I shop at Costco for my family of 8. From premade meals to pantry staples, here's what I always buy.

My husband and I need coffee before we start any part of our day. Luckily, Kirkland's French Roast is strong enough to help and a large bag of beans lasts us a while.

International Delight's vanilla creamer is my go-to at Costco but I'll also snag the coconut-cream flavor when it's in stock. 

Everyone in our house loves cereal and milk, and in the morning rush, it's easy to pour several bowls and hand them out to hungry kids.

Although a standard box of cereal would be long gone before all the kids got a bowl, the larger boxes from Costco last us a few days. I typically choose Cinnamon Toast Crunch for the kids.

I'm not a big breakfast person, but I love a good bagel from Costco's bakery. To me, they taste like the closest thing to bagels from a Manhattan deli one can find in the suburbs of Maryland.

I usually grab one bag of everything bagels and one of plain as the kids prefer the latter.

I've seen egg prices rising everywhere, but at Costco, I can still buy two dozen eggs for less than some grocery stores charge for one dozen.

When I have time on weekends, I'll use them to make omelets or scrambled eggs for breakfast. 

We now have five kids who attend all-day school, so packing school lunches is a daily chore. Once the coffee kicks in fully, an assembly line is formed, and their reusable lunch bags are filled. 

For sandwiches, all the kids from our high-school senior to kindergartner love peanut butter and Nutella. I purchase large jars of Jif and Nutella at Costco because it's cheaper than buying smaller jars at the grocery store and I have to replenish my stash less frequently this way. 

My husband and I both work from home and although we often reheat leftovers for lunch, it's nice to have hot options — like the Ajinomoto Shoyu ramen bowls — on hand. 

I was skeptical at first, but these microwaveable ramen bowls are very close to tasting like they came from a restaurant. Each bowl costs around $3, which is beyond reasonable for the generous portion and excellent taste.

With six kids, we try to eat dinner together as much as possible, but sports and other extracurricular activities sometimes mean that the meal is often eaten in shifts. 

Therefore, I need to make food that all of the kids will eat that will also taste good when reheated.

At most grocery stores, I'd need to purchase several containers of premade food to feed everyone, which isn't financially feasible. At Costco, premade meals can provide enough food for all eight of us to enjoy.

I buy options like the gyro kits, which I can heat up with a side of rice or a salad, and everyone can eat when they are available. 

I also make a lot of dinners using Costco ingredients and regularly pair Kirkland tortelloni with Victoria marinara sauce. I'm picky about good tomato sauce, and I think this one is high quality without a high price tag.

We also pick up Kraft Parmesan cheese, which my kids generously coat their pasta with. Admittedly, I enjoy using it as well.

Some freezer staples in our house include the large box of Yummy Dino Buddies chicken nuggets and a bag of Kirkland frozen mixed vegetables, which can be used on their own or mixed into pot pies and soups for more involved cooking days.

On days when I don't feel like cooking or when my teens can pitch in, these frozen basics often save the day.

Lastly, I buy whichever kid volunteers to help me shop an ice-cream sundae from Costco's food court. It's fairly affordable and a great way to end a successful shopping trip. 

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.