I sincerely applaud anyone who can walk into a Costco with a $100 grocery budget and leave without spending a penny over. The only way for me to spend just $100 at Costco is to leave about a fourth of the way through my typical shopping list. Even then, I’d probably have to book it to checkout before the free samples pulled me back in.
True, Costco doesn’t lend itself well to a small grocery budget. But it does sell many household staples for low prices, the bulk of which could help you stay within a $100 budget. Here are just seven popular Costco grocery items that give you the best bang for your buck.
1. Toilet paper
- Cost: $22
- Budget so far: $22
Costco gives you one of the best values for your dollar in its Kirkland Signature 2 Ply Soft and Absorbent Bath Tissue. You can buy 30 rolls of this toilet paper for about $22, which comes out to about $0.73 per roll. For most Costco members, buying toilet paper — along with other paper products — is one of the best ways to maximize their Costco savings.
2. Frozen vegetables
- Cost: $12
- Budget so far: $34
Not the most exciting item on this list, but definitely worth charging to your favorite Costco credit card. The Kirkland Signature Organic Normandy Frozen Vegetables consists of 5.5 pounds of broccoli, cauliflower, and orange and yellow carrots.
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3. Five dozen eggs
- Cost: $13
- Budget so far: $47
This is one of my favorite Costco products. The Kirkland Signature Cage Free Grade AA Large Eggs cost about $13, which comes out to $0.022 per egg. That’s cheaper than buying, say, 24 of the Kirkland Signature Free Range Eggs, which come out to about $0.023 per egg.
4. Dave’s Killer Bread
- Cost: $10
- Budget so far: $57
Costco sells several different kinds of Dave’s Killer Bread for about $10 (for two loaves). You could get 21 Whole Grain, Sprouted Whole Grains, Powerseed, or White Bread Done Right. With a unit price of $5 per loaf, Costco has a cheaper price than Safeway ($7.49), Target ($6.19), and Walmart ($5.98).
5. 25 pounds of Jasmine rice
- Cost: $20
- Budget so far: $77
Rice might not be the spice of life, but it’s a staple that goes well with a variety of dishes. Spring for the Kirkland Signature Jasmine Rice, and you’ll get 25 pounds for about $20.
6. Chicken breast chunks
- Cost: $15
- Budget so far: $92
These chicken chunks are great in salads or just as a snack on their own. They’re lightly breaded and need only be heated up in a conventional oven, air fryer, or microwave. If you’d rather have something to go with your Dave’s Killer Bread, you could substitute this chicken for the Hillshire Farm Lunch Meat, which is slightly more expensive ($16), but still within our $100 budget.
7. Rotisserie chicken
- Cost: $5
- Budget so far: $97
Come on: Do you think I could really make a list of best Costco products without mentioning the rotisserie chicken? Costco hasn’t changed the price of this $4.99 chicken in decades. Now, for those tenured Costco members, here’s the real challenge: Can you walk into Costco and leave with just a rotisserie chicken?
If you can do that without also buying, say, a new TV, then you’re a true Costco veteran. Or just a very — very — good Costco budgeter.
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