15 Things I buy at Costco for Quick and Healthy Meals

Is putting together healthy meals and snacks a challenge? I’ve got ya covered! I’ve put together my favorite things to buy from Costco that are perfect for making quick and healthy meals and snacks.

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I love shopping at Costco! But I will say that some things are more cost-effective than others, especially for my family. However, of these 15 Things to Buy at Costco, I feel like I’m getting a really great value, and with most items on this list, even better than what I would find at a grocery store.

Before I get into my list of 15 Things to Buy at Costco, I want to pass along some tips for getting the most out of your shopping trip:

Avoid Costco on the weekends. The parking lot alone is a nightmare, and getting in and out of there unscathed is nearly impossible. Do your best to plan on getting their during the week. Weekday mornings are always a good time – everything is well stocked, clean and un-crowded.
Go by yourself, not with your kids. I feel like this is a good rule of thumb any time you are shopping. When you are there by yourself, you can get in and out relatively quickly, and you don’t have little hands randomly putting extra stuff in your cart, or having a melt-down in the middle of the frozen foods section.
Don’t go hungry! Those samples will get you every time. Eat breakfast or lunch, and then plan on doing your shopping on a full stomach. It’s true what they say, if you are hungry while grocery shopping, you’ll make all kinds of unhealthy choices that you would never make if you were full and focused.
ALWAYS have a list! Having and following your list is not only helpful in staying within your budget, it is really helpful in making healthy food choices. Additionally, when you are meal prepping for your week, it’s critical to have all of your needed ingredients when it comes time to do the cooking. If you don’t have a list, you are much more likely to forget something, and then your plan for meal prepping is nearly shot before you even start. Good news, you guys! I’ve created a list, specifically for Costco. It includes all my favorite items, plus extra room to jot down your other necessities (I also love buying laundry detergent, dishwasher tabs and toilet paper at Costco!) Get your list here!

Things to Buy at Costco: Prepared Foods

1. Hand-Pulled Rotisserie Shredded Chicken (White/Breast Meat)

This might be my favorite thing to buy at Costco. Not only is this chicken precooked and ready to be put in soups, salads and numerous other recipes, it’s already shredded for you. Yes, you could purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred it yourself, but that takes time. On weeknights, when time is especially tight, I need things that are quick, simple and healthy. This chicken checks those boxes!

Price: $12.99 Location: In the refrigerated prepared foods section

Recipe ideas for this Rotisserie Shredded Chicken:

Things to Buy at Costco: Frozen Foods

2. Alaskan Salmon Burgers

These a big-time family favorite at my house. With 20 grams of protein per burger, they’re also an awesome healthy option for lunches and quick dinners.

I love these salmon burgers because you don’t have to thaw them. We love grilling these on our outdoor grill, but you can also pan-sear or cook them on an indoor grill pan. Pair with some veggies and rice and you’ve got yourself a healthy, delicious dinner!

Price: $15.99, pack of 12 burgers Location: Frozen Foods Case, near the frozen beef burgers and chicken nuggets

3. Raw Frozen Shrimp

Costco is probably the best price I’ve found for raw, frozen shrimp. I like buying raw because you can cook it to your specifications (you can’t do that with pre-cooked shrimp.)

Price: $15.99, 2 lbs Location: Frozen Foods Case, with the rest of the seafood

Recipe ideas to make with this shrimp:

4. Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon Filets

I prefer wild caught salmon versus farm raised. It tastes better, and might be a little more nutritious. Caveat: it’s also a bit more expensive than farm-raised. However, I’m happy to pay a little more money for a better cut of fish.

I also love buying this salmon because the filets are individually wrapped, so I can take out just what I need, versus thawing the entire package.

Price: $32.99 for 3 lbs., Location: Frozen Foods Case with the seafood

Recipe ideas for this Salmon:

5. Riced Cauliflower (Cauliflower Rice)

This is actually a rather new Costco discovery for me, and I was super pumped when I found it! This package contains 5, 16 oz (microwave steamable) bags of rice. I absolutely love using cauliflower rice any time I’m meal prepping healthy lunches for the week, and perfect to keep on hand for quick weeknight dinners, too!

Price: $7.59, Location: Frozen Food Case, near the frozen vegetables

Recipe ideas/Pair with my:

Things to Buy at Costco: Produce

I will preface this by saying that it is only worth it for you to buy produce at Costco if you and your household can consume it in a relatively quick fashion.

