Costco Love

When I was in high school my dad discovered Costco. At least once a week he would bring home a case of wine and a "present" for my mom. This is how we ended up with an extra set of everything you would (or wouldn't) want including two steamcleaners, an oversized dog bed, and a hideously large jewelery box. Have you seen the Modern Family episode where Cam introduces Mitchell to Costco? That pretty much summed up our life.

I have recently come to the realization that Jamie and I have a bit of a Costco problem as well. Except ours revolves more around food. Jamie and I take weekly "dates" to Costco where we go around eating all of the samples and then split soft-serve frozen yogurt or pizza. We don't have much of a social life in Pittsburgh.

But besides just being a cheap (and super romantic) place to have lunch, we also find it a great place to pick up some really healthy food for a pretty low price. Many people cite high costs as one of the reasons they avoid purchasing fresh fruits/vegetables or healthier foods in general. As long as you are able to get through all of the produce you buy, I think Costco is a great way to save money on these items.

Our weekly/biweekly purchases usually include:
-Red peppers
-Fruit (some combination of the following): Pink lady apples, bananas, mangos, grapes, blueberries
-Sweet potatoes!!
-Onions
-Whole wheat tortillas (I highly recommend these, they are delicious and only 100 calories).
-Greek yogurt
-Skim milk
-Almond butter (it is SO inexpensive here)
-Healthy Choice Fudge Bars (ok, so not really "healthy" but they are really good).

Every 2-3 months we purchase:
-Frozen Chicken (probably purchase this about every 3 months)
-Quinoa
-Canned tomatoes
-Agave
-Oatmeal
-Frozen strawberries/Blueberries (for smoothies)

Our newest Costco love is the seafood department. We've purchased some amazing salmon and tuna steaks for much less than what they are selling them for at the grocery store.

So what's the take away from this long, rambling post? If you are at all interested in incorporating more healthy foods into your diet, I think Costco is a great place to start.