{"id":584,"date":"2025-01-28T15:02:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T16:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/?p=584"},"modified":"2025-01-28T16:54:20","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T16:54:20","slug":"ive-had-a-costco-membership-for-years-but-discovered-even-more-must-haves-when-my-family-grew-here-are-10-things-i-always-get-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/28\/ive-had-a-costco-membership-for-years-but-discovered-even-more-must-haves-when-my-family-grew-here-are-10-things-i-always-get-there\/","title":{"rendered":"I&#8217;ve had a Costco membership for years but discovered even more must-haves when my family grew. Here are 10 things I always get there."},"content":{"rendered":"<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"1329\" width=\"1730\" alt=\"A hand holds a clear container of nashi pears wrapped in white styrofoam covers at Costco\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/678176338951662c9f1fad02\"><figcaption>I grab essentials for my family of four at Costco.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul class=\"summary-list\">\n<li>Each month, I head to my UK <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/best-things-at-costco-this-month-employee-reveals-2025-1\" data-autoaffiliated=\"false\" rel=\"noopener\">Costco<\/a> to stock up on big-box items for my family of four.<\/li>\n<li>My daughter is a big fan of the Bearfields honey-roasted sliced ham, which we use in sandwiches.<\/li>\n<li>I use the Kirkland Signature British bone-in pork-belly ribs to make delicious, meaty main courses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Before we had kids, my partner and I would make an occasional <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/things-dont-buy-at-costco-from-executive-member-2024-11\" rel=\"noopener\">trip to Costco<\/a>, stocking up on our favorite items and splitting bulk buys between the two of us. <\/p>\n<p>Now, with a family of four and more mouths to feed, we head to Costco every month to <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/what-mom-buys-for-family-of-four-costco-2024-12\" rel=\"noopener\">buy items in bulk<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/best-aldi-things-for-easy-family-meals-from-dad-2024-10\" rel=\"noopener\">must-buy items I get for my family<\/a> every month at my UK-based Costco.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slideshow\">\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">We have the Bearfields honey-roasted sliced ham as a snack or in sandwiches.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"3000\" width=\"4000\" alt=\"A large white and orange box of honey-roast ham slices in cardboard box at Costco\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/678172ef50dfd88e193de2b6-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>My daughter loves snacking on the Bearfields honey-roasted sliced ham.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>Our oldest child loves <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/how-to-make-the-best-ham-from-chef\" rel=\"noopener\">ham sandwiches<\/a>, so she often has one as a snack (or, upon her request, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner).<\/p>\n<p>The Bearfields ham slices are great for filling a sandwich, though I also throw the meat into a soup, salad, or fried-rice dish. If I&#8217;m in a hurry, I&#8217;ll grab a slice before heading out the door.<\/p>\n<p>I also like that this package comes with two individually wrapped portions of ham, so I don&#8217;t have to worry about eating it all at once.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">I love the flavor of the Goldstein smoked salmon.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"3000\" width=\"4000\" alt=\"Black packages of oak-smoked salmon in a cardboard box, with a front package showing a clear window with smoked salmon\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6781710e88b000981b4a6df8-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>I love adding the Goldstein smoked salmon to an eggs Benedict or a soup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>Eggs Benedict might traditionally call for ham, but we like to mix it up and add <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/which-brand-has-best-prepackaged-salmon-grocery-store-ranking\" rel=\"noopener\">smoked salmon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Goldstein smoked salmon is also a wonderful, salty accompaniment to leek-and-potato soup, and it instantly makes a slice of toast feel much fancier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">We use garlic almost daily, so we grab a big pack of organic bulbs.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"2680\" width=\"3573\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/678170988951662c9f1fa934-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>I use lots of garlic for various dishes, like pasta or dip.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>Whether I&#8217;m making a curry, spaghetti, or tzatziki, I always add garlic. If recipes call for two or three garlic cloves, I usually add at least two more portions to bump up the flavor.<\/p>\n<p>I even have a tiny casserole dish exclusively for roasting garlic for <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/trying-mashed-potatoes-with-a-lot-of-garlic-julia-child-recipe\" rel=\"noopener\">creamy mashed potatoes<\/a> or toasted bread. Sometimes I feel like our family is single-handedly propping up the garlic industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">Ramona&#8217;s jalape\u00f1o hummus has a delicious spiciness.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"3000\" width=\"4000\" alt=\"Pink cardboard boxes with yellow canisters of Ramona&#039;s jalape\u00f1o houmous\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/678173888951662c9f1fab8c-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>Ramona&#8217;s jalape\u00f1o hummus is rich and creamy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>When it comes to hummus, this stuff is a game changer. It&#8217;s rich and creamy, with a gentle jalape\u00f1o kick that instantly elevates our dipping veggies, chips, and wraps.<\/p>\n<p>This hummus comes in a two-pack of 500-gram (about 17 ounces) tubs, though you&#8217;ll likely regret not buying more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">The nashi pears from Costco are refreshing and juicy.