I'm an empty nester who travels 45 minutes out of state to shop at Costco. Here are 12 things I can't leave the store without.

Fresh Medjool dates are incredibly versatile. You can snack on them plain, stuff them with your favorite nut butter and top with chocolate chips, and even add them to smoothies or overnight oats.

Medjool dates are also great for baking. Before we started eating vegan, I liked to wrap them in bacon and bake them in the oven.

No matter how many of us are around, we still seem to need a never-ending supply of tissues.

I get really excited when Costco has the seasonally decorated packs, though there are always plain boxes if that's more your thing.

We may never know exactly which brand of tortilla chips we'll leave Costco with, but we know we're always leaving with at least one bag.

We take a look at the ingredients and price to make the final decision (the fewer ingredients, the better).

We snagged two bags on this trip since we were going to see our son later that day.

The twin pack of Kirkland salsa will always end up in our cart. In addition to "needing" it for our aforementioned chip purchase, we also like to add it to breakfast scrambles.

Plus, we always keep some salsa on hand for Taco Tuesdays and quick rice and bean lunchbox meals.

Ideally, we love to buy organic almond butter, but we haven't seen this item since moving out of Seattle. Fortunately, we can still get a two-pack of Kirkland Signature organic peanut butter.

We also came across a new item to try, NuttZo, which is a fun mix of many of the nut butter and seed variations we enjoy.

Because Nature's Path organic pumpkin-seed-and-flax granola is a family favorite, we're always excited to find it in the store.

In addition to simply eating a bowl of granola, we use it as a topper for smoothie bowls, which we make frequently, even when temperatures drop outside.

The gold standard for my Costco devotion is Kirkland organic maple syrup. Plus, with Costco pricing, we can get the large container at a fraction of the cost.

We go through maple syrup like nobody's business, so we always grab at least two bottles per trip.

We use it on the classics like pancakes, waffles, and overnight oats, but I also like to use some in hot chocolate and smoothies. I even use the syrup to make golden milk from scratch.

The big packs of Kirkland Signature organic seaweed are a must-buy.

They're great for snacking and serving on the side of pho, ramen, or other Asian-style soups.

We typically get a variety of all the organic frozen fruit we think we can fit in the freezer of our rental.

This time, we found some organic blueberries and strawberries to add to the cart. Sometimes, Costco even has cherries and a tropical fruit mix, which we really like.

We never know what variations they'll have, but we go through these quickly in all of our smoothies and oatmeal toppers.

My husband and I love oats, so I always snag a bag at Costco. We also get to reap the added benefits of the sprouted gluten-free oats that they always have in stock.

We cherish our early morning walks, so having overnight oats ready helps us get out the door on time.

They're also great to have on hand for homemade oat flour, as well as blender pancake and waffle recipes.

In addition to the frozen fruit, I'm always sure to pick up some combination of organic dried fruit.

This time, I grabbed raisins, dried pineapple, and dried mangoes. Dried cranberries are another favorite of ours, but we already had a good supply of those at home.

The final item we never leave Costco without won't find its way into our cart but it will always find its way into our car.

One of the greatest benefits of a Costco membership is access to its gas stations. The lines are usually longer than what you experience in the store, but the wait is always worth it.

On this trip, we got gas over $0.50 per gallon cheaper than what the nearby gas stations advertised.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.