurt bowl.
organic gala apples || an apple a day keeps the doctor away! in all honesty, i do eat an apple a day -usually as my after-dinner snack with almond butter and rice cakes. coscto offers a few different varieties of apples in 12-count flats -including honeycrisp (my favorite!). these would be great to throw in a lunch or eat on their own. i try to abide by the dirty dozen when it comes to buying produce so ultimately i opted for the gala since they were a) organic and b) a lot cheaper than the other varieties.
protein
kirkland hard boiled eggs || i go back and forth with eggs but right now i’m into them as a great and easy source of protein for my mostly vegetarian diet. i had heard of these little two-packs after reading a post from a blogger i follow and thought they seemed like a great thing for me to have on hand amidst this new season of life. like many people, i’d imagine, lunch is the hardest meal for me. i’m usually running from one appointment to another so by the time i get home, i’m ravenous and ready to grab anything. with these handy snacks, i can simply grab one from the package (i usually only eat one at a time and save the other in a ziplock in the fridge) and pair it with a few other items in our fridge to create a satisfying snack plate. right now i love my egg covered in everything but the bagel seasoning (more on that in a minute) with a side of hummus, some baby carrots, and plantain chips (from trader joe’s). for breakfast, i’d slice the egg and layer it with avocado atop two rice cakes.
yours truly brand chicken apple sausage || it’s funny, as soon as i posted about this sausage, i had quite a few DM’s suggesting the aidells brand of chicken sausage instead. i actually hemmed and hawed over both packages before ultimately opting for the yours truly brand, but i’ll be sure to snag the latter on a future visit. despite being mostly meat-free, i have taken a liking to chicken apple sausage over the past approximately six months. when it comes to meat, i kind of just listen to my body and lately it has been craving a bit more animal protein in the form of chicken and fish (fun fact: i haven’t eaten red meat in probably 15 years!). i love these sausages because they’re already pre-cooked so they really just need to be reheated for a few minutes. you can microwave them, heat them up in a pan, or even throw them on the grill for a little char. i eat them with anything! atop cauliflower rice, with zoodles, spaghetti squash, or roasted sweet potatoes.
frozen raw shrimp || while most of this haul was for yours truly (S and i eat very differently and most of his meal ingredients were purchased at trader joe’s), i did pick up a package of frozen shrimp for the hubs. you can’t beat the value with costco’s frozen fish/shellfish selection. the large bag of raw shrimp was about $13.00 whereas a bag a third of the size is about $9.00 at trader joe’s. with the resealable bag, you can grab as many shrimp as you please to add to everything from rice bowls to salads. S will probably enjoy his shrimp over brown rice with lots of cholula and/or soy sauce.
orgain protein powder + supergreens || i like to think of myself as a protein powder connoisseur as i’ve sampled many different brands over the years. i recently switched from an egg-white based powder to a plant-based version and have been really pleased with the results. having just run out of my bag of vega protein smoothie powder, i decided to try out the orgain brand instead (it also came highly recommended). coscto sells both the chocolate and vanilla bean versions and i opted for the latter (i’m more of a vanilla girl over chocolate). the giant tub cost about $23.00 which is a steal considering many powders half the size are similarly priced at sprouts and whole foods. i must say, having added the powder to my morning smoothies for the past few days, i can definitely taste a distinct difference. the orgain version is less bitter and more vanilla-y than the vega brand. it also packs 21 grams of protein in every serving! on the days where i don’t feel i’ve gotten enough protein, sometimes i throw a scoop of the powder into my coconut milk yogurt for an extra punch of fuel.
spices, seasonings + spreads
oasis brand hummus tub || this is probably enough hummus for a small army but i decided to grab a tub anyway. i LOVE hummus. in fact, one of my favorite snacks is hummus and crudites. for someone who has tasted a lot of store-bought hummuses (hummii?) over the years, i can attest that this version really tops my list. seriously, it’s delicious. in order to make my way through the giant tub before it spoils, i’m currently putting it on everything. i love it with baby carrots, beet chips (a staple on our trader joe’s list), plantain chips, and even topped on a rice cake. hummus also makes a great salad topper as an alternative to dressing.
everything but the bagel seasoning || i mentioned in my stories that i go through about a jar of trader joe’s everything but the bagel seasoning a week. yes, i love it that much, guys. so imagine my glee when i found this bulk version of my favorite seasoning! if you have yet to try this spice blend, i highly urge you do ASAP. it’ll change your life. or in the very least, it’ll make your eggs and avocado toast a heck of a lot more exciting. speaking of eggs, i essentially just sit with the tub of seasoning and my hard boiled egg and douse the egg with the seasoning before every bite.
nuttzo || as an almond butter junkie, i was pleased to find this alternative nut butter and seed spread. this buttery confection employs nearly every other nut under the sun (sans peanuts which, as my husband pointed out, are not actually nuts but rather legumes). buyers beware, this spread is highly addicting. i do my best to keep my scoops to the recommended serving size if only to ensure that the jar lasts me more than a week! i enjoy nuttzo with apples, atop brown rice cakes, and crunchy brown rice rollers. i even add a dollop to my yogurt bowls, or let’s be honest, i also sneak many a spoonful right out of the jar.
pbfit || after seeing how a girlfriend incorporated this powdered peanut butter into some seriously drool-worthy recipes, i was intrigued to try pbfit for myself. it’s a lighter way to satisfy your peanut butter cravings and a great additive to smoothies and yogurt bowls for both protein and flavor. speaking of flavor, i find the powder to boast much more of a concentrated peanut butter flavor -almost reminiscent of the inside of a reese’s peanut butter cup (YUM!). so if you’re a pb junkie like me, i think you might love pbfit.
snacks/miscellaneous
crunchy brown rice roller || i believe i described these as similar to a rice crispy treat minus the marshmallow when in reality they’re closer to a rice cake with a touch of sweetness. despite being able to categorize them, they are delicious and a great snack to pair with almond butter and/or nuttzo. right now i like using them as a pirouette cookie of sorts in my yogurt bowl. it’s like my healthy version of a ice cream sundae.
nearly naked popcorn || oh man, the popcorn of all popcorns that comes in a bag approximately the size of a small human. hands down this is the best packaged popcorn i’ve ever had. it’s sweet and buttery and melts in your mouth, yet you’re not left feeling greasy after you devour one (or three) servings. i swear this bag barely lasts a week in our house which is why i buy two at a time ;). popcorn is such a great snack to enjoy any time, but especially while binge-watching something on netflix.
kirkland sparkling water|| the final product on my list is a bit of a guilty pleasure. i do my best to get my recommended intake of h20, but sometimes water is just so darn boring. so i love picking up a flat of kirkland’s brand of zero calorie sparkling water in three flavors -orange mango, kiwi strawberry, and black raspberry. they’re a refreshing treat on a weekday afternoon and honestly they help me limit my coffee intake, too.
what are your favorite products from costco?
on a related note, i’ve also saved a trader joe’s haul under the “grocery haul” highlight on my instagram profile if you’re interested 🙂
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