These 6 Costco Foods Are Better Than Restaurants

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Are you tired of spending money on restaurants, takeout, and food delivery apps? If you want to save money on the everyday costs of feeding yourself and your loved ones, Costco can help. You might be surprised at how delicious and value-packed Costco's grocery items can be.

Some of the best Costco food buys can give you restaurant-quality meals, at a fraction of the price. Worried that the Costco portion sizes will be too big? Don't be -- many Costco foods are easy to divvy up for a few days' worth of weekday meal prep, keep in the freezer for later, or share with friends at a Costco dinner party.

Here are a few ideas for the best Costco foods that can give you a restaurant-caliber experience.

(All deals were available for online shopping from Costco Same-Day powered by Instacart, with prices shown for my local Costco warehouse in West Des Moines, Iowa, as of Oct. 18, 2024. Prices may vary by location.)

1. Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken ($5.84)

Costco's famously low-priced rotisserie chicken is not just a cheap source of protein -- it's a big, tasty bird. The flavorful, juicy, well-seasoned chicken from this Kirkland Signature favorite is tastier than many poultry-based entrees I've ordered at restaurants.

Price per serving: Assuming you can carve eight servings of meat from this three-pound chicken, that makes the price about $0.73 per meal. Cheaper than any fast food restaurant!

2. Kirkland Signature Chicken Alfredo with Penne Pasta ($21.79)

If you're tired from a long day of errand-running and shopping, Costco makes it easy to put dinner on the table. This Kirkland Signature Chicken Alfredo with Penne Pasta is a hearty, tasty meal that can feed a family for a few days. Just take it home and pop it in the oven.

Price per serving: Each 4.15-pound package contains 12 servings, so you get a full plate of Chicken Alfredo for only $1.81 per meal.

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3. Crazy Cuizine Mandarin Orange Chicken ($19.29)

My children used to love the Orange Chicken from Costco. This item promises "restaurant quality at home" on the packaging, and it's made with chicken breast, rib meat, and breading with a sweet, delicate sauce. This Mandarin Orange Chicken dish can be prepared in the oven, air fryer, or on the stovetop, and is ready to eat in 20 minutes.

Price per serving: Each package contains about 66 ounces, with about five ounces per serving. So you can get about 13 meals' worth of orange chicken from Costco for only $1.48 per meal.

4. Creamy Italian Salad ($9.35)

Do you ever feel like restaurant salads are too often lackluster, limp, and light on flavor? Costco has the cure for the salad doldrums: Costco's bagged salad mixes are delicious, colorful, and offer a multitude of crunchy stir-ins and tangy dressings.

Price per serving: Costco's Creamy Italian Salad kit contains a total of 22 ounces of greens and mix-ins, or about nine portions of salad -- about $1.04 per meal.

5. Chips, salsa, and guacamole ($26.88)

Store-bought tortilla chips, salsa, and guac will never be "better" than the best, authentic, freshly-made, tableside Mexican restaurant experience. But if you choose the right brands of salsa, guac, and chips at Costco, you might be surprised at how fresh and tasty they can be.

Upgrade your at-home Taco Night experience with these three brands that my family loves:

• Garden Fresh Organic Jack's Salsa ($7.01 for 48 servings)
• Good Foods Organic Chunky Guacamole ($12.86 for 26 servings)
• Kirkland Signature Organic Tortilla Chips ($7.01 for 40 servings)

Price per serving: It's always hard to get the exact chip-and-dip ratio, but based on the price per serving for each of these items, you can get a heaping helping of Costco chips, salsa, and guac for about $0.82 per meal.

6. Muffins, cakes, and cookies ($11.69 to $21.05)

Never, ever forget dessert! Costco offers a delicious selection of bakery items that can compete with your favorite restaurant or cupcake establishment. And the prices at Costco are cheaper than you'd pay for any restaurant's dessert menu.

Here are three favorite Costco desserts that I love:

• Kirkland Signature Muffins: Blueberry and Double Chocolate ($11.69 for 12 muffins)
• Kirkland Signature Cookies: Chocolate Chunk, Double Nut, and Oatmeal ($11.69 for 24 cookies)
• Kirkland Signature Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake ($21.05 for 12 servings)

Price per serving: It's hard to find a cheaper dessert than Costco -- choose a gigantic muffin for just $0.94 each, a smattering of delicious cookies for $0.49 each, or a luscious, indulgent tuxedo cake for just $1.75 per slice.

Bottom line

Here's how cheaply you can eat at home with Costco food. Let's say you bought a rotisserie chicken, a bagged salad, chips, salsa, and guacamole, and tuxedo cake for dessert. You'd only be paying a total of $4.34 per meal. No fast food restaurant can compete with that -- and Costco gives you fresh produce and high-quality ingredients.

Eating dinner at home with restaurant-quality food from Costco could be your new budgeting strategy. Saving money on meals away from home -- by buying your meals at Costco -- is yet another easy way to maximize the rewards of your Costco membership.

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