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"2532\" width=\"3377\" alt=\"A hand holds a clear container of nashi pears wrapped in white styrofoam covers at Costco\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/678173ca8951662c9f1fabc0-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>If I&#8217;m getting tired of apples or grapes, I add nashi pears to the fruit bowl.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>Nashi, or Asian, pears are crisp, refreshing, and super juicy. They have more bite and tanginess than European pears, though they&#8217;re not usually as smooth or sweet.<\/p>\n<p>They&#8217;re also great for mixing up the fruit bowl if you&#8217;ve only had apples and grapes for a while.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">The Kirkland Signature British bone-in pork-belly ribs are full of meaty flavor.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"2775\" width=\"3700\" alt=\"A plastic-wrapped white tray with raw pork belly slices in a cooler at Costco\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/678170e68951662c9f1fa967-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>The Kirkland Signature British bone-in pork-belly ribs are super juicy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>Barbecue season might be over, but there&#8217;s always space for a hearty plate of pork ribs. The Kirkland Signature pork ribs are very thick, so when the fat renders, they&#8217;re super juicy.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve been making char-siu-style (sweet, Cantonese-style barbecue) pork ribs, but next time, I think I&#8217;ll try a simple salt-and-pepper recipe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">This variety pack of Kirkland Signature Danish pastries is great for a lazy Sunday morning.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"2981\" width=\"3975\" alt=\"A clear plastic box of Kirkland Signature danishes with jelly fillings at Costco\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/678173eb50dfd88e193de383-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>The Kirkland Signature Danish packs come with 12 pastries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>If I don&#8217;t feel like making breakfast, I opt for these delicious Danish pastries.<\/p>\n<p>Each 12-pack contains raspberry, vanilla-and-apple, and caramel-custard flavors. I like to heat them in the oven for 10 minutes to warm the filling and crisp up the pastry.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">The watermelon at Costco is deliciously juicy.\u00a0<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"3000\" width=\"4000\" alt=\"Bird&#039;s-eye-view of a cardboard container showing three round watermelons\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6781713d88b000981b4a6e05-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>I recently used watermelon from Costco to make a tasty sorbet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>Watermelon keeps me feeling full and satisfied. I also recently enjoyed using the fruit for a quick and easy watermelon sorbet, which was very refreshing.<\/p>\n<p>If you ask me, the best watermelons are dull, dark green, heavy for their size, and have a large yellow or orange spot (indicating they&#8217;ve spent lots of time ripening in the fields).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">No trip to Costco is complete without a Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"3000\" width=\"4000\" alt=\"A bag of Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken on a metal shelf under a heat lamp at Costco\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6781742950dfd88e193de3d0-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>I love how cheap the Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken is.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>The Kirkland Signature <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/whats-best-rotisserie-chicken-from-grocery-store-photos-review-2022-5\" rel=\"noopener\">rotisserie chicken<\/a> is juicy, tender, and huge.<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ll serve one with a feta salad and bread for dinner, slice the breast meat for lunchtime sandwiches, and strip the bones to use in a curry or stir fry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"slide-title\">The Cartmel Village Shop sticky toffee pudding is a sublime treat for dessert.<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-image\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" height=\"3000\" width=\"4000\" alt=\"Orange and blue boxes of sticky toffee pudding with a picture of a house on the front\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6781747d88b000981b4a70f7-scaled.jpg\"><figcaption>I like to serve the Cartmel Village Shop sticky toffee pudding with ice cream.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">Matt Ng<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slide-content\">\n<p>Sticky toffee pudding is a favorite in our house. I like to serve it with <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/best-brand-of-vanilla-ice-cream-from-grocery-store-review\" rel=\"noopener\">vanilla ice cream<\/a>, as it&#8217;s the perfect accompaniment to soften the pudding&#8217;s sweetness.<\/p>\n<p>This package comes with two trays of pudding that are easily enough for four adults. However, we like to stretch one tray into enough servings for our family of four.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/costco-shoppers-share-the-best-things-to-buy-photos-list\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"read-original\">Read the original article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/best-costco-things-for-family-of-four-from-dad-2025\">Business Insider<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I grab essentials for my family of four at Costco. Matt Ng Each month, I head to my UK Costco to stock up on big-box items for my family of four. My daughter is a big fan of the Bearfields honey-roasted sliced ham, which we use in sandwiches. I use the Kirkland Signature British bone-in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=584"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":598,"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions\/598"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}