Members Only
The first time you walk into Costco as a card-carrying adult can be intimidating. There’s so much try—and so MUCH of it. And on top of that, there are a lot of (controversial opinion) products that are just mediocre or straight-up duds. But we’re not here to talk about those.
Today, we’re looking at the cream of the crop—the most beloved Costco products, including some rare regional favorites that may be hard to find, but are worth the hunt.
Pumpkin Pie
It comes back year after year—and so do we. Like the hot dogs, once you try a Costco pumpkin pie, you simple do not go back to other brands. It’s impossibly creamy and perfectly spiced—on top of the fact that they also use one type of pumpkin, the Dickinson pumpkin, in all their pies.
Pro tip—if you prefer a firmer consistency, you can also bake it for a few more minutes once you bring it home.
Fitzhenrymort, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Raos Marinara Sauce
I know there was a time before Raos, where we all survived on Pr*go and Ra*u (I can’t even bear to say their names). But I prefer not to remember those dark days. It may be more expensive than the other marinara sauces on the shelf at Costco, but it’s worth it. The flavor can’t be beat. Even Ina Garten likes it!
Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
Once upon a time, most butters seemed to all the be the same—but when Kerrygold became widely available in the US, it blew the competition out of the water. If you’re eating anything where butter is the star, you need a better flavor butter, and Kerrygold is it. While you can find it in any old store, you’ll get the best deal at Costco by far—and you can always freeze the extra.
Regional: Meat Pies
Nowhere loves their meat pies like Australia does—and this is reflected in their food court menu, where you can get a meat pie for a few bucks, including one with butter chicken filling.
Croissants
Speaking of butter—where can you find the owners of many local coffee shops every morning, picking out things to fill their pastry displays with? Costco. It’s happened more than once that I’ve bitten into a $4 croissant and realized they’d sold me something from Costco. And I almost can’t blame them—the croissants are good!
Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano
Speaking of rich, expensive ingredients you can freeze to get more bang for your buck, the Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano is surprisingly high-quality, especially compared to anything you’d get from your regular chain grocery store. If you ever have trouble with your cheese clumping while making a pasta sauce, it might be low quality—and this option can solve that problem.
Kirkland Signature Hot Dogs
If you’ve ever stopped at the Costco food court on the way out, you know how good the hot dogs are. But why limit the enjoyment to shopping trips? Kirkand Signature’s frozen hot dogs absolutely demolish the competition when it comes to flavor. There’s no comparison—and no camping trip or BBQ is complete without a pack of Kirkland dogs.
Pizza
I used to always get a hot dog and drink from the food court every time I went to Costco—until I tried the pizza. Since then, I’ve never looked back. Each slice—or pie, if you’re brave—comes with a frankly insane amount of cheese on top. And the price can’t be beat.
Regional: Cheeseburgers
As if hot dogs and pizza weren’t crowd pleasers enough, Costco members in California, Georgia, and Chicago have reported that their local food courts have begun to offer cheeseburgers on the menu!
Rotisserie Chicken
Right up there with hot dogs is rotisserie chicken, which Costco has kept at a respectable $4.99 since 2009—yup, 15 years ago. You can’t even get a single raw chicken breast for that price at my local grocery store.
Hand-Pulled Rotisserie Chicken Breast Meat
Okay, yes, everyone knows about the rotisserie chicken—but did you know that you could get a bag of the fully cooked chicken breast meat that contains 14 servings? It’s great for sandwiches, salads, enchiladas, you name it.
Regional: Sushi Platter
Did you know that Costco tailors their offerings to the populations they serve nearby? For example, if you go to a Costco in an area with a large Asian population, you’ll find more Asian speciality foods—including sushi platters (or wider varieties of sushi platters) in the prepared food section.
Kirkland Signature Thick Sliced Bacon
Bacon is yet another one-time grocery store staple that’s gotten way too expensive and low quality—but if you can’t live without it on the weekends or in a BLT, get a pack from Costco. Freeze what you won’t use right away, and you’ll never have to lament paying $7 at the grocery store for a pack of paper-thin slices that crumble the moment they’re cooked.
Pure Vanilla Extract
Shrinkflation hits everyone hard—but when it hits an already-tiny product like a bottle of vanilla extract, you’re left making 1 or 2 batches of cookies before it’s time to re-up. That’s why many bakers reach for Costco’s pure vanilla extract. It’s a reasonable price and the bottle will last for ages in a cool, dark place.
Fresh Grapes
Have you ever brought a bag of grapes to the register at a regular grocery store and had sticker shock after realizing that was the price per pound, and you’d accidentally almost bought $16 worth of grapes? Costco had great prices on fresh grapes without the jump scare.
Kirkland Signature Frozen Shrimp
No holiday party—or any party, really—is complete without a shrimp ring, but the ones from the grocery store get punier and punier each year, with less flavorful shrimp. So, forgo the ring for a bump in quality and defrost a load of Kirkland Signature frozen shrimp before your next get together. What it lacks in kitschy presentation, it makes up for in size and flavor.
Regional: Chili
Americans looking for a slightly healthier option in the Costco food court can look out for chili, which is only offered at certain locations. Members have written that it’s delicious, comes in a big portion, and is about half the calories of a slice of pizza.
Steak
Tired of steak from the grocery store that’s less than an inch thick and turns into a hardened puck the moment it hits the heat? While local butchers are still a great option for steak, Costco gives them a run for their money with both quality and price—and they’re all a respectable thickness that can stand up to the grill or your cast iron.
Regional: Clam Chowder
You’d think this regional specialty would be found at Costco locations in San Francisco or Boston—but instead, it’s an offering at Costco Japan. Who would’ve thunk?
