I'm a former TV chef who spends about $150 a week at Costco. Here are 11 things I always get.

Leslie AntonoffJun 22, 2024, 18:45 IST

I'm a former TV chef who loves shopping at Costco.Leslie Antonoff

I'm a former TV chef who spends $150 on tasty ingredients and cooking shortcuts at Costco each week.
The Minsley cooked rice and Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce can effortlessly upgrade meals.

Before the first season of my aspireTV series, "Butter + Brown," I trained with a chef whose husband was a corporate executive at Costco.

In my mind, Costco was for folks who loved pre-seasoned meat, Kirkland Signature-branded alcohol, and birthday cakes. However, I couldn't have been more wrong.

This chef gave me the inside scoop on the best items from the store, and since then, I've joined the nearly 35 million customers who have an executive Costco membership. I use my membership to stock up on ingredients for family dinners and quick meals.

Here are 11 items I always get on a $150 budget at my Los Angeles Costco.

The Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter is perfect for baking and making excellent sauces.

The Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter has a delicious, rich flavor.Leslie Antonoff

My kids eat the I Heart Hydros hydroponic strawberries at every meal.

The I Heart Hydros hydroponic strawberries taste super sweet.Leslie Antonoff

The Sun Fresh green seedless grapes are perfect for lunches and freezing.

I keep cartons of Sun Fresh green grapes in the fridge and freezer.Leslie Antonoff

I grab precooked rice for when I need a quick meal at home.

I use the Minsley organic cooked brown rice in my lunches.Leslie Antonoff

I like to satisfy my soda cravings with Poppi.

I buy variety packs of Poppi prebiotic soda at Costco.Leslie Antonoff

My husband drinks at least four cups of coffee daily, so Horizon Organic half-and-half is necessary.

The Horizon Organic half-and-half is a staple for our coffee.Leslie Antonoff

We need to have a lot of Peet's Coffee on hand as well.

Peet's Coffee Major Dickason's Blend dark-roast coffee has a great flavor.Leslie Antonoff

Breakfast with three kids can sometimes be chaotic, but ready-to-go bagels make it easy for everyone.

I buy packs of Kirkland Signature everything, plain, and cinnamon-raisin bagels at Costco.Leslie Antonoff

Simply Orange pulp-free orange juice gets a thumbs up from my daughter.

My daughter is a big fan of the Simply Orange pulp-free orange juice.Leslie Antonoff

Serving pasta once a week means there has to be cheese available.

I usually grab Kirkland Signature Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.Leslie Antonoff

I like to stock up on my favorite condiments at Costco.

I stock up on delicious condiments like Bachan's original Japanese barbecue sauce and the Don Pancho cilantro-lime-crema everything sauce.Leslie Antonoff

I made ice cream using a bag, Ninja Creami, and blender. I'm stunned a basic method beat my $200 appliance.

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