We use our executive membership to buy meals and ingredients for our family of four.Ellen Ranta Olson
- My husband and I use our Costco executive membership to buy food for our family of four.
- The Kirkland Signature chicken street-taco kit is a yummy, filling meal my kids and husband love.
Much like over half of Costco's shoppers, we have children to feed and like to buy our family's favorite foods in bulk.
My husband is a Costco general manager, so he gets a free executive membership as an employee. Typically, this membership costs $120, which is double the price of a regular gold-star version, and comes with a 2% reward of up to $1,000 on qualified purchases.
We use our executive membership to grab ingredients for easy lunches and dinners. Here are some of our favorite things to buy at Costco for ourselves and our two young kids.
The Busseto salami-and-cheese snackin' trays give my salads new life.
I use the Busseto salami-and-cheese snackin' trays for quick lunches. Ellen Ranta Olson
I initially started buying salami-and-cheese snack packs as an easy grab-and-go option for my kids. Now, I keep them on hand for my own midday meals.
I add the pieces of salami and cheese to my chopped salads for more flavor.
The Kirkland Signature chicken street-taco kit is the one meal everyone in our family likes.
We all enjoy the Kirkland Signature chicken street-taco kit, which contains tortillas, sauces, and cabbage. Ellen Ranta Olson
The Kirkland Signature premade chicken street-taco kit is my go-to when schedules are hectic, but I don't want to spend $100 on DoorDash.
The kit comes with generous portions of chicken, lime wedges, shredded cabbage, cilantro-lime crema, salsa, and tortillas. It's also my kids' No. 1 requested meal, so we usually have it for dinner about once a week.
I always keep Kirkland Signature organic tortilla chips and Mexican-style shredded cheese on hand.
I use the Kirkland Signature organic tortilla chips and Mexican-style four-cheese blend for nachos. Ellen Ranta Olson
A plate of nachos is my comfort food and a meal my kids can make on their own. The Kirkland Signature Mexican-style shredded cheese and the brand's organic tortilla chips both come in large bags, so they're perfect for creating several plates of nachos.
We add beans, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa on top. If I have extra chicken from the Kirkland Signature street-taco kit, I'll throw that on the nachos, too.
The Banza rotini pasta made from chickpeas adds protein to vegetarian meals.
My family enjoys the Banza rotini made from chickpeas on nights when we don't eat meat. Ellen Ranta Olson
Pasta is a staple in our household, but I also want to ensure my family gets enough protein when we aren't eating meat. So, I started swapping regular noodles for the protein-packed Banza rotini.
Each serving has 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber.
Buying produce in bulk is risky, but we always finish a bag of Taylor Farms romaine hearts.
The Taylor Farms romaine hearts come in handy when I'm making a quick salad. Ellen Ranta Olson
I was always hesitant to buy lettuce from Costco because I thought it would be a challenge to finish the large bag before it spoiled. Eventually, my husband pointed out that a homemade salad is a low-effort way to serve veggies with dinner, so I quickly reconsidered the romaine hearts.
Instead of roasting a bunch of Brussels sprouts that my kids won't touch, I usually serve a simple green salad with ranch dressing.
We make poke bowls with the Kirkland Signature wild ahi tuna.
The Kirkland Signature wild ahi tuna is delicious, especially with the right marinade. Ellen Ranta Olson
Cooking fish terrifies me, but chopping it up, letting it marinate, and serving it over a bowl of white rice and avocado is much more doable.
The Kirkland Signature ahi tuna soaks in all the flavors of a marinade, making for a delicious meal filled with protein-packed fish.
The Stonefire naan dippers are perfect for charcuterie boards or mezze platters.
The Stonefire naan dippers are the perfect bite-sized snack to serve with a dip. Ellen Ranta Olson
These oven-baked naan dippers are delicious on a charcuterie board. I also like to pair them with the Busseto salami-and-cheese snackin' trays and a selection of dips for a zero-effort mezze platter.
I can't ruin the American BBQ Company seasoned Santa Maria beef tri-tip.
The American BBQ Company Santa Maria beef tri-tip is seasoned with garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Ellen Ranta Olson
I tend to shy away from making meat at home because figuring out the seasoning, timing, and temperature feels overwhelming to me. Luckily, the American BBQ Company beef tri-tip roast is already seasoned with garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.
Better yet, the package comes with cooking instructions that make me feel like a much more capable chef than I am.
The Kirkland Signature sliced mozzarella is a fridge essential during the summer.
The Kirkland Signature sliced mozzarella is delicious in a caprese salad. Ellen Ranta Olson
My family goes through a two-pack of Kirkland Signature presliced mozzarella logs faster than I'd care to admit. When tomatoes are in season, I use the mozzarella to make caprese salads.
The Wholly Avocado smashed avocado packs are great for toast or as an easy guacamole base.
The Wholly Avocado smashed avocado packs are super convenient. Ellen Ranta Olson
My kids love avocado toast, so I always used to buy the whole fruit. However, I'd often miss the window during which they were ripe and ready to eat.
The Wholly Avocado organic smashed avocado packs are always the right color and texture — far from what my kids would call "a pile of yuck." Each box comes with 16 single-serve cups.
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