I couldn't delay it any longer. It was time to go spend my life's savings at Costco. I have a love/hate relationship with this place.
Love:
Buying in bulk
Many great food options
Variety
Samples for the kids
Hate:
I have no money when I leave.
I can't go more than once a month -- I've got to draw the line somewhere. And heaven forbid the Doc comes along. Once we start throwing books, DVD's, power tools, and sports equipment in the mix, we are broke.
I have come up with a mathematical equation that nearly works every time:
# of items in your cart x 10 = $$ Enormous Grand Total $$
You try it. I swear it works. I have been using it for years.
Anyway, this particular trip was huge. My cupboards and freezers were bare, so it is time to stock up for the next few months. I wish I could say my trips aren't this big every month, but I have made it personal policy not to lie.
I took the camera along to show some of the great food that you can find at Costco. There obviously are many other great choices that you don't see here. I am only showing you what I brought home that day.
MEATS
You try it. I swear it works. I have been using it for years.
Anyway, this particular trip was huge. My cupboards and freezers were bare, so it is time to stock up for the next few months. I wish I could say my trips aren't this big every month, but I have made it personal policy not to lie.
I took the camera along to show some of the great food that you can find at Costco. There obviously are many other great choices that you don't see here. I am only showing you what I brought home that day.
MEATS
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
I could have loaded up a bit more here and usually do. I already was stocked in this department at home.
DAIRY
The cheapest Greek yogurt in town!
NUTS AND MORE
SCHOOL LUNCH FOOD & SNACKS
The Crasiens and iPhone save me everytime!
I steer clear of all the fruit snacks, granola bars, and every other individually wrapped items that my kids beg for but have little nutritional value. I do grab a few items that I think are the "better" choices:
Wait a minute?!?
How did that Spam get in here?
No, I did not buy it. Just making sure you're still awake :)
Let's see. Remember the fool-proof Costco equation?
41 items in the cart x 10 =
I TOLD YOU IT WORKS!
I did not rig this in anyway, I swear (remember, I don't lie? See above.)
Oh, well, we survived yet another month. Even though I limped back to my car a bit breathless from the big blow at the cash register, the little guy was more than satisfied with his smiley face that the hard working Costco worker drew (I would like to see that job interview: "Hhmm. I like your resume. But can you draw a smiley face with a Sharpie?").
Now, time to unload it all out of the car. Ugh. I'm glad I only do this once a month.
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21 comments:
Yowza! That's a whopper bill! But I hear ya, ya gotta stock up once in a while. There's no way I could only go once a month - first of I couldn't afford a big bill like that - so I try to go a couple times a month. And it still costs me at least $100 a trip. But I can't help it! I love Costco!
Love your formula for what to expect at the register, I'll have to try that next time! We eat the turkey breast lunchmeat everyday. Love it.
I am with you on the formula thing! I was at Costco today and it was that same thing! I love those kids Cliff bars! I eat them too because they are so yummy and filling. Do you like the Detour bars? I was almost going to get them but never tasted them.
The Doc loves the Detour bars, and I go for the Pure Protein bars. The kids loves the Z Bars.
Ha, ha, ha! I made my trip on Monday and had a lot of the same items in my cart--turkey breast lunch meat, canned chicken breast, jerky, and detour bars! But because I only have three mouths to feed, my bill was not quite 1/2 of yours. (I just bought those detour bars and they are yum-yum. But, I'll have to try the pure protein too--they just didn't carry them at my Costco.)
And thanks for the formula! I'll keep that in mind when I go back in two days to stock up for a youth, church activity this weekend.
We just did our costco trip yesterday too. I used the same equation oddly enough. :)
I love your blog and have lost almost 15 pounds since I started reading! Thank you! Thank you! I am in Utah and was at Costco the other day where they did NOT have the pure protein bars or detour:( I've had to find a few favorites (following your rules of calories and protein) in other stores, Fresh Market having the most variety. Thanks again and bless you for doing this!
when jon broke his neck 4 years ago-no more cash to go to costco or sams club--i havent been in FOUR YEARS!!!
i also ONLY go to target for our "supplies" that last me TWO MONTHS (i go every other month to Target)
I also run a "Fresh Rescue" program with albertsons--so we pretty much get EVERYTHING u just picked up at costco--FOR FREE! I have a team that picks up all the food 5 days a week-bring it back to the church & we feed probably 60 families--SUCH A BIG HELP!!!
you can see how i do it at www.halescorner.blogspot.com and scroll DOWN to post "What have we been up to?!" and read about fresh rescue there-seriously TOTAL blessing to my family and so many others!
when i was about 15--i went on a costco trip with my mom--NO JOKE she dropped 3k!! this was JUST for our family--a family of 8 people--HELLLOO-seriously we filled up THREE of those orange crate things---SO CRAZY!!! good times
oh ps: go to www.halescorner.blogspot.com THEN in the white little tiny search window TYPE IN "Fresh Rescue" THEN scroll down to "what have we been up to?!"
otherwise youll have to scroll thru FOUR YEARS of my blog posts--HA
OK Mandi... now that you went shopping, when's dinner? Mike's gonna be gone ALL weekend. :D Just don't serve fish. HA! ON a more serious note, girl night one of those nights?!!
You were spot on!!
I love it. I, too, have such a Costco love/hate. You truly can't go there more than once/month! We buy just about the same stuff, but until I get an extra freezer, I have to limit some of the stuff we get! So much you can't eat immediately!
Sure wish our Costco sold the pure protein bars! I've been buying them on Amazon...
love the real posts! That just looks like my life! (of course, with kids in tow, too!).
Liz
Those salmon burgers are my favorite! I did not know they sold Pure Protein bars there, however. Bonus! Must.Go.Soon.
I love Costco for that very reason. I haven't been able to find Pure Protein Bars at my Costco. I need to do a trip, but haven't yet cause I know it's going to drain the pocket.
My husband is an eye doc at our local Costco so I just give him my shopping list and he takes care of it for me. I am the one that tends to add extra things to the basket if I go. He's a list keeper. We do the same formula you do! Gotta love Costco for bulk items.
I see you buy health bars for the kids to eat- I would love for you to do a post on what health foods are good to give kids, and which are not-
oh how I miss Costco! We live in a part of Florida that only has a Sams, just not the same!
I am like lbb - can't buy more than what fits in my freezer, but with all the great frozen fruit and berry blends, what's a girl to do? Last year on a trip to Costco I solve the problem and bought a freezer. Now I take a cooler with me in the car when I go so I can re-stock my freezer.
I also love the Gardenburger California Burgers from the freezer section. Noticed TrainerMomma buys the same organic PB I do. Yummy stuff.
you have Fage at Costco? I would love that!
My hubby works next to Costco and goes at least twice a week. :)
Thanks for this post. We aren't members of any of these clubs, but with 3 kiddos, I think we're going to need to go that direction.
However, we'll definitely need a bigger freezer in order to do so.
I didn't realize that they had so many organic and healthy options. Many of the foods you had in your cart (well, almost all), we have in ours. So that's awesome to know.
We only go to Costco once a month too. If we run out of something...we just go without until the next trip! My kids love getting the smiley face too!
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