I Went to Costco for One Thing: My $274 Costco Haul

So today I went to Costco for literally ONE thing… burrata. That was the mission. In and out. Quick trip.

But somehow, like always, I walked out with 24 items and spent $274. I honestly don’t even know how this happens every single time. I feel like Costco has this magical ability to convince you that you need things you never planned on buying.

So today I’m going to go over everything I bought, what I plan to make with it, what’s actually worth buying at Costco right now, and a few things that were surprisingly on sale.

Hot Dogs

So first — before we even started shopping — we got two Costco hot dog combos to-go. One for my son and one for me.

Honestly, Costco hot dogs are still one of the best deals ever. I know everyone says that, but it’s true. You get the hot dog and the drink for basically nothing.

Usually we eat there, but today we brought them home because I knew this shopping trip was going to take longer than expected and I didn’t want to deal with eating in the crowded food court.

Atlantic Salmon

Okay, first grocery item: Atlantic salmon for $25.28.

We eat salmon probably every other week in our house. Sometimes once a week if I’m trying to cook healthier meals. And I really like Costco’s salmon because it’s skinless already, which saves me time.

I know some people love cooking salmon with the skin on, but personally I prefer not dealing with it.

Usually I either bake it with garlic butter and lemon or I make rice bowls with salmon, cucumber, avocado, and spicy mayo. My kids actually eat salmon pretty well too, which honestly feels like a parenting win.

Caesar Salad

Then I got two Caesar salad kits for $8.99 each.

My husband is obsessed with these. When I say he eats Caesar salad every day, I’m not exaggerating. It’s basically part of his daily routine at this point.

So anytime I go to Costco, I always check to make sure we have enough because if we run out, he notices immediately. And honestly, Costco salad kits are just better value than grocery store ones. The bags are huge.

Blueberries

I also got blueberries for $9.99.

I eat blueberries literally every single day with yogurt. Every morning. It’s one of those habits that just became automatic for me.

And I feel like Costco blueberries are cheaper compared to my local grocery stores.

Burrata

Okay, now for the item that caused this entire shopping trip…The burrata. This was $7.49 and this is the whole reason I came to Costco today.

Lately I’ve been completely obsessed with burrata with honey and balsamic glaze. It feels fancy but takes almost no effort. I usually eat it with tomatoes and honestly it feels like restaurant food at home.

Tomatoes

I was hoping Costco would have the beefsteak tomatoes because that’s what I normally use, but they were completely out, which was surprising. So instead, I got these cocktail tomatoes for $6.49. Not exactly what I planned, but they still looked good.

Honestly, I feel like Costco inventory is so random sometimes. One week they have everything and the next week your favorite item completely disappears.

Ground Beef

Okay, next is ground beef for $19.99. Every single time I ask my husband if he wants anything from Costco, he says chili. And every single time we go lately, Costco has been sold out of their prepared chili. So, I finally decided I’m just going to make chili from scratch. Which honestly is probably healthier and tastes better anyway. So, this ground beef is for my chili.

Autolight Emergency Tool

Speaking of random Costco finds…I found this Autolight emergency tool on clearance for $11.97.

This honestly feels like one of those things you hope you never need, but if you DO need it, you’ll be glad you have it. It’s a flashlight, but it also has a seatbelt cutter and a glass breaker in case your car gets submerged underwater.

And maybe this says too much about my personality, but the alarmist in me LOVES this kind of emergency-preparedness stuff.

I immediately thought, “I should buy one for every car.” Honestly I might go back and get more for family members because I thought this was such a smart little tool, especially for the price.

Kraft Mac and Cheese

Then I got a case of Kraft Mac and Cheese cups for $9.99. My kids are constantly asking for mac and cheese. And listen… sometimes I just do not feel like cooking another meal or washing another pot.

So, these microwave cups are perfect because the kids can make them themselves. Honestly anything that gives me one less thing to do during the day feels worth it.

Rao’s Marinara Sauce

Next, I stocked up on Rao’s marinara sauce. These were $9.69 each and I got two. I NEVER buy Rao’s at regular price because it’s expensive, but whenever Costco puts it on sale, I stock up immediately.

This is honestly the only marinara sauce I really love. It tastes the closest to homemade to me. And we go through a lot of pasta in this house because it’s one of the easiest dinners.

Kerrygold Butter

Then I got Kerrygold butter for $12.69. It was on sale and I saved $4.30. I’m usually hesitant about buying butter in bulk because I always think it’s going to expire before we use it, but this one had a really long expiration date. And butter has gotten so expensive lately that when I see a good sale, I just buy it.

Bell Peppers

Okay, next: bell peppers for $8.99. These are for the chili. And I know some people barely put bell peppers in chili, but I actually like adding a LOT because I feel like it makes it taste fresher and gives it more texture. So, this six-pack is perfect.

Bananas

Then bananas for $1.99. I swear bananas are one of those things I buy every single Costco trip without even thinking about it. I usually prefer organic bananas, but these regular ones honestly looked better today. And if you shop at Costco, you know sometimes produce quality really varies week to week.

Rotisserie Chicken

Then of course I got the famous Costco rotisserie chicken for $4.99. I did not have dinner prepared tonight and I already know I’ll be too tired to cook anything after unloading groceries.

So, I figured rotisserie chicken plus Caesar salad equals easy dinner. Honestly, Costco rotisserie chickens save me at least once a month. And sometimes I even use leftovers for chicken salad the next day.

Organic Eggs

Then I got organic eggs for $7.59. Another staple item. We go through eggs so fast that I never want to run out of them. That’s why I buy eggs every time I go to Costco.

Ritz Crackers

Next were Ritz crackers for $8.49. They were on sale and I saved $2.50. My kids love eating Ritz crackers with cheese or almond butter after school. And honestly snacks disappear so fast in this house that buying the Costco size actually makes sense for us.

Goldfish Crackers

Then Goldfish crackers for $12.99. My daughter LOVES Goldfish. And I specifically like these because they come in the individual snack bags which are super convenient for school lunches or throwing in the car.

Kirkland Canned Diced Tomatoes

I also picked up diced tomatoes for $9.49 for the chili. I feel like canned tomatoes are one of those pantry staples that are always good to have anyway.

Beets

Then I bought these beets for $8.99. And this is actually kind of new for us because my husband and I recently started roasting beets with apples and olive oil and it’s SO good. I never thought I’d become someone who gets excited about beets, but apparently this is who I am now.

Dove Body Wash

Then Dove body wash for $14.49. It was on sale, so I stocked up. I’m very much the type of person who refuses to pay full price for household items if I can help it. If it’s on sale at Costco, that’s when I buy it.

Candy Grapes

Then candy grapes for $10.99. My kids LOVE these. Honestly, they taste almost unreal. They really do taste candy-like.

Garden Hose

And finally, I got this garden hose for $27.99 because ours has been leaking. This one is 100 feet, which seemed like a really good deal.

Vintage Seltzer

And then last item — Vintage seltzer for $8.99. I drink at least one bottle of seltzer every single day. Sometimes more. So this is another item I never want to run out of because if I don’t like drinking plain water.

Okay, so that was everything from today’s Costco haul! Definitely not the quick little burrata trip I originally planned… but honestly, are any Costco trips ever quick?

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