My family traveled 15 hours to shop at Costco in the US. Here's what we bought for our trip and took home with us.
Our family sometimes travels 15-plus hours from Saudi Arabia to shop at Costco in the Chicago area.
The Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps and the Universal Bakery Aussie bites are quick, easy snacks.
We have to get the Kirkland Signature croissants and Bonne Maman preserves for an easy treat.
Our family loves grabbing sweet treats and easy snacks each time we travel to the US from Saudi Arabia. Although part of our trip involves visiting family and friends, one of our main attractions is a visit to Costco.
On this trip, we traveled over 15 hours from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to Chicago and stocked up on our favorites at the wholesale retailer.
We took a nearly five-hour flight from Mecca to Istanbul, then a 10-hour flight to Chicago. In total, we spent about 15 hours traveling over 5,000 miles to get to the US — and the journey worked up the entire family's appetite.
Once we arrived in Chicago, we headed over to Costco to stock up on snacks both the adults and the kids could enjoy during our stay in the US.
We like to buy snacks and occasionally some other items for our stay in the US.
The snacks and goodies at Costco are a lifesaver. Getting the same, reliable food at Costco eliminates the headache of testing new things when we're on a shoestring budget and short on time.
Besides the food, we've also bought our own bedding when we've stayed in the US. We prefer the Jennifer Adams duvet covers and blankets because they give the space we're staying in a homier feeling.
Otherwise, we generally buy a few of the same items each time we travel from Saudi Arabia to Chicago. Here are things we get at Costco each time we're in the US.
The Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps are the perfect crunchy snack.
The Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps are one of the kids' favorite snacks. They'll chow down on pretzels while awaiting the next adventure.
This time, we picked up the dark-chocolate-crunch variety for a sweet and salty combination.
A bag of the Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps costs $10.
The Universal Bakery Aussie bites are packed with oats and seeds.
The Universal Bakery organic Aussie bites are our sweet, nutrient-filled go-to when we're hungry. The bites contain oats and flax and chia seeds, which can improve heart health.
We love sprinkling some Aussie bites over frozen or regular yogurt and pairing it with a glass of milk.
A 30-ounce box of Aussie bites is $11.
The Kirkland Signature fruit and veggie pouches come in handy at the airport.
The Kirkland Signature organic fruit and vegetable pouches are great.
The pouches are helpful for when the kids want something to slurp on that isn't too heavy. I love that there's no added sugar and that they come in two flavors, apple-strawberry-spinach and apple-mango-carrot-peach.
Fortunately, the Transportation Security Administration has never given us any trouble when we've taken the fruit and vegetable pouches on our flights back home.
A box of 24 Kirkland Signature pouches costs $12.
The Pure Organic fruit bars are sweet and made with real fruit juice.
The Pure Organic layered fruit bars are a huge hit for us. They're made with real fruit purees and juices, so we felt good about choosing them as a standby snack for our family.
Each box has eight raspberry-lemonade, 12 strawberry-banana, and eight pineapple-passion-fruit bars.
A box of Pure Organic fruit bars costs $13.
If we want something that isn't too sweet, we get the Kirkland Signature chewy protein bars.
When we need something that's not so sweet, we opt for the Kirkland Signature chewy protein bars. They make for a great grab-and-go breakfast and contain 10 grams of protein per serving.
This time, we bought the peanut-butter and chocolate-chip variety.
A box of 42 Kirkland Signature chewy bars costs $14.
The Tropical Fields coconut rolls are crispy and satisfying.
The Tropical Fields coconut rolls are one of our favorites because they have just the right amount of sweetness without being as addictive as other snacks we buy.
Each roll is crispy and topped with roasted black sesame seeds.
We bought a bag of the Tropical Fields coconut rolls for $7.50.
The Kirkland Signature shelled pistachios are really tasty.
The Kirkland Signature shelled pistachios come in handy when we want a saltier snack. The pistachios are roasted and salted, so there's plenty of flavor.
They're also a filling, hassle-free snack that's easy to pack when we're traveling. We usually pack some in Ziploc bags or put them in small plastic containers.
You can grab a 24-ounce bag of Kirkland Signature pistachios for $15.
We can't leave Costco without the Kirkland Signature croissants.
The Kirkland Signature croissants are really special. When all else fails, the buttery, delightful croissants are the best treat for our family.
The croissants are also baked at the Costco warehouse, so we know we're getting fresh pastries.
A box of 12 croissants is $6.
Some of the Bonne Maman preserves pair well with croissants.
Bonne Maman preserves are perfect with the Kirkland Signature croissants. The sweet four-fruit preserves are made with strawberries, cherries, red currants, and raspberries.
We place the jars in bubble wrap and surround them with clothes so they safely make their way home with us.
A 36-ounce jar of Bonne Maman preserves is $10.
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