I have two shopping lists. One for the normal grocery store and one for Costco. The items on my Costco shopping list are foods that are such a better deal it’s worth the trip to a separate store. Here are my 8 Costco must haves plus a few recipes that I like to make with those ingredients.
My 8 Costco Must Haves
Spinach
There is not better deal on a huge bag of spinach than at Costco. It has 2 ½ pounds of fresh spinach that is washed and ready to go. The price at my Costco is $4.99.
I like to use some of the fresh spinach and then freeze the rest. Mostly because I can’t get through the whole bag before it goes bad. I just throw the bag directly into my freezer. I use the spinach for smoothies and also in soups and other Instant Pot/crockpot recipes.
Use your spinach in these awesome recipes:
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta in the Instant Pot
- Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot
- Spinach Artichoke Dip in the Instant Pot or slow cooker
- Instant Pot Tortellini Spinach Soup or the slow cooker
Parmesan cheese
This huge bag of parmesan cheese cost me $11.69 at Costco. It has 3 pounds of parmesan cheese in it, shredded and ready to go for all your recipes. That’s a steal of a deal. I throw this bag into my freezer and then just chunk off the amount I need when using it for cooking.
I like to use this parmesan cheese in so many of my recipes. Here are a few that you might want to add to your menu this week!
- Garlic Parmesan Sausage Chowder in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker
- Instant Pot Alfredo Sausage Pasta
- Garlic Rice and Chicken in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker
Frozen chicken thighs
I love using frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs in the Instant Pot and slow cooker. They turn out so moist and tender. The bag at Costco is around $2.00 per pound of chicken. At normal grocery stores finding boneless skinless chicken thighs has been hit or miss for me. I can always count on Costco though.
They are individually frozen so it makes it easy to grab just 2 or 3 thighs at a time. If you haven’t tried chicken thighs I think you should get them a shot! Here are just a few of the recipes I use with chicken thighs:
- Cashew Chicken in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker
- Teriyaki Chicken in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker
- Garlic Mushroom Chicken in the Instant Pot
Bacon Crumbles
I love the flavor that bacon gives my recipes but I don’t like cooking bacon. It smells up my kitchen and just adds an extra step. The bacon bits from Costco are the best.
The bacon comes in a big bag that you refrigerate after opening. There are 1.25 pounds of bacon and it costs me $9.89. Here are some of my favorite ways to use bacon crumbles:
- Garlic Parmesan Bacon Chicken in the Instant Pot
- Chicken Bacon Chowder in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Bacon Cheddar Chicken Pot Pie (or slow cooker)
Garlic powder
I buy both garlic powder and minced garlic in a jar at Costco. Garlic is just one of those ingredients that I use ALL THE TIME! The granulated garlic has a ton and lasts me like 6-12 months. It cost me around $7.
Here are some recipes that use garlic:
- Down Home Chili in the Instant Pot/Crockpot
- Cabbage Roll Casserole in the Instant Pot
- Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot or slow cooker
Pesto
Pesto is one of those items that tastes so good but costs a LOT for a small container at the grocery store. It costs between $5-6 at the grocery store for about a cup of pesto (74 cents per ounce). At Costco you can buy a large jar for only 46 cents per ounce. The jar is around $10.
Some pesto recipes you’ll love:
- Instant Pot Pesto Chicken Risotto
- Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Manicotti
- Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Spinach And Ravioli Lasagna
Better Than Bouillon
I use this stuff ALL. THE. TIME. in my recipes. The Instant Pot needs liquid to come to pressure. So use a cup or two of water with a teaspoon or two of Better Than Bouillon. I buy the chicken and the beef base in the larger containers at Costco. I can buy them there for around $6.99. (44 cents per ounce vs 63 cents per ounce at normal grocery store).
Some recipes that use Better Than Bouillon:
Red Star Yeast
Baking has become America’s favorite quarantine activity. Initially it was hard to find yeast but now it’s readily available. I like the big packages of red star yeast at Costco. I store in an airtight container in the freezer. It lasts forever. This package only costs $5!
Some recipes that call for yeast:
Honorable Mentions:
Some other items that I love buying at Costco are fresh tortellini, rotisserie chicken, blocks of cheddar, sour cream, butter, peppercorns, milk and pitas.
What did I miss that you love buying at Costco?
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I found the better than bouillon was on the salty side any suggestions
Love ‘most’ of these! adding: Organic Butter
Hoping to find the big tub of biscotti also…get to go there today.
Coffee
Chicken meat balls
Hamburger [not the prepared patty kind/use vacumn sealer to divide up to freeze
their Turkey Bacon is the best
Frozen Wild Caught Salmon [will be looking for the frozen patties!]