Washington State Dept of Transportation, Flickr
Street Taco Kits
The pre-made meals at Costco are usually a good bet—but the street taco kit is a surefire crowd pleaser. All you need to do is carefully scoop out the chicken and reheat, and you’ve got tender, flavorful tacos that’ll have you wishing they sold the cilantro-lime crema in large-format bottles.
Kirkland Signature Maple Syrup
Take it from a Canadian—this stuff is just as good as anything you’d find in a fancier bottle for twice the price. Plus, the large format means that you’ll never have to leave a square on your waffle unfilled. Use it to sweeten coffee, baked goods, and oatmeal.
Cinnamon Pull-Aparts
These treats can be found in the bakery section, and while they might be a little rich for every day, they’re a great option if you’re having friends and family over for brunch—especially during the holidays.
Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto
Jarred pesto sauce can be hit or miss—but the Kirkland Signature version is an undeniable hit. Not only is it great on pasta, it’s delicious spread on bread in a sub sandwich, or as a topping for grilled meats.
Regional: Poutine
Did you know that Costco Canada doesn’t have the chicken bake in their food court? Well, what they lack, they make up for in the fact that they serve poutine. This Quebecois speciality features fries covered in fresh, squeaky cheese curds and covered in gravy.
Kirkland Signature Cold Brew Cans
When the summer months hit and it’s time to switch from hot coffee to cold, the process can be laborious. If you like your coffee strong, throwing hot coffee on ice isn’t going to cut it—and making cold brew yourself is laborious, time-consuming, and expensive due to the high coffee/water ratio.
Enter: Kirkland Signature Cold Brew in cans. It’s easy, cheap, and a great on-the-go option, especially for summer vacations and camping trips where you’re not sure what the coffee situation will be like.
Kirkland Signature Ground Coffee
Okay, yes—making cold brew with a 1:1 coffee grounds to water ratio can be prohibitively expensive…unless you’re working with Kirkland Signature Ground Coffee. Not only does it taste better than the other ground coffee options at Costco AND the grocery store, it’s also a good deal and frequently goes on sale.
Forest Starr and Kim Starr, Flickr
Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks
Fans of these have compared them to Chick-Fil-A’s chicken nuggets—and they’re an easy option for adults and picky kids alike. They come in a 4 lb. bag and are even better in the air fryer.
Sheet Cake
If you need to serve dessert for a crowd, you could go to a bakery and get a cake that serves 6-8 people for $35. Or, you could go to Costco and get a sheet cake in a variety of flavors that will serve two dozen people for less than $1 per serving. Many locations also offer custom decorating if you pre-order.
Regional: Sausage & Peppers Sandwich
If the humble hot dog isn’t good enough for you, many Costco food court locations on the East Coast offer a sausage & peppers sandwich, while locations in the Midwest may offer a bratwurst sandwich option.
Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Organic Dog Food
Speaking of feeding really hungry mouths for a reasonable price, no one knows the pain of a large breed dog owner. Those precious pooches can really go through food fast. You’ll barely get over the backache of hauling one bag in before it’s time to go buy another. This is why Costco’s dog food is a great bargain for top-quality.
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
This is no ordinary salt. Maldon sea salt flakes are soft yet crunchy and pyramid shapes. They’re great as a finishing touch on cookies, sourdough with butter, grilled vegetables, steak, and brownies, among other things. Although a simple box can last years, you can’t really argue with the exceptional value and savings of the Costco format—a cute little (big) tub.
Kirkland Signature Brie
Make no mistake—this isn’t some low-rent brie-like cheese product. No, Kirkland Signature gets their Brie from Isigny Ste Mere, which produces good quality dairy products in France, including butter and many cheeses. The brie is made in Normandy, and has a creamy, mild flavor.
Regional: Ham & Cheese Croissant
Speaking of France, they have just one Costco location—but at the food court there, they serve a melty ham & cheese croissant sandwich, with mustard of course.
Charles Haynes, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Walnut Halves
Buying nuts at a regular grocery store has become nearly prohibitively expensive—but the large bag of walnut halves at Costco is still a fantastic deal. They make a great addition to cheese boards and salads, and are great chopped up in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Kirkland Signature Mixed Nut Butter
Just like nuts themselves, nut butters can vary wildly in price, and come in jars that are often too tiny for the price. The Kirkland Signature jar of mixed nut butter has no added salt or sugar, and contains almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds.
Regional: Acai Bowls
Costco food courts in California and Hawaii offer their health-conscious customers acai bowls with fresh fruit—going for just $5, a bargain compared to what they might cost elsewhere.
Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend
If you are a smoothie person, you know how easy it is to go through those puny bags of frozen fruit from the grocery store. For a bulk option that’s actually cheaper than buying the same quantity of fresh fruit, try the insanely popular Three Berry Blend bag.
Kirkland Signature Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a wildly versatile ingredient-slash cosmetic product that is totally underrated. It’s a healthy fat with a high smoke point, which makes it great for cooking—and it’s also a fantastic moisturizing agent for the skin, or can be used to do oil pulling to clean teeth.
Regional: Vegan Al Pastor Salad
What is it with Southern California and specialty food court items? Some members have reported seeing a “vegan al pastor salad” pop up on the menu alongside the regular Caesar salad. It contains plant-based protein, romaine lettuce, black beans, fresh vegetables, and dressing.
Toilet Paper
No, it’s not food—but we all need it. And it doesn’t go bad, and we will continue to need it for the rest of our lives, unceasingly—so why not buy it in bulk?
