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teachingmyown
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| Posted: Feb 26 2009 at 4:06pm | IP Logged
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We don't waste anything!
Some of our staples:
Whole chickens (dh roasts these and Sunday and I use the leftovers for other meals)
Fresh bagels
All paper products
Milk
OJ
Eggs
Cheeses- mozz, cheddar, american
Hot dogs
Frozen chicken breasts and chicken wings
Lettuce
Frozen organic veggies (these are unbelievable!)
Butter
Sour cream
Activia Yogurt
Cream cheese
Pasta (spaghetti, penne)
Perogies
Syrup
Oatmeal
Ingredients for homemade spaghetti sauce
Vitamin water
dog food
salt for our water system
Baby wipes
and the take and bake pizza is a perfect dinner when you are wiped out from shopping!
I am sure there is so much more. We shop there almost exclusively. We have a Bloom for smaller trips and things we don't buy in bulk but generally bloom is too expensive.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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teachingmom
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| Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 5:05pm | IP Logged
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I shared my list on this thread. I just looked my list over and have one thing to change. I stopped buying lunch meats at Costco awhile back. We don't use them soon enough and I really prefer that the turkey be sliced more thinly. We just do without lunch meat unless I happen to be going to Bloom for something.
I will be getting my American Express rebate check from Costco this month. That, along with another check for being an executive member, will add up to hundreds of dollars more than the membership. It's definitely worth it for me.
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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teachingmom
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Oh, and I just have to add that I got the idea of buying #10 cans of peaches and fruit cocktail from Angie on that other thread. We love them!
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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crusermom
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Oh - eyeglasses. They are a good deal and with six in glasses - I am always dropping a pair off to get tweaked (unmangled) while I shop. One less place I have to go. Contacts are a good deal too.
Mary
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Mary
Army wife and Crusermom to 8 wonderful children!
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teachingmom
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crusermom wrote:
Oh - eyeglasses. They are a good deal and with six in glasses - I am always dropping a pair off to get tweaked (unmangled) while I shop. One less place I have to go. Contacts are a good deal too.
Mary |
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I forgot about that. Both dd and I have Costco glasses. Their prices are fantastic. The tightening for a child's pair on the spur of the moment is such a convenience!
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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hylabrook1
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Oh yeah! Can't beat the price on the eyeglasses - we save $$$ there on a regular basis. Also car tires. And we just bought a memory foam mattress topper (great price in the first place, further reduced by $30 coupon) that has made sleeping absolutely dreamy... Also the cheapest source for feminine hygiene products.
Peace,
Nancy
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monique
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We don't have Costco's in WY but we do shop Sam's Club. They don't have a lot of organic things but we can purchase soy milk and organic cow milk there. We also purchase paper products, coffee, oatmeal there. Sometimes they carry buffalo so we'll pick that up. The Tillamook cheese is a good buy there as well.
If you are worried about waste then break up packages when you buy them and then cook and/or freeze things. We will buy big packages of cheese and if I don't have plans for them I'll freeze them. Same goes for any meat that we buy.
At the Sam's here you have to be very careful of the produce because it often is not very fresh. So I check it out very carefully before I buy it and wash/cut it up as soon as we get it home. So that is where we have lost money-- getting rotten fruit home and then too far away to return it. Other then that I can't think of too many other things that have gone to waste.
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Monique
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Kyra
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Oh, yes- we got our Cuisinart food processor there, and our new vacuum cleaner. I try not to spend much time in the baked goods section, because then I spend money. I really like the croissants, and at the end of the food shopping their cakes look extremely tasty...
Would anyone else be interested in a revival of the "Meals made just from Costco" thread? I would.
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LeeAnn
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Costco is our main grocery stop, but I usually have to round it out with trips to the local groceries (and Trader Joe's occasionally) as well.
We eat gluten-free (so I skip the frozen foods section almost entirely) and are generally trying to go sugar-free and I'm limiting my grain/carbohydrates intake.
That being said, we buy:
milk
eggs
butter
cream
5lb cheddar cheese
sour cream
potatoes
onions
apples
bananas
baby carrots
lettuce/greens
frozen berries
frozen peas/corn/broccoli
minced garlic
applesauce
spices (although ours doesn't sell salt! weird huh?)
brown rice
canned beans
potato chips
corn tortillas
ground beef
flank steaks
beef roasts
chicken breasts
deli sliced turkey
ham steaks
hot dogs
sausages
baking soda
vinegar
garbage bags
paper towels
toilet paper
diapers
baby wipes
[If we need to reduce the grocery bill, we do it by buying non-food items at Target or the grocery store. Smaller quantities = smaller price in the short term.]
books very occasionally
Kirkland jeans, socks and underwear for hubby a couple times a year; socks for my daughters
photo processing
I had the executive membership last year, but didn't make enough back to pay for it and I didn't use any of the extra services either. So I went back to gold star this year.
