I'm a mom who shopped at Costco and BJ's, and the latter feels perfect for shopping for my family of 4

BJ's seems to be a better fit for my family of four than Costco at this time. Win McNamee/Getty Images; Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

• I'm a mom of two who shopped at Costco and BJ's to see which was a better fit for my family's needs.
• Both clubs had areas where they excelled, from the food court at Costco to the deli case at BJ's.

In my younger years, I was a dedicated Costco shopper through and through.

In fact, I was disappointed when I moved from Maryland to a small town in Florida, where the closest Costco was 90 minutes away.

I signed up for a BJ's membership and never really used it, only to cancel it and head to Costco when a new one opened in my area a little over a year ago.

But I'm in my 40s now with two teenagers at home, and my shopping needs have changed.

Gone are the days I'd shop at warehouse stores for diapers, formula, and toddler-approved snacks. Now, my growing kids are always eating, and my husband and I prioritize getting a good (and affordable) family dinner on the table as many nights of the week as possible.

Recently, I visited Costco and signed up for a new BJ's membership to compare how the two would work for my family.

Although I may not be ready to say goodbye to my Costco membership, I think I'll start doing the bulk of my family's grocery shopping at BJ's for a few reasons.