Organic maple syrup in a jug. I use it lots to sweeten everything from oatmeal to bread recipes or quick breads/muffins. Costco has the best price anywhere.
Oh yes I’ve see that there!
Have you all forgotten the AVACADOS? One of the Costco’s told me they were their number one seller.
Oh yes they are always good! I get mixed results with avocados from the normal grocery store but the kind from Costco are always good!
Hi Karen,
We have some Costco must haves too!
#1 – Organic (Skinless, Boneless) Chicken Breasts. More expensive, but hey, it’s organic!
#2 – Turkey Bacon.
#3 – Carving Ham (Carve at home, FoodSaver seal & freeze).
#4 – Applewood Bacon, (microwaved on paper towels on paper plate & covered with paper towel. Cooks
faster, no splatter or smell & easy clean-up, just toss papers in waste basket).
#5 – Trident Fish Sticks/Filets, (air fry or bake).
#6 – Kirkland Sliced Pastrami, (chopped with potatoes/onions/peppers for breakfast hash).
#7 – Kirkland Sliced Roast Beef, (French Dip of course)!
#8 – Ciabatta Rolls, (perfect for the French dip, they hold up to the Better Than Bouillon aus jus).
Other Items: Block Cheeses, Bag of Yams, (sliced & dehydrated for dog treats).
Ohhh, I’m going to have to try some of these!
I like the quinoa frozen pineapple spinach I use to buy the veggie burgers but they were replaced with one with added sweet potatoes I finally bought a rotisserie chicken and it wasn’t cooked thoroughly the bacon bits taste a little weird to me I’d rather make my own oh and almond flour and almond milk lol
quinoa is a good one!
the reason I joined Costco aftera long absence was their frozen salmon patties. the bag fits easily in the freezer and its a simple saute 4-5 minutes each side and throw it on an English muffin. Tasty and nutritious.
I love salmon! I’ll have to try these!
I buy most of the items you mentioned at Costco–thanks for the list! The only thing that irritates me is that they change where they put things alot, so it takes me awhile to find my favorite things quickly. Their olive oil is good also and so is their gas.
Yep! I know what you mean!
Sadly, no Costco close but can get the bullion at a local store. I always buy low sodium broth for health reasons. Is the bullion high sodium? As for chicken thighs…love the flavor and moisture but find they are really fatty and require a lot of work to trim. Do you cook them straight out of the package? Thanks for sharing all of your recipes and tips. Honestly, your recipes are the only ones I make 😀😀😀
i think very salty. looking for their low salt version. do not know if Costco carries the low salt version.
love it…but want low salt
I think I’m going to have to stick with regular broth even though it is more expensive and not as convenient. At least I can get low or no sodium. Thanks for replying and confirming my concerns!!!
I cook their frozen ones straight out the package. Fresh from the grocery store I trim up
Thanks for the speedy reply! Since I don’t have a Costco, I’ll check out different options from my grocery store.
My Costco carries the low sodium Better than Buillion.
We Love Costco too, and we keep a running list as we live Four Hours from the nearest one. When our list gets long enough, we make a trip there. We bring coolers, but there are still many things we can’t get because of the distance. I am now ordering on line also, with delivery in about three days. Am able to buy several non-perishables like paper products and some canned goods. Items available for shipping are limited. They pack things very well using bubble wrap. I will definitely put the Better Than Bouillon on my list. Love your recipes and hints for my Instant Pot. Thanks so much
4 hours! Oh that’s far. Too bad…but good they have shipping
The quinoa is a good deal and I like the Kirkland EVOO.
Do you ever shop at Sam’s Club? I’ve switched over to them as I find the prices to be lower. Would love some good bargains from them. Thanks. Also more slow cooker recipes please. Love your emails, thanks.
I don’t because the Costco is much closer but I’ve heard Sams is good too!
Sams cheeses arena good price too. You have to try their lobster ravioli. It is awesome. I put a light sauce of shallots, sundries tomatoes, deglaze with a little white wine and a touch of cream
costco has much better produce that lasts quite awhile. We found the produce at sams went bad quickly.
I LOVED Sams Club! We had one just blocks away but it closed a few years ago..I don’t think there’s even one in our state now (Wa) 😭😭😭
My Mother actually just got me membership and I am so excited! Definitely use it for gas (especially in CA) but I am a little concerned because it is only two of us and I want to utilize this gift but this list is very helpful! I am located across the freeway from one in Southern California and another one just miles from my work as well. Thank you for the recommendations and the recipes!
