[Good Finds]A Treasure Hunt at Costco – Moms, Take Notes!

Ever since I started taking prenatal vitamins during pregnancy, Costco has become a regular go-to spot for our family. Not to mention after having a baby – buying diapers, making baby food, and so on – we end up going at least once a month. The great quality and affordable prices are key considerations for a budget-conscious mom like me. Today, I’m sharing our little family of three’s Costco treasure hunt.

Go~ let’s go. Be careful in the stroller, sweetie!

Our biggest purchases at Costco are definitely groceries, haha.
Campbell’s soup series – ten packs for a box, and it’s only 239 NT when on special. That’s less than 24 NT per pack on average. At regular supermarkets, it’s usually around 32 to 38 NT per pack. Isn’t that super cost-effective? And all you need to do is add water, boil, stir in an egg, and you’ve got an easy soup – perfect for moms who are too busy chasing after their little ones to cook.

Boneless chicken thighs – 189 NT per kilogram, and a six-pack is around 500 NT.
They come pre-packed, about two to three slices per pack, which is really convenient. I just toss them straight into the freezer, and take one out the day before to thaw in the fridge. I use them to make baby food – I peel off the skin, blanch and skim the fat, then steam and mash them. My baby goes through about one pack every five days.

Swiss Miss cocoa powder – 229 NT for a box of 60 packs when on special. That’s less than 4 NT per pack. Especially on cold winter mornings when the kid wakes me up hungry and grumpy, making myself a cup of hot cocoa warms both body and soul. I personally prefer the double chocolate flavor – I find the milk chocolate one a bit too sweet.

Locally produced edamame beans – 109 NT, some have already been eaten (forgot to take a picture before they were gone, hehe!). Edamame is rich in plant-based protein and very nutritious. Think shelling them is a hassle? Costco’s already done it for you. Buy it, blanch it, and mash it up for your baby’s food.
When my baby was younger, I used to go the extra mile and even remove the inner membrane, but now that she’s almost one, I just mash it all up. The taste is fresh, crisp, and slightly sweet – my husband loves it too.

The last food item – U.S. premium boneless short ribs for hot pot, 1,329 NT per kilogram. You might wonder, isn’t that expensive? But Costco is a place where you can not only find bargains but also enjoy high-quality, premium products.
This beef is insanely delicious – full of meaty aroma, rich and indulgent yet not greasy, melting in your mouth with a satisfying feeling of bliss. For us, who find it hard to dine out with a baby, occasionally treating ourselves during holidays by cooking up a hot pot, grilled meat, or even sukiyaki (yep, we even bought an electric hot pot from Costco that doubles as a grill plate) is our way of enjoying a nice meal at home.

Pampers Premium Swaddlers, also known as “white-cuff” – a box is 1,559 NT, and there’s sometimes a discount where you get 214 NT off when you buy two boxes. Babies go through diapers like crazy, as everyone knows, so scoring a deal is a must.

My husband said he once saw a TV show talking about the “Diaper Revolution,” where a commentator said the money saved just on diapers alone could cover Costco’s annual membership fee. I don’t know if that’s really true, but for lazy moms like me who don’t want to compare prices or wait for pharmacy deals, Costco generally offers consistently better prices.

For baby clothes – we get them from U.S. brand Carter’s, and they’re super affordable. A three-piece set of long-sleeve jackets is 399 NT, a three-piece set of onesies I think was under 300 NT (or just over, forgot to take a picture), plus brushed winter pajamas and more.

We almost always end up buying him new clothes whenever we go. The jacket he’s wearing in the first photo of this article? Also from Costco. The prices aren’t high, the material is decent, and since kids grow out of clothes so fast, it’s not too heartbreaking if they don’t get much wear.

And finally, the grand finale...

At our house, we obviously use it to wash the baby’s clothes, and it’s also great at removing tough stains – perfect for our little mud monster who’s constantly crawling around on the floor, haha!

Like this little bunny outfit that got completely blackened from crawling on the ground (yep, this one’s also from Costco). Lazy mom that I am, I just toss it straight into the washing machine without any pre-soaking or scrubbing – and it comes out white again. Honestly, I’m pretty lazy and rely on the detergent being strong enough – I rarely do any special treatment, just throw everything in.

For everyday baby clothes, I only use the equivalent of two capfuls – super concentrated, so it saves a lot. Costco’s product info says you can get 96 capfuls out of one bottle, but I only use the two-cap dosage, max five – washing twice a week, I bet this bottle will last me two years (still haven’t finished it yet). So when you do the math, it’s really cost-effective.

And this other thing – in the latest Costco membership magazine, I found this, and those who need it might want to stock up.

Here are our family’s Costco shopping tips: since my husband drives to carry all the loot, we usually go on weekends. The Neihu store is way too crowded, so we mostly go to the Xizhi store. On weekends, try to go earlier in the morning when it’s less busy – after lunch, everyone’s well-rested and well-fed, and they all start pouring out to shop. Also, sunny days tend to be less crowded than rainy ones – I guess because good weather gets everyone outdoors.

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