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What’s on your Costco shopping list?

162 replies

NappingThroughTheChaos · 31/01/2026 06:08

My husband has just signed us up for a Costco card, so we’re heading there this weekend for our first Costco trip as a family (Im very excited!!)

I’m pulling a shopping list of things to look out for and wondered what are your must-buys / favourites so we don’t come home with a kayak and 48 croissants?! 🤣

Current non-negotiables: Skippy peanut butter (husband) and gyozas (my son).

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Anewuser · 31/01/2026 07:57

We go every couple of months. Mainly because of the £400 we seem to spend each time!

Always get Kirkland toilet roll, kitchen roll and tissues, swing bin liners, massive blocks of cheese and bulk Robinson orange squash.

There’s always something exciting to buy and as others have said their returns are fantastic. In the past, bought a PSP hand held device and a dyson vacuum that both after years (but within their warranty period) packed up. Costco have your receipt on your account so no need to keep paper, they refunded both completely.

Enjoy your trip.

TheAirbender · 31/01/2026 08:00

I think the water buyers at Costco are buying them for businesses, they are a wholesaler after all! I know my son’s rugby club gets bottled water and soft drinks there.

We always buy dog food at Costco. The Kirkland brand rates higher than Royal Canin on rating sites, and it’s about half the price. It’s also good for cat food, litter etc.

I’m going this morning. I bloody love Costco!

Fogandfern · 31/01/2026 08:03

Kirkland merino wool ladies socks. Lovely - like my feet get a cuddle every time I put them on

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Grumpynan · 31/01/2026 08:05

If you like mature cheddar the one in a black packet is amazing, the halloumi is good value too.

we go mostly for the meat in the summer, you can buy a whole piece of belly pork or ribs which I butcher at home to make strips or into ribs much cheaper, I then freeze on a tray and bag up. The salmon is good if you can get it.

you can get big roasting joints way bigger than the supermarket and a better price. If you select one you like the butcher will happily cut into smaller joints for you if you don’t want the hassle at home.

the cookies are amazing but you get a lot so only buy when the family are coming, the muffins can be frozen though so are worth while.

someone else mention the mango chutney, the big one in a blue tub.

you must try the gourmet sauce I think it’s with the soya sauce etc, you use it as a marinade or instead of soya sauce it’s got a high salt content so be careful but its amazing.

the big pizza is good and freeze well.

I don’t really check out the frozen food much but my son says I should next time they seemed to have upped their game

soft drinks - appletizer is way cheaper, other stuff it’s always worth checking prices etc sometimes it’s worth getting sometimes not.

tinfoil and cling film

DH says the razors are good value, some toiletries are more expensive so be careful.

Gardening2025 · 31/01/2026 08:10

Fuel
Toilet paper
Massive tub of hummus
Seafood platter

Chimchar · 31/01/2026 08:12

We buy guacamole. They have lids that pop back in. They’re in circular tubs. Delicious and keep really well even once they’ve been opened. (don’t get the square ones. You need to use them in one go!)
Parmesan cheese
kirkland toilet rolls
tubs of Yorkshire provinder soup. Good value and really tasty.
their fresh brownie bites are to die for!
Robinson squash is good value but you have to buy 6 bottles at a time.
kirkland washing pods
their meat is really great quality, especially steak.

Dh went yesterday and it was wild there he said. Lady on the till said it was the first payday since Christmas which accounted for all the extra people. Good luck!

organisedadmin · 31/01/2026 08:15

@EveryDayisFriday I know lots of people who do that for their dc & some people I know don’t trust tap water. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Waitingformychinesetakeaway · 31/01/2026 08:38

Get lunch in the cafe, it’s so cheap and the pizzas are enormous.

Household items are worth getting, loo roll, laundry detergent, cling film etc.

My DC love the croissants and always try and sneak and cake in the trolley.

Enjoy the food samples! We treat it as a day out the DC love it.

Blueuggboots · 31/01/2026 08:39

Heinz baked beans, halloumi, tinned tomatoes. Pastries, cookies, nectarines (if they have them at this time of year).

RampantIvy · 31/01/2026 08:45

We bought our TV from there.
Costco is a bit of a trek from where we live so I don't go very often and I would only buy frozen food at this time of year so it wouldn't defrost on the way home.
TBH I keep forgetting that I have a Costco card (and a Company Shop card).

This thread is making me want to go again, but I think I will avoid going this weekend and avoid the bunfight.

Quicknamechange2025 · 31/01/2026 09:08

Peanut butter filled pretzels....😋

Fgfgfg · 31/01/2026 09:11

Fuel (I live close to my local Costco so it's worth it just for the petrol)
Coffee
Cat food
Cleaning stuff, tissues etc
Hummus
Nuts - we eat a lot of nuts
Recently bought 80 packs of Seabrook crisps for about £10 😍
Clothes can be hit and miss but I have a really good quality raincoat that I bought about 10 years ago and still get asked where it's from.
Levis - so cheap
Padded shirts for DP

Top tip - if you think you're going to be a regular look at the Executive Membership which gives 2% back. It seems like a lot of money to pay out but I get an additional card for my mum and with what we spend between us the 2% back pays for the membership with some left over. I also offer to take friends and whatever they spend goes towards the 2%.

Beardedmushrooms · 31/01/2026 09:16

Olive oil
Whispering Angel
Welches Fruit Snacks
Frozen chicken nuggets and meatballs

Then all sorts of random items that take your fancy. It was getting mad in November so I avoided completely in December, but you've reignited my passion and I must go back this week!