You’re welcome Amanda!!
Closest Costco is miles away from us here in Longwood, FL.
Sam’s in their infinite wisdom closed the only store near us now need to drive all the way to Sanford.
Only Wal-Mart near us was built in the 1960s and doesn’t even have a bakery or a deli.
Bless your heart, Jerry. And I thought I had it bad. Am here in Panama City, FL and would have to drive to Tallahassee to find a Costco. Hopefully your WalMart will wake up. I’m hoping Costco will wake up and open up closer to us. Good luck.
I am so jealous. Closest Costco is 75 mi away. We do have Sam’s Club. Will have to see what I can find there.
Would love to know what Costco sells those boneless skinless chicken thighs because mine does not
Hi Laurette, they are now in a white bag in the freezer section. Not next to the chicken breasts but a few doors down. My store is in Bountiful Utah.
I learned to ask if another Costco had the item!
All of these are great choices. I’m a huge Costco fan. Try the rotisserie chicken breast & the Kirkland Chicken Stock is also convenient. Not related to Costco, I’d like to see freezer dump recipes using containers in which to pre-freeze all or most of the ingredients. Somewhere I saw a recommendation for 1-gallon round freezer containers with lids (which I purchased on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008XLE0IQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that can be written on with grease pens or to use labels. The frozen contents fit right into the Instant Pot when you’re ready to make a meal. I imagine it might take some experimentation to get it right. If the liquid (like chicken stock or water) is added after freezing the contents, the liquid should protect the rest of the contents from getting freezer burned.
I am going to amazon right now to look! this would be a game changer 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
What an AWESOME idea!! Thank you.
GREAT message!
More of the same!
Starbucks coffee beans and chocolate covered raisins. Lol
I second the chocolate covered raisins!
……don’t forget the bullion soup base!
Heck yes! I love that stuff and go though a ton of it.
I’ve tried a few times and have not been able to find the bacon crumbles. What part of the store do you find them in? Thanks for such a great blog! It’s my absolute favorite for my Instant Pot. 🙂
Hi Laura, I find them by the pickles. I know they’ve been on an end cap before too. Maybe it is different in different stores. Keep looking because they are the bomb. 🙂
Thanks so much for the tip about the spinach. I don’t know why I never thought of it!!
Boursin, mini cucumbers, mini tomatoes and bell peppers are standard staples that stay on my Costco list.
I haven’t seen the individual frozen thighs here in Quebec. I buy the fresh thighs and then divide them up in freezer bags.
Glad it was helpful to you!
Come on people! Alcohol!! 🙂 vodka, whiskey, bourbon, rum, and wine!!
Lol, I don’t drink
Sadly, not in Canada lol
And don’t forget that wonderful eggnog during the holidays, already laced with whiskey and rum. Last year it was about $10 for an almost 2 liter bottle. I’m about a 10 min. drive from the Costco in Woodland, CA
I’ll drink to that!!
The Kirkland margarita is the best!
The chicken in the vac-pac’s, especially the thighs, is our fav buy at Costco even though it’s now just the 2 of us and the sealed pacs of rotisserie chicken meat is so useful for the casseroles/salads we love.
Our newest find is the garlic and jalapeño stuffed giant olives which I used in place of pepperoncini’s in a Mississippi style pot roast, less heat and more flavor IMHO.
Though we live in WI we’re not cheese superfans but the idea of freezing a bag of shredded parm and breaking off a piece sounds like a good idea in a pinch.
Sure do wish I had some of these options when our 4 kids were still home!
Just way too many good things to mention here
Yes those vac pac’s are awesome! And your other ideas are great too!
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing. Now I will use them for something other than martinis and to put on the cauliflower crust Costco pizza (YUM)
oh just love this idea thank you <3
Costco is my go to place for paper towels, TP, shredded Mexican cheese, cases of petite tomatoes, olive oil, chicken thighs. So many things I buy there. I buy big jars of coarse ground pepper. There’s just the 2 of us and I stock my pantry and fridge with whatever can last for a long time because the supermarkets are so expensive. I have both chicken and beef Better than Bullion and they are the best. I didn’t know I could freeze the spinach. Been buying at grocery store in smaller bags at a substantial cost because the big bag will go bad on me. I love spinach and sometimes just make it as the vegetable – rinse, throw in pot on stove with a little red pepper flakes and olive oil. Let it get soft and eat away. Delish like that 🙂 The water from the rinsing is quite enough.
Oh yeah, I forgot about the better than bouillon! I use that stuff all the time in my IP.
If you ask in the bakery they have par-baked Baguettes frozen that you can bake at home. So good!
