I saved money by shopping at Costco before a 2-week van trip. Here are the items I'm glad I bought.

The two-week road trip would take me through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. I knew I needed to stock up on groceries, road snacks, and winter essentials like hand warmers.

While I wasn't sure Costco was the ideal store for van dwellers since it sells items in bulk, I figured I would start there and see what deals I could find.

To my surprise, I found I could easily fill an entire cart with meals, snacks, and goods that would come in handy for the trip.

I often bring packets of the electrolyte hydration mix Liquid I.V. on ski days, backpacking trips, and long days outdoors to keep me hydrated.

Since I had two weeks of outdoor adventures ahead of me, Liquid I.V. was a must.

Plus, 24 packets for $23 was a fair price. Later that week, I went on a Target run where 10 packets of Liquid I.V. were being sold for $18. On Liquid I.V.'s website, a 14-pack is sold for $25.

It's hard to beat Costco's deal on eggs. I knew the moment I stepped inside the store that I'd grab a carton.

For $3.99, I could eat two eggs each morning of my trip (as long as I bought breakfast twice).

When mapping out the trip, I planned to get to my campsites before sunset to avoid driving on rough roads in the dark. This meant I would cook most dinners in my van.

When I arrived at Costco, I wanted to find easy, vegetarian meals I could cook.

Ravioli fit the bill. The two packages were enough for four meals, and the pasta was delicious.

I've had Trader Joe's butternut squash ravioli before, but Giovanni Rana is a new favorite. Plus, it's a great deal. A similar pasta by the same brand costs $7.24 for 18 ounces at Walmart. I got 32 ounces for $11.99.

As I wandered through the aisles, I stumbled upon a French pesto soup by the company Karine and Jeff.

The vegetarian soup cost $13.99 for two jars — enough for four meals. I saw one jar selling for about the same price as two online.

My favorite part, though, was that it was an ideal size for a van with just two jars.

To pair with my ravioli and soup, I needed a salad. Thankfully, I found a pair of Taylor Farms salad kits for $6.99.

The kits I purchased came with salad, dressing, and toppings like sesame seeds, wontons, and nuts.

I'd save space by not needing to buy each ingredient separately, and I found that the kits — which contained both cabbage and romaine lettuce — stayed fresh in the fridge.

I knew I'd pack snacks, but I wanted a few healthy options, too.

So I grabbed two 6-ounce containers of raspberries. It was a good deal. I usually pay about the same amount for just one container at my local grocery store.

Plus, I can eat that many raspberries in one sitting, so I knew they wouldn't go bad.

I absolutely love Dot's Homestyle Pretzels. The pretzel sticks are coated in a savory seasoning, and I can never get enough of them.

My main complaint is the price. Typically, a 16-ounce bag costs $7 at my local Target, which I think is a bit expensive.

So when I spotted a 32-ounce bag for only $9.99 at Costco, I was thrilled. The bag wouldn't be too big to store in the cabinets of my van, and I knew it was a snack I'd eat every last crumb of.

As I walked down Costco's aisles, I spotted enormous boxes of cereal and even bigger bags of chips.

I knew I wouldn't consume that many chips or that much cereal in two weeks, and, more importantly, I wouldn't have the space for these items.

However, I could definitely polish off a large bag of yogurt-covered almonds in two weeks.

The Sconza Thins' strawberry-coated almonds were an ideal size at 22 ounces. And I thought they were affordable at $4.97 for the bag.

Bobo's are easily my favorite granola bar. They're always in my hiking backpack, so I figured I'd pack some on my van trip, too.

I also thought the PB&J version would help me save space since I could skip packing peanut butter, jelly, and bread and have a snack version of the sandwich instead.

For $14.99, I grabbed 20 granola bars. I thought it was a steal since the same box costs $29.99 on Bobo's website.

I love Boomchickapop's sweet-and-salty kettle corn, so, without thinking, I grabbed the enormous bag.

While it was a good deal at $5.99 for 25 ounces (a 7-ounce bag at Target costs $3.79), it was far too big to fit in the storage provided in my van.

The large bag couldn't be stuffed into any cabinet, so for the bulk of the trip, it joined me in the passenger seat.

If I were to do van life full-time, I'd have to buy smaller-sized snacks or skip out on items like this to save space.

Messes were bound to happen in my van, so I wanted to make sure I was stocked with cleaning supplies.

Instead of buying bottles of cleaners and rolls of paper towels, I opted for a four-pack of Lysol wipes. They came in handy when I needed to wipe down my van's countertops and clean my swivel table.

I only used one of the four containers during my two-week trip, but if I lived in a van full-time, the price would be worth finding the storage for all four. At Target, a single container costs $5.99. I purchased a pack of four for $10.99.

I get cold quickly and easily, so disposable hand warmers are always with me on my travels to cooler places.

At Costco, one large box with 40 pairs of Heat Pro hand warmers cost me $13.99. A similar box with a few more pairs is listed for $34.90 on Amazon.

I spent less than $200 on food and supplies for my van trip at Costco, and I estimate I saved close to $75 on my bulk purchases.

While I made some mistakes — like buying way too much popcorn — other items, like Liquid I.V. and hand warmers, came in handy throughout the trip.

If I decided to do van life full-time, I'm sure plenty of the items I purchased would become staples in my tiny home.