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MelissaClaire
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 1:27pm | IP Logged
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Anyone have any Costco routines to share? Stuff that makes your life easier after shopping there or ways you make sure you use up all that you buy there?
We went today and here's what I do after a large Costco trip. (I only have 3 small kids so our portions would be much smaller than some of the larger families!)
Buy the 4 pack of ground turkey meat and 7 lbs of ground beef. I mix turkey and beef together and brown it 3-4 pounds at a time. I portion out about 1.5 lbs into freezer bags to use later for sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce, stronganoff etc. I make about 3-4 lbs of tacos and freeze in about 1.5 lb portions as well. Then I make 2 1.5lb meatloaves to freeze. Sometimes I'll patty out burgers if I don't have any in the freezer. I usually keep one portion not frozen and make up sloppy joes or something similar to serve for the next days dinner and just put it in the fridge. Then some of the turkey gets frozen still in it's original packaging.
I buy the 2 pack of flank steak--mix up the marinades in the bags and put the meat in and freeze it that way.
Sometimes I buy the non-frozen chicken breasts and mix up the marinades in the bags and put the chicken in to freeze.
I buy a large square pizza, cut it in half (we usually eat *just* over half when we make a whole one so I just make half and then supplement with more fruit or veggies) then tape up the box and put it in the freezer.
And I always buy a rotis. chicken for dinner that night since I have no interest in cooking at that point.
So--what's your routine? Any tips?
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Melissa
Mom to a dd ('02), ds ('03), ds ('05), dd ('07) and baby due 9/01/09
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Maryan
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Thanks for sharing your routine. I'm interested in hearing the responses! I have to admit that I haven't joined Costco because I'm afraid that I might like some of the deals on the non-essentials too much!  It will be interesting to hear how others use Costco.
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Maryan
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Tami
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Melissa, do you cook the meatloaves before freezing, or freeze them raw? If raw, do you add egg to the meat mixture? I've been wondering if I can do this or not.
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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Matilda
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Wow, Melissa! I am exhausted just reading about all that you do!!! 
Thank you for sharing this with us. I have felt like I haven't been using our membership to its full potential. We don't eat beef which makes it a little more complicated, but you have inspired me to try to do a little more.
Can I ask... is this a weekly shopping trip for you or a monthly? Thanks again for sharing!
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MelissaClaire
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 2:54pm | IP Logged
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This would be for a large trip which I might do just over monthly.
I put eggs in the meatloves and freeze without cooking. It turns out fine!
It really doesn't take long. It probably took an hour (maybe more) to do it today and that was while getting kids lunch, breaking up squabbles and getting people ready for quiet time--but now I have a ton of dinners that are nearly done!
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Melissa
Mom to a dd ('02), ds ('03), ds ('05), dd ('07) and baby due 9/01/09
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doris
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 3:22pm | IP Logged
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Oooh, I'm inspired. I had to google sloppy joes, mind you, but this sounds like a great routine (and I've found out that there is a Costco not a million miles from here, hooray).
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KackyK
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This is like the smallest of hints...but I found it huge, because I am a dunce in the kitchen  so it made a big difference to me. Several years ago my dh filled me in that I was really freezing all of our ground beef inefficiently. I was just balling it up (so to speak) putting it in the freezer bag and there you go. He pointed out I really needed to smush (lack of a better term) the ball once it is in the bag, spread it out as thin as possible...it cuts down on the defrosting time...literally by hours. Plus it stacks nicely in the freezer too. And like I said, I'm a dunce and can't decide what to do for dinner sometimes until like 2 or 3:00...this helps!
Anyways...just a little thought! I don't know if I'm up enough after a Costco trip to do the preparing of the meat before the storage...I'm spent after a trip there!
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Tami
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Thanks, Melissa!
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God bless,
Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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Macmom
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We have 10 in our family, soon to be 11, so Costco is a lifesaver. I have compared prices between Costco and the local grocery store, and Costco is about half the price of Safeway.
So, my tips:
1) The first time you ever go to Costco, don't buy anything. Dh and I just took along a pad and a pen and wrote down what things Costco carried that we used anyway (meat, bread, OJ) and what we thought looked interesting and cost-efficent.
2) Every time you go shopping there, have your list of standard items you always get. For us, it's toilet paper, bread, hamburger, spag sauce, canned beans, diapers, pancake mix, chicken breasts, butter, Hebrew Nation franks, eggs, shredded cheese, unbaked tortillas, and OJ. Stick to your list... but allow yourself one splurge. (I like the fishsticks, or other prepared convenience foods- so I always know there is something I can throw on for dinner at the end of a hectic day. ) (BUT if you do alot of shopping in the frozen convenience food section, your Costco bill will be WAY too high!)
3)Like Melissa says, bring home dinner from Costco that night. Spend your time at home packaging your food into manageable portions to freeze. (Obviously, the size I freeze wouldn't be the same as a family of 5!)
4) We buy all our meat at Costco. Then I plan my meals around either chicken or hamburger, with an occasional pork chop or flank steak thrown in for variety. Fish during Lent.
Peace,
Macmom
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juststartn
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KackyK wrote:
This is like the smallest of hints...but I found it huge, because I am a dunce in the kitchen so it made a big difference to me. Several years ago my dh filled me in that I was really freezing all of our ground beef inefficiently. I was just balling it up (so to speak) putting it in the freezer bag and there you go. He pointed out I really needed to smush (lack of a better term) the ball once it is in the bag, spread it out as thin as possible...it cuts down on the defrosting time...literally by hours. Plus it stacks nicely in the freezer too. And like I said, I'm a dunce and can't decide what to do for dinner sometimes until like 2 or 3:00...this helps!