DeathMetalMum · 31/01/2026 09:22

Green giant sweetcorn
Weetabix minis
The mini chocolate donut balls
Soft drinks or drinks cans.
Petrol

We tend to go birthdays and Christmas, dp works at a supermarket and gets staff discount so a fair few things are cheaper (and easier to store) using staff discount.

Giddykiddy · 31/01/2026 09:23

They have a great wine section and I buy a number of bottles from the fine wine section - which is reasonably priced
we also buy beer and diet coke loo and kitchen roll- food wise I buy their (delicious) chicken nuggets, sausages, chicken fillets, lean mince, lamb chops, flank steak, arrabiata sauce, chicken tikka, frozen prawns. pesto sauce. I'd never buy pre prepared sauces or nuggets else where- they don't taste processed. I portion the meat for the freezer and we shop every few months.

blackheartsgirl · 31/01/2026 09:31

I worked out that the cheap plastic bottles of water in a multipack were actually cheaper in Aldi at the time so I didn’t buy those again.

i usually buy toilet paper, kitchen roll, washing up liquid, chicken, minced beef, salmon fillets, brownies, washing powder, fabric conditioner, carrots (which I dice and slice and put in freezer) oh and potatoes.

Costco only saves you money if you buy the stuff that you regularly use anyway, if you just go in and go mad then you won’t save any money at all.

the quality of the meat, fresh products and bakery is very good though and I buy in bulk so I don’t have the faff of buying every week in the supermarket.

LupaMoonhowl · 31/01/2026 09:31

EveryDayisFriday · 31/01/2026 07:48

I'm one of the environmental ruiners water purchasers. I don't drink it, I drink tap water but I buy it for my teens. They are too lazy and disorganised to sort out a reusable water bottle before school and college but will happily spend their lunch money on a £1.20 water. In an attempt to reduce that spend, I try to get them to grab a Costco water bottle as they leave as that is less than 10p a bottle.

I do a lot of driving so bottled water is much easier and I prefer mineral water to n tap water for drinking.
(And have just joined Costco s a really off c reading this thread and happy to get reduced membersship as in of one of the professional categories)

Ilovemychocolate · 31/01/2026 09:38

Giant bottles of lemon juice (come in a twin pack for a fiver)
Vodka (always cheaper)
Water…I’m out everyday so easier to grab a bottle, plus I hate the taste of tap water
Massive pack of Yorkshire tea bags(lasts for months)
Mine does a big pack of multi birthday/celebration cards, they work out about 50p each and are absolutely beautiful
Big packs of butter
Grated mozzarella
Box of walkers crisps
And then whatever else takes my fancy!
Enjoy…I always pretend to buy whatever the sample on offer is, and have a little chat to the person handing them out, I go a lot and people are SO rude to them, grabbing the samples without saying thank you, and ignoring them.
One of the ladies told me the stands cost the manufacturers £100 a day, obviously it’s to promote and hopefully sell the product, most people see it as a bit of free food, but I listen to them talk about the product whilst eating it, maybe I’m too soft though!

Gingerkittykat · 31/01/2026 09:40

Pillows, I got really nice hotel pillows for about £15 last week.
Laundry detergent.
Shampoo.
Gyozas.
enchilada and taco kits,
Multipacks of sparkling water.

naymecchanger · 31/01/2026 09:40

Cheesecake Factory cheesecake - in the freezer. It’s just like being at the restaurant!

Silverbirchleaf · 31/01/2026 09:40

Essentials:
Toilet roll (Kirkland)
kitchen roll
bin bags
clingfilm
batteries
orange juice
nuts
washing up liquid
washing powder
dishwasher tablets
dettol disinfectant liquid
toothpaste
shower gel
dog treats

Treats:
muffins (they freeze well)
danish pasties (also freeze)
crepes - individually wrapped pack
waffles

Some things may not look cheaper until you realise the pack size is bigger, or you’re getting a branded product for the same price as an own brand product.

Regarding water, we always have a pack in the garage - useful for when we had intermittent water supplies recently.

Please note, it gets VERY busy at weekends and can be a nightmare. You’ve also chosen the first weekend after payday, plus it’s wet. Better to go first thing or last thing, or a weekday day or evening, if possible.

TwinklyRoseTurtle · 31/01/2026 09:44

my regular staples are-
salmon fillets- I freeze individually
quick fry steaks- again freeze individually
butter
toothpaste/mouthwash
cat snacks-dreamies
water
gyozas
chicken strips
groundcoffee for my machine
duck spring rolls
frozen king prawns
cinnamon rolls -2 bite jus watch the expiry dates
actimel- again check expiry dates
broccoli salad is unbelievable
i do a big shop every 3 months I’d say and buy the cakes for special occasions-

MinnieCauldwell · 31/01/2026 09:49

Our food tasting stations close around 3.30pm.

We get
Frozen Blueberries
Jamaican patties
Tubs of yoghurt
Loo rolls
Meatballs
Smashed avocado
Humour, we like the Ramonas spicy one
Sausages, particularly Riverway.
Early Grey Tea Bags
Low sugar granola when they have it
Bags of dried mango for snacking
Duck pancakes
Gyros
Rotisserie chicken

Silverbirchleaf · 31/01/2026 09:52

Razors - forgot those off my list earlier

Sleighmyname86 · 31/01/2026 13:36

Chicken tenders!