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my four children are 17, 15, 11 & 8 - all now attend public school - we read many 4Real recommended books at home
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St. Ann
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I was just there today and found a very cute Easter dress from Laura Ashley for $14. This is for my youngest. They didn't have the bigger sizes.
You can usually find cute things for little ones there.
Bathing suits from Speedo for $20. We need bathing suits down here 
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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SusanJ
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This thread convinced me to finally check out our Costco. I went through writing down about 25 prices and decided that they definitely beat where I shop now. But we're moving in a few months. I assume that Costco will still be a lot cheaper since we're going to a much more expensive area. Has anyone here shopped at Costcos in different parts of the country? Do the prices and product selections stay pretty much the same? My dh thinks its crazy to assume that would be the case but the Trader Joe's here in Minnesota stocks almost exactly the same stuff for the same price as the ones in Virginia.
Two things I didn't see at mine that you all have on your lists are real maple syrup and brown rice. We eat a LOT of those things and I need to find a cheap source. Was I missing something? I didn't get to the whole store--is there a separate natural or organic section at Costco? Maybe shopping with my 2yo was just too distracting :)
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Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
Life Together
[URL=http://thejohnstonkids.blogspot.com]The Kids' Blog[/UR
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St. Ann
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Susan, we do get real maple syrup at Costco. It is cheaper there than at our local grocery store. I know they have big bags of rice, but do not remember seeing plain brown rice. I think I saw something like jasmine rice...????
There is soooooooooo much to see in that huge store, I get distracted even without a 2 yr old.
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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LeeAnn
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Susan, selection does vary regionally. My local Coscto (Everett, WA) always stocks Lundberg's organic short grain brown rice in 15 lb bags. And real maple syrup too. However, some things are only seasonal and not just Christmas food items; Nutella in the BIG 2pk jars is only available a few months of the year. Even within my region, the selection of less popular items can change. I went to the Lynnwood Costco, just 25 minutes south, and found they didn't carry Tang orange drink concentrate. But the most popular items are usually the same everywhere: milk, eggs, chicken breasts and so on.
I found out somebody's Costco somewhere has started carrying Coleman's natural gluten-free meatballs and I went over to get some, but bummer, my Costco doesn't carry them (yet).
Prices can change from week to week. Just last week I bought three pounds of bananas for 99-cents. Today they were $1.32.
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my four children are 17, 15, 11 & 8 - all now attend public school - we read many 4Real recommended books at home
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Angie Mc
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Bumping this to see what Costco shoppers are buying these days?
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
About Me
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guitarnan
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Perrier (I am addicted)
Grana padano cheese - very similar to parmigiano but cheaper
Feta cheese
Bottled water
Cat litter
Yummy Wensleydale cheese with cranberries 
Fresh red and yellow peppers
Cameras
SanDisk cards
Abuelita tortilla chips from Manassas, Virginia - yum!
Canned Healthy Choice soup
Tires
That's the main list. I bought a snow shovel a few months ago, and we buy motor oil there on occasion. I don't impulse buy when I am at Costco - I use a price book to make sure I am spending money wisely.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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mom3aut1not
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milk
bread
salad
lemonade mix
water
tp & other paper products
diet coke & coke & ginger ale
eggs
Chobani yogurt
jam
Cheerios
tomato paste
graham crackers
pasta sauce
granola bars
hamburger meat
chicken breasts
grapes
blueberries
dates
tortilla chips
gummy vitamins
calcium chews
laundry detergent
dish detergent (hand and dishwasher)
pads
shampoo
soap
floss
prescription medicine
printer ink
storage containers
glasses
photos developed
dvrs (in past)
ipod (in past)
Polish pottery
underwear for adults
socks for guys
clothes sometimes
occasional dvds and books
and more.....
In Christ,
Deborah
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Mackfam
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Current Costco regular purchases:
Organic milk
OJ
Eggs
Organic butter
Fish
Pizzas
Mickey Nuggets (please don't throw processed food tomatoes at me!  )
Frozen Organic Raspberries
Frozen Organic Blueberries
Cheeses
Meats (especially love the shredded-off-the-bone packaged Rotisserie chicken!!!)
