Costco Prepared Meals Put to the Test: We Tried Some Fan Favorites and Here’s Our Verdict

Walking into a Costco warehouse is like entering a huge space. You’ll find plenty of products there that are not only well-priced, but also convenient. However, there is one place that catches the attention of busy people and food lovers the most. This is the prepared food area inside.

This area is the perfect place for pre-made simple meals. Whether it’s a weekend dinner or a last minute party, you can find burritos and tacos for quick meals and even salmon that you can cook when you get home from the store. Most items are priced according to the weight inside. Still, the legendary rotisserie chicken stands out with its usual low price. This section of food means that ready-to-eat food is not too expensive or requires a lot of work.

We checked out the online buzz and thought about our favorites. Our goal was to really test a few of the popular products that are sold here. See which ones are worth adding to your cart next time you shop.

You’ve got to talk about Costco’s Rotisserie Chicken, which seems almost impossible when it’s only $4.99. The company sells this item at a loss to lure customers into the store. The story of this chicken was well known before I became a member myself. It makes me wonder if people love it simply because of its price. Or does its flavor really live up to all the previous praise for it?

After bringing one home, I finally understood why people praised it so much. Tugging warm, soft chunks of meat off the bone is a simple feeling of bliss. There’s so much more to this chicken than just eating it straight off the bone; it’s totally easy to make a complete meal out of.

Costco really knows how to cook these chickens. The chicken is always fresh and juicy every time you cook it. The chicken is crispy on the outside and well seasoned. People who just walked through a busy Costco may not want to spend too much time cooking. Getting one of these cooked chickens to end the day is both easy and satisfying.

2. **Chicken street tacos**: Eating Mexican food multiple times a week is something I love. So trying the Chicken street tacos from Costco got me pretty excited. There’s a lot of food inside the kit. You get the ingredients to make 12 different tacos, which is a lot. The box comes with hot and flour tortillas, as well as pre-cooked chicken and shredded cheese. There is also bright salsa and creamy cilantro lime cheese. I like to use two tortillas so they are sturdier. Even if the number of tacos is a little less, it will still fill you up.

The best part of this package is of course the Cilantro Lime Cheese Sauce. Its rich, smooth texture and flavor were very appealing to me, and it added a creamy flavor to the other delicious tacos. The salsa was equally impressive. The salsa that comes in the package sometimes tends not to be very tasty. But this one was surprisingly tasty, which gave the tacos a necessary kick.

Considering its simplicity, this package is a quick and easy meal idea. The price is also very reasonable at $4.99 per pound. A typical box costs around $14.22. In terms of cost, the value speaks for itself. This makes the kit definitely worth the price.

Meatloaf is a specialty food in the American comfort food tradition, and I wanted to see how Costco’s version of this old dish compared. So, I tried their meatloaf. It features a large meatloaf slathered in a shiny red sauce with lots of Yukon Gold mashed potatoes on the side. The potatoes were also drizzled with two cubes of butter for a richer flavor.

After about an hour, the dish came out perfectly heated. The butter on the potatoes melted and blended in nicely. This side dish tasted smooth and creamy. I love potatoes so much that I like almost any flavor. These mashed potatoes are my favorite. They are a classic accompaniment to meatloaf. This meal is comforting and very filling and empowering. There aren’t any vegetables in the container of this dish. However, buying a bag of good green beans or a simple salad can easily solve this problem. You can do this while shopping at Costco and add them to your meal.

Stuffed bell peppers with ground beef and rice, this quick meal is very well prepared. If prepared properly, they can be very flavorful and fill you up. They can also be boring if seasoned poorly. The kind at Costco comes in a package with six individual stuffed peppers. Inside each is a mix of ground beef, rice, and some cheese.

I’m sorry to say that, based on my own attempts, these particular stuffed peppers didn’t taste as good as they might have. The biggest problem with them is that there is a distinct lack of texture and the original flavor tastes very bland. You need to add hot sauce to give them much needed flavor and character. They do aim to be both fast and filling. However, the flavor is underwhelming, and even with the addition of a lot of hot sauce, the flavor is still not strong. This really disappointed me a lot.

I don’t usually get excited about cooked fish. Still, the many favorable online reviews of Salmon Milano with basil pesto butter caught my attention. There are three pieces of salmon in the package, and they fit nicely in a metal tray that can be baked in the oven. The recipe is actually quite simple. Simply follow the instructions and place the tray directly into the oven for about 30 minutes.

As the salmon baked, a tantalizing aroma began to fill my room. And yes, even though I’ve never been a fan of cooked fish, these salmon chunks were delicious. The basil pesto butter also melted really well on the fish and it added a richness to the pieces. This was much better than the typical store-bought ready-to-eat meal.

The main thing I didn’t like about this dish wasn’t the flavor, but whether or not it was a complete meal and the portion size in it. There are only salmon chunks in the package and that’s it. This means that for a hearty, well-balanced dinner, you have to plan to eat the salmon with other foods. Side dishes like rice or vegetables are great. Luckily, these are easily available on your way to Costco. Another small issue I noticed was the quantity. Three pieces of salmon felt odd compared to the even numbers of other foods like tacos (12 pieces) or peppers (6 pieces). Still, this salmon meal deserves a favorable review and is worth buying.

This pizza is found among the pre-made pizzas at Costco. Their Take-and-bake Margherita pizza is a favorite of many. This simple, fresh ingredient pairing makes for a consistently delicious pizza. I wanted to see what Costco’s version of the pizza would look like. Through the window of the box, you can clearly see what’s on top. The bottom layer is shredded cheese and then slices of fresh mozzarella. It’s visually pleasing when you look at it. It’s a great option for feeding a lot of people, including guests who only eat vegetables.

On the first bite, the crust felt more like a flatbread crust. But that didn’t stop me from loving it. In fact, it gave a different texture that was nice. This square pizza is a great size and the toppings themselves taste very fresh.

A pizza pie costs $14.99, which is not a bad price, and is roughly like ordering pizza delivery. However, there is no extra charge or tip for eating this pizza. I would definitely consider getting this again if I were to shop at the Warehouse next time.

Costco’s prepared foods are full of convenience, great value, and some surprising flavors have been discovered. It seems like they make mealtimes easier for everyone. Overall, these options are reliable, tasty, and affordable. This is great for busy people and families in need. After tasting these meals, I confirm that Costco offers more than just bulk foods, but also other delicious foods. It’s a culinary shortcut worth exploring. Try it there and you’ll find more successes than failures.

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