These Are The Best 15 Prepared-Food Bargains at Costco Right Now

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The question “What’s for dinner?” can be difficult because living expenses—and food in particular—are always rising. Dining out is more expensive than cooking at home; in January 2024, the price of food at restaurants increased by 5.1% year over year, while food prices at home increased by 1.2%.

Prepared meals provide a convenient and cost-effective option for a lot of people. You’ll save time, frustration, and a messy kitchen by picking up prepared meals, even if it could cost more than making everything from scratch.

Costco has several excellent prepared meals that are ready to eat. See what the professionals suggest.

Chicken on a Rotisserie

Given that they only cost $5 and create a delicious main course for supper, Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews, declared that this is “hands down one of the best prepared food deals to get at Costco.”

Dinner is ready when you only need to slice it and add some sides, which you can easily get at Costco while you’re there. Even better, you can use the chicken breasts for something else, like chicken salad, and eat the meatier parts, like the thighs and legs, if you’re just feeding one or two people.

Caesar salad topped with croutons, dressing, and lemons

Consider Costco’s premade Caesar salad with prepackaged dressing and croutons for the ideal accompaniment to your leftover rotisserie chicken.

For a mere $4.49 per pound, each clamshell container contains around 2 pounds of salad, plenty for four lunches or dinners when combined with your preferred protein, such as pre-cooked shrimp or shredded chicken, both of which can be found in Costco’s prepared foods area.

Lasagna with Ravioli

Due to the extensive preparation required, lasagna could not be considered a weekday dish. Generally, lasagna is reserved for special occasions unless you prepare a tray and freeze it in parts. But Costco makes it simple to have lasagna for dinner every day of the week.

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“Making lasagna takes a lot of time, but it tastes great,” Ramhold remarked. Large raviolis covered in a bolognese sauce and shredded cheese make up this Costco version of lasagna, which eliminates all the labor-intensive effort. A pan will likely cost you about $20, but it will provide about 4 pounds of food.

That will provide enough food for a large group to eat, plus leftovers for days.

Kirkland Signature Cheese and Macaroni

Who doesn’t enjoy homemade mac and cheese that is gooey? At a lower cost than you would pay at a restaurant, Costco does it well. The best part is that you don’t have to spend hours chopping cheese and cooking and draining pasta.

Among the disadvantages, Ramhold mentioned that it would not be as inexpensive as the packaged item and that cooking it would take longer because it must be placed in the oven. “But when you add some meat to it—a friend of mine loves to pair this mac and cheese with smoked sausage from Johnsonville—you’ll be rewarded with a pan full of cheesy goodness that works perfectly as a side dish or even a main.”

You may feed six to ten people or more as a main meal or a side dish that sticks to your ribs, with more than 3 pounds in each container for less than $10.

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Speaking of ribs, we discovered pre-cooked, seasoned, heated ribs for only $7.99 per pound, with more than 2 pounds each package, right next to Costco’s well-known rotisserie chicken.

Serve them with some fresh bread from the Costco bakery and a side of potato salad or cole slaw for the ideal dinner on a night when even cooking meals in the oven or microwave seems like too much work.

In Costco’s meat department, marinated ribs are available in 6- to 7-pound packages for around $3.19 per pound (prices may vary). However, cooking is required.

Another substantial supper option to satisfy a lot is Costco’s pre-made chicken alfredo. For less than $20, you can get 4 pounds of chicken, cheese, and cream at a cost of $4.49 per pound. To go with the chicken, boil some egg noodles or fettuccini.

Although this meal takes about an hour to cook thoroughly in the oven, you can use that time to do other things, like unwind or browse for this month’s greatest offers at Costco.com, as there is almost any prep involved.

Stuffed Bell Peppers, Kirkland Signature Style

According to Kristin McGrath, a former BlackFriday.com purchasing expert, Costco offers Kirkland Signature Stuffed Bell Peppers, which are created with ground beef and rice and provide for a healthy alternative. These peppers may be eaten for one or two meals.

Three to four pounds of stuffed peppers are included in each container, with each pound costing only $5. We’re willing to wager that you couldn’t create stuffed peppers from scratch for this kind of money, given the current price of fresh vegetables like bell peppers and ground beef, which both surpass $5 per pound.

Stir-fried yakisoba with seasoned chicken, a Kirkland Signature dish

The Kirkland Signature Yakisoba Stir Fry at Costco is a fantastic option for families as well, according to McGrath. “Everything needed for this prepared dinner is bundled together. All that shoppers need to do is combine the ingredients in a pan and cook it, providing a substantial stir fry dish for the whole family.

Meatloaf served with mashed Yukon Gold potatoes

Classic meatloaf and mashed potatoes are always a good choice, and for roughly $18 for four pounds of food that simply has to be prepared, Ramhold added. However, the meatloaf is served with a ketchup-based sauce, so you might want to omit it if you like brown gravy.

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Nevertheless, this “heat-and-eat” supper is the easiest; in fact, the mashed potatoes include small pats of butter on top that melt into the dish while it heats.

Tacos from Chicken Street

According to Ramhold, “everything you need is included in the kit, including 12 corn tortillas, salsa, cilantro lime crema, lime slices, shredded cheese, and cooked and seasoned chicken.”

She continued, pointing out that this is another supper that costs about $18 for three pounds of food. “All you have to do is warm it up and feast.” “Taco Tuesday made easy is still a great deal, even though it may not be as good as some of the other prepared foods.”

Gyro Set

Alternatively, Costco makes it simple if you’re craving Greek food with their Gyro Kit for six. Pre-packaged gyro meat ($6.49), marinated in a blend of beef, lamb, and spices, accompanied by pita bread, veggies, and tzatziki sauce. You should budget about $20 for at least 3 pounds of food to feed your household.

Pie with Chicken Stock

“The chicken pot pies are outrageously large, weighing approximately five and a half pounds, and they can cost up to $20, depending on the retailer,” Ramhold stated. It’s the greatest chicken pot pie I’ve ever eaten, and they taste great.

They’re large enough to feed a family or a couple of individuals for several meals. When I can get this from Costco, I won’t cook my own.

Kirkland Signature Soup with Chicken Noodles

“The Kirkland Signature Chicken Noodle Soup is another fantastic option at Costco,” McGrath stated. You can’t match this offer at just $3.49 per pound, especially because it’s made fresh with Costco’s rotisserie chicken, celery, onion, and carrots.

Beef Chili For a midweek supper or a weekend get-together with friends, Costco’s prepared beef chili ought to be another option. Get a pound of it for $3.99.

Your visitors won’t believe it wasn’t boiling in your crockpot for hours on end. It’s made with ground beef, kidney, and pinto beans, and has shredded mild cheddar cheese on top that melts wonderfully in the oven or microwave.

Rolls Made by Artists

For a delicious supper, pair any dish on this list, such as the beef chili or chicken soup, with soft, pillowy artisan buns. A 12-count box costs $5.99, so you should have plenty of leftovers for chicken sandwiches all week.