Shopping Paleo at Costco

It seems to me that shopping at Costco is convenient and saves money when cooking paleo-style for our family.  The other place that I frequently shop is Aldi.  Though if you don't have Aldi, Trader Joe's might be the next best option, just slightly pricier.  This is what seems to work for our family.  Your experiences may vary, though, depending on where you live, among other things.

My Costco list yesterday:

• lunchmeat: roasted turkey breast (Ugh, I only recently started buying lunchmeat, and this is not 100% paleo - it says browned in vegetable oil, but I need something when packing approximately 15 lunches a week.  Same with the cheese.)
• cheddar (I buy Tillamook so I know it is not from cows given growth hormone.)
• sour cream (Once again, not 100% paleo, but this Daisy brand is good quality and it helps the kids eat their chili.  I also like to make ranch dip out of it for the kids.  Ingredients: cultured cream.)
• organic salad greens (Can't beat the price and lasts for several meals.  My 2 year old suddenly loves salads.)
• Medjool dates (These are awesome for making Larabars/Fudge Babies.  Removing the pits is easy.  I noticed that Aldi has some unsweetened dates as a seasonal item in the baking section.  They might be cheaper and worth a shot, too!)
• frozen strawberries (for smoothies)
• frozen blueberries (for smoothies and cobblers)
• almond butter (Essential for almost any paleo baking.  Also great with apples!)
• raw almonds (Use for Larabars/Fudge Babies or grind up into almond meal or flour for baking. Best price around.)
• pistachios (A treat; kinda expensive, but good for a quick snack.  We all love these.)
• organic lemon juice (Not sure what all we use this for, but we go through it surprisingly fast.)
• organic eggs (Not the greatest, but I happily realized that they are omega-3 enriched, and also since they are organic, that means the hens are not fed GMO soy.)

Total: $105, including freaking nearly 10% tax

Is there anything on this list that I could buy better quality for less money?  I don't think so, at least not in this area, based on my experiences.  That is why I continue shopping at Costco.  But you have to be vigilant, there is just so much that could lure you in.  What's your experience?

I didn't buy meat since typically, all our ground beef comes from a local, grass-feeding source.  Whole chickens come from the farm.  (As does our raw milk.)  Chicken breasts usually come from sales at our local grocery store or a bag from Aldi.  To add in some variety, I sometimes buy specialty sausages from the Costco deli case, but I didn't today.

Later in the weekend or at the start of the week I will swing by our hometown grocery store for some squash that are on sale.  I also plan to go to Aldi for some other odds and ends.  Planning ahead is a must, and it is worth it!  Time to write out the menu now!

For more of my paleo grocery shopping documentation, go here.

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