Bulk Peeled Garlic (swoon!!!)
Milo's Sweet Tea ( Y'all probably don't have that at your Costco do you? Gotta have some good sweet tea - and I can't make it better or cheaper than Milo's!!)
WINE!!!!!!
French Fried Onions
Hellmans Mayo
Ketchup
Splenda
Dog Food
Dog chew bones
Toothpaste
Shampoo/Conditioner
Vitamins - some, not all
Baby Wipes (we prefer the Costco brand and use these for cleaning EVERYWHERE!)
Paper towels
Toilet Paper
Batteries
Copy paper
Labelmaker cartridges
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Mackfam
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Oh, I just remembered something Rob and I just discovered and have enjoyed indulging in:
Red Chili Pepper Spread - so yummy! Hot and sweet - delish!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Claire F
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I'm giggling a little at the Mickey Nuggets. They are one of those things we didn't stop buying when we went grain free (mostly grain-free would be a better description).
We tend to buy:
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Vitamins
Nuts - almonds, walnuts, pecans
Frozen chicken
Diapers and wipes
Kitchen trash bags
Maple syrup - best price I've ever found
Lara bars
Fruit leather
Mickey nuggets ;)
I'm sure there's more. We need to get to Costco more regularly. Our weekly grocery bills are much better when we're stocking up on staples at Costco.
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Claire
Mom to DS 12/04, DS 5/07, DD 8/09
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teachingmom
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Hello old friends! I enjoy it when an old thread gets updated and I get an email message letting me know that. That's what brings me back here periodically these days and it's always nice to "see" you all!
I have to laugh at the Mickey Nuggets. My 5yo dd loves them! I took my 9 year old to the dentist today and brought my 5yo dd along. They were running so far behind due to an emergency situation this morning that they asked if I could come back in an hour. The girls were thrilled to have an unexpected date with me at McDonalds for lunch. While we were there, the girls came up with a game: If you could only eat three foods for the rest of your life, what would they be?
While eating her McD's chicken nuggets, my 5yo said that one of the three foods would definitely be chicken nuggets. Later I remembered that I was headed out this evening and the other girls were having sandwiches for dinner that my 5yo does not care for. I told her it was a shame that she already had chicken nuggets at McD's so she couldn't have the Mickey frozen nuggets for dinner. Her response? "Well, maybe you could just forget that I had them for lunch, Mommy!"
My Costco list?
Mickey Nuggets 
Fat free milk
Rotiserrie chicken (I get one every time and come up with some recipe to use it in during the week, or we eat it straight. We don't have the packaged rotiserrie chicken meat off the bone here, but I'd appreciate it if we did!)
Ground beef
10 lb bag of frozen chicken breasts
stew meat
pork loin (very infrequently)
Romaine lettuce
Fruit (apples, grapes, strawberries in season, pears, oranges, grapefruits - but I do not like their bananas!)
bread (the white wheat one in the light blue plastic package)
Potato hamburger rolls
Abuelita's tortilla chips
cheese (shredded Mexican mix, block cheddar, block Monterey jack, sliced sandwich cheese)
Hillshire Farm sliced turkey for sandwiches
eggs
frozen waffles
syrup
breakfast cereal (infrequently)
peanut butter
coffee
frozen vegetables (mixed, broccoli, green beans, corn)
Kirkland 4pack frozen pizza (my family loves it and it's cheap!)
apple sauce in large jars
#10 cans of peaches
Club Crackers and my newest favorite cracker that they recently started carrying -- Townhouse Flatbread Crisps
stick butter
Activia yogurt
some cooking/baking needs: brown sugar, confectioners sugar, splenda, cinnamon, garlic in large jar, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, semi-sweet choc. chips
Treats like oreos, M&Ms, Trident gum, Tic Tac mints
Pretzels
beer (when we buy it)
dry lemonade mix
cheap paper plates
dinner napkins, paper towels, toilet paper
laundry detergent
dishwasher liquid detergent
Clorox wipes
Swiffer wet and dry cloths
Cetaphil facial soap and moisturizer
Lever 2000 bar soap
feminine pads
Kirkland toothpaste
Sometimes clothing, coats, or boots/shoes
printer cartridges
So, after taking the time to type all this out, I realized that I left a list here about 4 and a half years ago. It's funny to see that my current list is basically the same after all this time.
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: What do you buy from Costco?