Produce at Costco is a great value for the amount, but just like everything else, you have to buy a large quantity of the item. If you cannot consume the produce before it goes bad, you might not be getting your moneys worth. Here are a few produce items I love getting at Costco:

6. Berries (Blueberries, Strawberries and Raspberries)

Berries are something my family pretty much always loves for breakfast and snacks. On top of yogurt or in a smoothie, berries are a healthy and tasty ingredient. Depending on the season you can get a good sized container of berries for a reasonable price.

Price: (depending on seasonality) $3.99, Location: Walk-in refrigerator case or open produce section

Recipe ideas:

7. Apples

If your family is anything like mine, we go through apples at warp-speed rate! That’s a good thing, as I want my family to be eating healthy fruit, and apples are always a great grab-and-go snack. I will slice these to add to my sons’ lunch box or snack with a little bit of nut butter.

Price: (depending on size of bag/package and variety) $11.99, Location: open produce section

Recipe ideas:

8. Vegetable Tray

FYI – you do NOT have to have a party to buy this vegetable tray. This is also one of my favorite things to buy at Costco.

This veggie tray is a great way to buy an assortment of vegetables that are already pre-washed and cut. This is great for snacking, lunchboxes and even for steaming as a side for a weeknight dinner.

Price: $9.99, Location: walk-in refrigerator case

Recipe ideas:

9. Spring Mix

Any type of spring or spinach mix is something I pretty much always have in my refrigerator. Making a quick salad or meal-prepping salads for the week, a good salad mix is essential.

I’ve discovered that the price of this Organic spring mix is the best around at $3.79. I’ve checked at multiple stores and locations, and it is rare to find a lower price anywhere else.

Price: $3.79, Location: walk-in refrigerator case

Recipe ideas:

10. Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are another produce item that pretty much always have on hand. I love mixing these into a pasta dish or simply snacking with my lunch. I will also add these to just about any salad I make or meal-prep.

Price: $6.79, Location: open produce section

Recipe ideas:

Things to buy at Costco: Refrigerated Goods

11. Eggs

I will say that up until recently, I did NOT buy eggs at Costco. You use to only be able to buy the giant 5-dozen pack of eggs, which was too much for my family to consume before they would go bad. HOWEVER, Costco recently started selling 2-dozen cartons of eggs. This is the perfect amount, and great for all things breakfast!

Price: $3.49 (2-dozen carton), Location: refrigerator case

Recipe ideas:

Healthy Breakfast Sandwiches
Ham & Veggie Baked Egg Cups
Healthy Egg Salad
Baked Spinach & Mushroom Frittata
Everything in my Breakfast Meal Prep Post

12. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts and/or Thighs

Chicken breasts are something that I pretty much always have in my freezer to take out for a quick weeknight meal. In the summer we will grill these almost once a week.

In the winter, they are a staple in my slow cooker or for skillet dinners. I like the fact that these come pre-sealed in 6- 1 lb. sections so you can use them as needed.

Price: price varies depending on weight, Location: Open refrigerator case, near bakery area

Recipe ideas:

Things to Buy at Costco: Dry Goods

13. Spices

Spices might just be the absolute best value for your buck at Costco! Depending on the item, you can typically get 6-8x more for your money than a regular sized container from the standard grocery store. I love picking up things like Dry/Minced Onion (which I use pretty often), taco seasoning and Montreal Steak Marinade.

Price: vary depending on size and type of spice, Location: baking goods aisle

Recipe idea:

14. Canned Diced Tomatoes

This is a pantry staple at my house. I continually use diced tomatoes a few times a week, and are great for pasta dishes, soups and stews. It’s a great price for organic.

Price: $5.99/case of 8, 14.5 oz. cans Location: Canned Goods Aisle (near pasta)

Recipe ideas:

15. Raw Honey

Once again, this is an amazing price for organic! We enjoy honey at our house, but I also like having something organic as an option to top my yogurt and berries, or to add to smoothies for a sweetener.

Price: $12.99/pack of three Location: Baking Goods Aisle, near the peanut butter

Recipe ideas:

There you have it! My 15 Essential Items that I always buy at Costco for making quick & healthy meals and snacks. I hope this list along with the recipe ideas is helpful in getting dinner on the table or lunches meal-prepped for the week.

Looking to focus on healthy eating? Here are some of my healthy eating resources:

Do you have some go-to items from Costco that help you eat healthy? I would love to hear them! Leave me a comment or tag me on Instagram @delightfulemade with a photo of your item or shopping cart! Oh, and DONT forget your list! Get it below 🙂