Alamo City Moms Blog and the City Moms Blog Network is thrilled to announce our second annual Costco Mom Hour. We love Costco and are excited to partner with them again. Costco provided us with $100 in Kirkland Signature products, but as you’ll see, we’re big fans of them with or without this partnership.
Learn, little by little, meal by meal, to feed yourself and the people you love, because food is one of the best ways we love each other, and the table is one of the most sacred places we gather. —Shauna Niequist, Bread & Wine
To welcome people into your home for time together in friendship and fellowship is one of the greatest gifts you can share. There’s something so intimate about sharing your home, about letting people have a peek into the place where you relax, where you recharge, where you do life. Yet, as moms, we so often resist because things aren’t perfect, or life just gets too busy. The house is too messy, you don’t have time to cook, you don’t have time to prepare.
I can be so guilty of this. I’ll often resist inviting friends in because the thought just feels so overwhelming. To even think about what to put together, ever if it’s just simple snacks, feels like a chore. But a few years ago, I decided to throw these excuses out the window, and friends, I’ll tell you my life has been so enriched by simple time around a kitchen table with precious friends. We might have kids in the backyard playing while the moms gather to just do life. We might need a little girl time where we leave the husbands with the kids and have time to laugh, talk, and sometimes even cry. We take turns hosting: simple snacks, a bottle of wine, and time together is all we need.
And I’ll tell you my little secret to making this precious time together still feel sophisticated and grown up without breaking the bank . . . Costco. Yes, ladies, you heard it right. Costco.
I discovered this little trick when hosting a group of friends one evening. Of course, I waited until the day of to even think about what I’d be serving when my mom (don’t they always know just what to do?) suggested I keep it easy and just pick up a variety of cheeses, some dried meats, crackers, and wine. I was on my way to Costco for one of my monthly stock up sessions so I figured I’d just check out what I might be able to grab there before heading to the grocery store for supplies. Little did I know that Costco’s Kirkland Signature would come to the rescue! I discovered the ease and simplicity of Kirkland Signature products that day and I haven’t gone back.
I now keep a nice little stock of Kirkland Signature products on hand, along with a few other Costco staples, and whipping up a little get together with the girls has never been more simple.
Here are my go-to products:
- Kirkland Signature cheeses: They have a large selection including brie, goat cheese, parmesan, and more. I’ll grab a variety of three or four cheeses.
- Kirkland Signature Organic Nuts & Berries with Pumpkin Seeds: These are a great compliment to the cheese and add a little texture.
- Kirkland Signature Wine: I personally like the Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc and with the prices around $6 per bottle; they’re surprisingly quite tasty.
- Carrs Crackers: In true Costco style, you get a huge variety and can keep them on hand for multiple gatherings.
- Fratelli Beretta Antipasto Cured Meats: An assortment of dried meats.
- Fresh strawberries or grapes: Costco has an amazing produce section!
- Sanders Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels: A little something sweet is a nice touch and the salt mixed with the dark chocolate in these bites of goodness is perfection.
I grab a pretty platter or two, spread everything out, and add a few small plates and cheese knives and I’m all set to go! We’ve even started using this simple spread for baby showers and birthday gatherings, but like I said, there’s no need to have a reason to celebrate. Girlfriends are the fuel to keep us going when things get hard and making time to gather around the table is crucial.
