Costco: These Are a Few of My Favorite Things (PART 1)

I wasn’t a fan of Costco until I had my third kid. Now, I love going there to buy all my grocery essentials. Since I try to shop for organic and natural products, I was ecstatic when Costco started carrying more of these items. My personal rule of thumb for buying any food is the ingredients should be easy to pronounce and less than an inch long. I will share some of my favorite healthy Costco items in this post. Please note, if your Costco warehouse does not carry a product mentioned below, make sure to ask the manager about it and they may be able to request it!

1. La Brea Bakery Rosemary Olive Oil Loaves – I serve these loaves when I make chili or pasta. Just slice it up, dip it in olive oil or spread butter on. It tastes amazing plain too, I have been guilty of eating a third of a loaf in one sitting! Freeze the other loaf if not using right away.
2. BakeSense Lavash Rollups – Rollups are a great alternative to the same old boring sandwiches for the lunchbox! Fill it up with hummus and veggies, deli meat (make sure it’s nitrate free!), chicken salad, or cream cheese.
3. Alpine Valley Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns – I was so excited when I saw these buns at Costco. They are organic and the kids really enjoy them. Tip: stick a chappli kabab inside the hamburger bun for a quick and healthy lunch!
4. Alpine Valley Flaxseed and Honey Bread – Listen up y’all! This is an absolute winner in my book. Most breads are filled with pesticides and other junk, including the chemical azodicarbonamide (the stuff they make yoga mats with). The Alpine Valley bread at Costco contains organic ingredients.
5. Organic Creamery Colby Jack Cheese – These organic cheese slices are wonderful for grilled cheese sandwiches or eating on its own.
6. Tillamook Cheese Loaf – I usually purchase the cheddar loaf and use as needed. The great thing about this high quality cheese is that it lasts in the fridge for a long time. I place it in a gallon size freezer bag and keep it sealed in the deli drawer. Costco also sells snack size cheese by the same company which is great for kids’ lunches.
7. Dole Organic Bananas – A healthy option for breakfast or a snack for the kiddos. You can also freeze the bananas and then puree it in a blender to make healthy ice cream!
8. Medjool Dates – These delicious soft dates are from Arizona. Don’t be afraid to buy a big box of dates outside of Ramadan. I freeze the dates I’m not using in a freezer ziplock bag and take them out few at a time!
9. Earthbound Farm Organic Kale – I love using kale in salads, sandwiches, and recently in my fresh squeezed juices! If you want your kids to eat more of this superfood then juice this along with some fresh fruits (pineapple is my personal favorite) and the kids won’t even know it’s in there!
10. Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix – Amazing quality, pre-washed, and packed in a nice box. It’s spinach mixed with other greens. My husband grabs a bowlful of this every morning and eats it on his commute to work. Great way to start the day off!
11. Organic Carrots – my kids love to munch on these because they love the crunchiness!  There is a ton of things you can do with all these carrots. I put them in soups, stir-frys, juices, roast them or steam them!
12. Organic Berries – Probably the main reason for most of my Costco trips! I love their organic strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.  And the price can’t be beat! My kids eat some every morning alongside their breakfast and throughout the day if they want to snack on something. I also use them in smoothies or eat them with yogurt or on my oatmeal. Plus I use them in a lot of desserts, like cakes and trifles! And if you don’t think you’ll be able to finish the whole box, then just freeze the rest. Either as is in a freezer tight bag or put them in ice cube trays along with some water for a  sweet addition to your summer drinks! The possibilities are endless!
    
    
13. Kirkland Organic Eggs – Costco sells eggs in a convenient 24 pack of organic eggs at a great price. We eat eggs pretty much everyday, so this is a great value for us!
14. Honest Kids Organic Juice Drink – I like buying this juice for the kids’ lunches because it contains less sugar than most juice boxes. It’s also organic which is a big plus!
15. Kirkland Pure Olive Oil – I use olive oil for pretty much all my cooking due to its many health benefits. It has a mild flavor so it doesn’t affect the overall taste of the food. Sometimes, I use it on my daughter’s curly hair when she is in need of a deep treatment. Olive oil is also great for rubbing onto rough dry skin or eczema. We will do a post in the future about the blessed olive tree and its many uses, Insha’Allah!
16. 100% Pure Raw and Unfiltered Honey – We love honey so much that it’s in our name! 🙂 I give my little one a spoon of honey to help with her allergies and use it as a sugar replacement for smoothies and some of my desserts.
17. Kirkland Pure Sea Salt – I stopped buying plain table salt and switched over to sea salt about a year ago. Sea salt is produced with minimal processing and has a stronger taste, which will lead you to using less salt overall!
18. Australian Lamb Rack – I nearly fainted when I saw an entire cooler case devoted to halal lamb imported from Australia! Australia has really high standards when it comes to halal meat and they are a world leader of halal meat production. It’s wonderful to see Costco carrying authentic halal lamb meat!

Hallelujah!

Part 2 of Our Favorite Things at Costco will be posted next week! What are some of your favorite Costco items?

Ayesha & Adeela

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