Oh, that’s good to know. Also for those of you who use a lot of ground beef…. ask at the butcher window for a 10lb chub. They don’t put that out but will make one for you. Then when you get home you can break it up into smaller amounts and freeze. I find after putting it in storage bags, pounding it rather flat uses up so much less freezer space.
Yum Yum Yum! Perfect with IP soup.
Their long baguettes that are packaged in 2’s for $4.99 are THE BOMB. delicious, yeasty, chewy yet crusty.
Also, if you like to bake bread, I’ve read in numerous places that their red star yeast is a great price, but sadly I cannot find it at my Costco.
Love, love, love Costco. I buy a couple rotisserie chickens at a time, shred and freeze 2-4 cups per bag. Their chickens are wonderful – huge and juicy. 2 chickens provide ~ 8 cups meat. (Compared to the puny ole dried up ones in the grocery store.) – We also buy large bags of frozen wild blueberries, jarred pesto, minced/dried and powdered garlic, frozen chicken thighs. Kirkland has a wide variety of products that we have grown to rely on…….and they are as good or better (and less expensive) than the store. These include frozen hot dogs, bacon, cheeses (parmesan-reggiano & Romano). They also carry Tillamook cheddar cheese which is really good. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few things………………lol
I agree with all of your ideas!!
We LOVE Tillamook!!!
Thanks for sharing the Parmesan idea. I’ve never bought it there but spend at least 1/2 that for a 10 ounce freshly shredded bag locally. I’m also partial to the Frozen Stir Fry veggies they sell, and you can’t beat their Rotisserie Chicken for $4.99!
Yes that rotisserie chicken is the best! And the parmesan is so much cheaper in bulk at Costco!
Can you freeze the parmesan cheese in the bag?
Yes! that’s what I do all the time 🙂
The jars of Better than Bullion are much bigger than in the store & are only $5.99. And we all use a lot of billion in instant pot cooking!
Yes totally! I forgot but I should have included this in my roundup!
Costco pecans, walnuts, almonds and “Power (something) trail mix” mixed after the nuts are toasted are our favorite snack.
Yum sounds great. I will have to try soon.
While I think Costco has some great buys, I don’t think anyone should ever, ever use pre shredded parm. It is simply not the same as using freshly grated parm. Once it is grated it loses its flavour and becomes drier. You gain nothing by using this product . It’s takes mere minutes to grate your own.
I agree with Susan about the shredded parm. Buy a wedge of freshfresh; grate it with a rasp by hand, or cut off what you want for now and toss it in your food processor. It is a waste of money to buy the pre-shredded, which tastes like cardboard compared to something you have grated within the hour!
I buy big bags (3 or 4 lb., I forget which size) of frozen wild blueberries, 24 oz. cartons of feta crumbles (only slightly more than I pay for a 4 oz. pkg. at my grocery), big blocks of Parmesan Reggiano so I can shred my own and also have rind for using in soups, 6 pack cartons of organic chicken stock, And coffee beans — many varieties and a super bargain.
The feta cannot be beat! I wish it went on sale a little more often, but totally worth the full price! Canned organic diced tomatoes and tomato sauce are also a couple of my staples!
Oh yes the feta! Good call.
Love all these tips!
Can the feta be frozen…and then used on salads….Me and 1 of our daughters LOVE feta cheese…and she has asked MANY times…and I dont want to buy a big container, just to let it go bad…but I don’t see us eating some EVERYDAY til it’s gone so it doesn’t go bad
I always save some of your IP recipes, but wow you outdid yourself this time. I think I saved all but 1!!!!!
ha ha Darlene! Glad you like them 🙂
I buy big bags of walnuts, dried cranberries, oats, boneless/skinless chicken breasts, mixed vegetables, shredded cheddar cheese, and big boxes of salmon, cod, and flounder at Costco.
On my next visit I’ll grab a bag of Spinach, Parmesan cheese and bacon bits
Forgot to say that I’ve saved quite a few of these recipes for both the Instant Pot & the Slow Cooker. They sounds so good!
The dried cranberries are a steal.
I also buy dried cranberries (Craisins)) at Dollar Tree: 6 oz. for $1.
Smaller quantity is better for me as I live alone. Cheaper than the grocery store(s).
I found the bacon bits not completely to my liking. I have found tough, non chewable bits in there midst. Did you all know the rotisserie chicken is a loss leader for the store, located at the back for a purpose😉. I buy the rotisserie chicken almost every week, one meal eating the meat and then cook the bones for broth to make soup with the left over chicken. We live near the headquarters. Also TP is there best seller!