One of the ways that I save money on real food is by shopping at my local Costco. Although I initially wondered whether it would be worth it to maintain our Costco membership as we were beginning to transition to real foods, I have found that Costco is an excellent source for certain real food and natural living items. We visit Costco once a month or so and usually spend around $80 at a time. (More if we are buying a lot of butter!)
Here are the items that I purchase at the Costco in Superior, Colorado. I would guess that some of these offerings may vary depending on your location. Items may also not be available at all times. I have chosen not to list prices, since I would assume that these vary across the country. I have found, however, that Costco nearly always has better prices than other retailers.
- Kerrygold butter (If this was the only thing we bought at Costco I think it would still make our membership worth it. Grass-fed butter is very expensive everywhere else I can find it and we go through a LOT of butter. Sadly this seems to be seasonal, as it was not there when I last shopped in October.)
- Tillamook cheese (Various varieties. A bit of a compromise because it is not entirely grass-fed but it works for us.)
- 10 lb bag organic carrots (I don’t always have room for these in my fridge, but I buy them when I can because they are an amazing price.)
- Frozen organic peas and green beans
- Frozen organic fruit (Selection varies – in the past I’ve bought peaches, blueberries, strawberries, cherries and blackberries.)
- Organic baby spinach
- Canned wild salmon
- Kirkland organic peanut butter (I bought this for several years before I started making my own soaked and roasted peanut butter.)
- Organic sugar (for water kefir)
- Epsom salts (for GAPS detox baths)
- Baking soda (Huge bag that I use for washing our hair and cleaning)
- Vinegar (for cleaning)
- Hydrogen peroxide (for cleaning)
- Toilet paper (I buy the brand with part recycled content)
In terms of ease of shopping experience, we’ve also discovered that the timing of your visit matters a great deal. Our favorite times to go are weekday evenings, an hour or two before the store closes. Our Costco is practically deserted at this time. Of course this is not an option for everyone, but it’s worth considering if you have any flexibility. Shopping at a very busy Costco is not much fun.
Here is more information about becoming a Costco member. The basic membership is $50 a year. For our family I believe that the money we save more than makes up for the membership fee.
This post is part of Pennywise Platter at the Nourishing Gourmet.
Do you shop at Costco? What are your favorite items to buy?
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