Anyways...just a little thought! I don't know if I'm up enough after a Costco trip to do the preparing of the meat before the storage...I'm spent after a trip there! |
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That's a good one! I usually just "cut it" into mostly equal chunks and freeze it that way, making sure to get as much air out as I can...
Hmmmm...
Rachel
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Becky Parker
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Does Costco have the "click and pull" feature? We don't have a Costco but we do have a Sam's club. With the Click and Pull I can go online, type in my list of stuff, and the next day go pick it up. Talk about a time saver (and I avoid buying all the extras that comes from wandering the isles)!
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Bookswithtea
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I took my monthly Costco list and pared it down a bit and then made a new list for a 3 month stock up (7 eaters in this family) that can be kept for at least a 3 month period. Costco is not close to my home and its not working for me to go monthly...particularly in winter. The list is mostly stuff like chicken (we get our beef from a farmer), cheese, chicken broth, canned tuna...stuff like that. I did the same thing with Trader Joe's since they are both far from home.
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teachingmyown
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Great ideas! Thanks for starting the thread and your helpful tips, Melissa.
I usually get the pizzas for dinner for the night I shop, but we eat almost two whole pizzas! (For those of you who haven't seen the Costco pizzas, they are enormous! And very good, especially for the price.)
The click and pull thing from Sam's Club sounds wonderful! It might be worth the 40 minute drive to a Sam's Club to get that. We always, always overspend at Costco!
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teachingmom
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| Posted: July 28 2007 at 12:12am | IP Logged
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I shop at Costco weekly. It's my main source of groceries. My standard list includes:
milk (the very best prices around)
eggs
bread
bagels
flour tortillas
a rotisserie chicken (they last for a few days in the fridge, so we don't always eat it that night, but I buy one each week to be ready for a convenience meal)
frozen chicken breasts or tenders
ground beef
peanut butter
frozen waffles
syrup
lunch meats
cheese (32 oz blocks of cheddar and monterey jack, and the bag of shredded Mexican mix)
butter
powdered sugar
brown sugar
snacky things like Club Crackers, Goldfish, pretzels, tortilla chips, etc.
various frozen convenience foods for lunch or dinner (taquitos, spring rolls, pierogies, or small frozen pizzas)
Toll House semisweet morsels
fruit (various, always apples and grapes, whatever else is in season and looks good)
lettuce (bag of 6 heads of romaine, usually)
frozen veggies (green beans, corn, mixed vegetables, broccoli)
Kirkland brand liquid dishwasher detergent
Kirkland brand liquid laundry detergent (I buy the free and clear kind)
toilet paper
paper towels
napkins
diapers (I just started buying them at Costco this time around)
Of course, I don't buy each of those things each time I shop because some are in such large amounts.
My biggest suggestion to share is that I always buy the ground beef that is made into large "patties." There are a dozen of them in each package. I try to buy a package weighing as close to 6 lbs. as I can, so that each patty weighs a half pound. When I get home, I just separate each patty into two quarter pound hamburgers for freezing and/or gather three of them together to freeze for 1.5 lbs of taco meat.
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Angie Mc
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It's all about the #10 cans...
Peaches: about half the price of small cans, I open the can at breakfast and serve with muesli (soaked whole rolled grains), the rest I put in glass mason jars and refrigerate. I use these peaches in breakfast casseroles, mixed with salsa, served with soft cheese (chevre from Trader Joes), and in smoothies.
Diced tomatoes: I open the can and make fresh salsa, the rest I place in mason jars and refrigerate. We use as-is instead of sauce for homemade pizza on Friday nights. I also use them in a lentil dish and some other stray recipes, like chili and minestrone.
Crushed tomatoes: I use the whole can to make a big batch of homemade pasta sauce every other week.
Black olives: No kidding. We use them in soups, on Mexican, on salads. I store them in - you guessed it - mason jars in the refrigerator. We love olives and I just won't spring for the tiny cans. I've even given olives to friends, LOL.
Hominy: I use the whole can to make a batch of pozle in the crock pot.
Refried beans: I usually make my own but I love having the back up for times when I forget to soak or I want to bring enchiladas to a family in need.
Baked beans: I use the whole can when making baked beans for potlucks and picnics.
Then you gotta do the cheese, as big as you need, shredded and placed in freezer.
And the 6# boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. Store in refrigerator. Within a few days, place 3# in the crockpot with either taco seasonings or greek seasonings. Fold up the container, place in large ziplock, and freeze. Repeat the following week with defrosted chicken.
Here's a few more of our basics:
Real bacon (in bag on shelves)
gatorade
lemonade
raisens
pasta
canned pineapple
c peaches
nuts
artichokes
clams
canola oil
olive oil
canola mayo
granola bars
tortilla chips
water
Refrig/Frozen:
ched
parm
meatballs
hotdogs
Produce:
fruit
cucumbers
tomatoes
broccoli
Romaine
Shelves/Other:
gallon ziplocks
kids vitamins
I shop at Costco every other week. The key is, as stated so well above, to have a plan and a list and keep to the list  .
Love,
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Angie Mc
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Topic: Costco routines?
