7 Items I Never Leave Costco Without (They're All Under $20)

Every Costco member has that set list of things they have to get each time they go to their favorite store.

Sometimes, the best Costco hacks include snacks or household items you can't live without, or maybe you like trying new things that become pantry staples. 

Here are the Costco items I always make sure are on my list and why you should add them to your cart the next time you head to the store.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Price: $12.99

Costco has two options for Goldfish Crackers, but I prefer this pack of 45 pouches of crackers compared to the box with more than four pounds of crackers in three stay-fresh bags.

The pouches have proven to be an easy-to-grab snack that I like to throw into a backpack, purse, lunchbox, or even grab for a car ride when I leave the house. 

The individual 1-ounce pouches also make it easier to portion snacks without bringing the entire bulk package along. Costco says the cheddar crackers are made with 100% real cheddar and baked in the USA, and the product currently has a 4.7-star rating from hundreds of Costco reviews. The smaller packs can also be useful for school snacks, road trips, or keeping a few in a desk drawer when hunger strikes between meals.

Price: $16.99

I prefer the 4-pound bag of Kirkland Signature Trail Mix rather than the box of snack packs.

It's a great way to get a small bowl of trail mix that I like to snack on while working at my desk when I need a quick bite — if I can get to it before the rest of the family eats it all. Buying this item in bulk is also a great way to save money shopping. 

The large bag is especially handy if your household goes through trail mix regularly, since you can scoop out as much as you want instead of opening a new single-serving pack. It's also an easy pantry or office snack to keep around for busy days. The main drawback is the same one that comes with many Costco bulk purchases: You need enough people eating it to get through the bag before you lose interest in it.

Price: $10.99

The Kirkland Signature Cheese Pizzas come in a box with four pizzas, and I can adapt them to make everyone in the family happy.

I'll usually grab a small package of pepperoni, some vegetables, and a bag of shredded mozzarella from my local grocery store so everyone in the family can customize their slices with their favorite toppings.

Each pizza is 18.25 ounces, and the four-pack has a total net weight of 73 ounces. Costco describes the pizzas as having whole milk mozzarella, an Italian-style tomato sauce, and a hearth-baked crust, and they are sold as a frozen, warehouse-only item. Having four pizzas in the freezer also gives me an easy option for a family meal, a casual weekend dinner, or a night when everyone wants something different.

Price: $6.39

I normally don't recommend buying produce at Costco because it could be hard to get through a bulk amount of fresh produce before it goes bad.

But my family loves eating apples, so the 4-pound bag of Cosmic Crisp Apples gets finished way before they start to rot, and it's a simple-to-grab, healthy snack.

Costco's current product information identifies these as U.S.-grown Cosmic Crisp apples, and the 4-pound package gives my family plenty for lunches, snacks, or a quick addition to breakfast. I also like having fruit available that doesn't require preparation beyond washing and slicing if I want smaller pieces. For households that eat apples regularly, a larger bag can make more sense than buying a few individual apples during each grocery trip.

Price: $4.99

I always have space in my cart for a Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken. I usually pick it up because it's an easy dinner option that night, but sometimes, I'll take it home to cut it apart and make my own chicken salad.

The versatility is what keeps this item on my Costco list. Leftover chicken can go into sandwiches, salads, tacos, soups, casseroles, or wraps, so one purchase can help stretch into more than one meal. It also saves me from starting dinner with raw chicken when I'm short on time. Costco's same-day service currently shows a different delivered price, which is another reminder that warehouse and delivery prices can vary, so the in-store price is the figure I'd use for this list.

Price: $6.49

The Kirkland Signature Organic Tortilla Chips are a good snack to have on hand, but I also like to use them for a tasty Nacho Night dinner.

I'll spread them on a sheet pan with some black beans, leftover rotisserie chicken, and cheese, and toss them in the oven for a few minutes.

Then, the family can decide what to put on top of their own nachos, such as salsa, guacamole, olives, and other toppings.

The 40-ounce bag is USDA organic, kosher, certified gluten-free, and non-GMO, according to Costco. The ingredient list is also relatively short, with organic whole corn, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, and lime used as a processing aid. That makes the chips useful beyond snacking, whether you're building nachos, serving them with salsa at a party, or putting out a bowl alongside a casual dinner.

Price: $9.99

The Kirkland Signature Moisture Shampoo comes in a 33.8-ounce pump bottle, so it dispenses the right amount of shampoo every time, but it takes me a while to use it all.

I also usually grab a bottle of the Kirkland Signature Moisture Conditioner at the same time, so I'm stocked up on hair care. Plus, at such a good price, it helps me eliminate some money stress. 

Costco describes the shampoo as a salon-style formula designed to cleanse hair while replenishing moisture, and says it is sulfate-free and safe for color-treated hair. The formula includes avocado and argan oils, along with rainforest botanical extracts, and Costco says it is free of parabens, phosphates, and dyes and is 100% vegan. The 33.8-ounce, 1-liter pump bottle is also a substantial size for a household that uses the same shampoo regularly.

Costco can be a great place to shop for special items or staples you pick up every time you visit.

But it can also be tempting to pick up some impulse purchases when you're shopping, so consider making a list before you go if you're on a tight budget and trying to save money on groceries.

A list can help you focus on the items you actually use, especially when you're shopping in bulk. I also find it useful to check the price per ounce, pound, or individual serving when comparing Costco products with smaller packages elsewhere. That can make it easier to tell whether a larger package is actually saving money for your household. And if you're buying perishables, think about whether you'll realistically use the full package before it goes bad.