5 Costco Products Every New Parent Needs (and 1 You Can Skip)

By now, you already know how much we love Costco. It’s one of our go-to spots for all things kitchen- and food-related, from freezer-aisle favorites, to big-batch drinks, to nutritionist-approved picks. But what you might not know is that the warehouse giant is also a solid place to stock up on baby and toddler basics. 

As mom to an almost-3-year-old, I started scouting Costco for cost-effective baby products while I was still pregnant. I love a good deal, and don’t mind shopping at multiple places (or researching cost comparisons) if it means I’ll save a few extra bucks. That’s why, strictly going by price, a lot of my baby basics come from Amazon — because you can’t beat the cost and convenience. But I’ve also found there are a handful of tried-and-true favorites that are actually even cheaper at Costco.

Below you’ll find five that I always keep stocked at home, plus one Costco baby product that unfortunately didn’t cut it for me.

Costco sells a few different kinds of applesauce pouches — but I always reach for their in-house brand. It’s the cheapest while still being organic, and it has no added sugars or flavors. Makes for a perfect on-the-go baby snack! Relatedly, the same is true of Costco’s organic yogurt and fruit and veggie pouches. I’m a fan of all three.

In short? These wipes are perfect. For the amount you get, you can’t beat the price. But even more than that, the quality is excellent. The hypoallergenic wipes are super-durable and won’t break apart or rip, yet are still soft enough to use without worry. They’ve got aloe and Vitamin E, and don’t contain alcohol, chlorine, or parabens. Every now and then, Costco sell special boxes with a few travel-sized packs tucked inside as a bonus — always for the same $20 price. Buy them when you see them! 

After my daughter’s skin had a slight reaction to a popular 2-in-1 baby brand, a fellow mom suggested I give The Honest Company’s version a try — and it’s been a favorite ever since. The scent that Costco stocks (sweet orange vanilla) is refreshing without being cloying, and the product is hypoallergenic with no synthetic fragrances. Costco’s two-pack is about half the price of Amazon‘s, where it’s $16 for just one bottle. Target sells a smaller bottle for $9 — but again, if you’re going by cost per ounce, Costco wins out.

This was one of my go-tos for my daughter’s diaper rash when she was younger. (I alternated between Aquaphor and Desitin.) When diaper rash inevitably struck, I’d apply this on her before bed and things would typically be all cleared up by the next morning. These tubes are about $6 each on Amazon, so you’re saving a couple of dollars by buying in bulk. 

This was a life-saver for my daughter when the worst of teething reared its ugly head — complete with low-grade fevers, bright red cheeks, and swollen gums. She was a champ for most of it, but on nights when the pain kept her up and nothing else seemed to work, this stuff provided relief. (And in turn, some necessary sleep for all of us!) As the instructions mention, you’ll want to check with your pediatrician before giving this to anyone under 2. 

As a self-proclaimed Kirkland Signature devotee, I really, really wanted to like these diapers. That’s why it was a huge disappointment when I couldn’t even make it halfway through the box before giving up.

After my daughter was born, I’d used Pampers for the first several months — sparked by getting them at the hospital and never deviating. But as any new parent knows, diapers are expensive. They can really add up, and because so much of the rest of my baby list was budget-optimized, I decided to cut costs on diapers, too, by switching to these.

But almost right off the bat, I found that the Kirkland diapers fit somewhat awkwardly, and they weren’t as absorbent as Pampers, in my opinion. The real deal-breaker, though, was that my daughter was having way more frequent diaper leaks and blowouts with these, which had almost never happened previously. (And after I switched back, it promptly wasn’t a problem again.)

That said, all babies are obviously different, and take to different things. So know that what worked — or didn’t work — for mine isn’t universal. (In fact, a quick Google search turns up equal amounts of parents who swear by Kirkland diapers, versus others who had the same negative experience as I did.) My advice? Try different diaper brands — including these — until you find one you (and baby!) love. Worst case, Costco has a generous return policy, so even if you don’t like them, there’s not much to lose.

*Note that Kirkland Signature offers a complete diaper line and your pricing and diaper count will vary depending on the size you choose.

What are your favorite (and least favorite) baby and toddler items at Costco? Share in the comments!