The Costco Food Kit We Don't Talk About Enough, According To An Expert

There are few grocery store chains that have created a fanbase as passionate as Costco's. Of course, the big-box chain requires a membership, so maybe it makes sense that it would develop its own community. Certain things are expected from Costco in this club, though, and one of those things is budget-friendly prepared foods.

Costco fans will go on for days about how great the food court is — and they'll also call out other items that don't uphold the standards of quality and affordability. One Costco food court sandwich sparked backlash from fans because it was seen as not upholding these values. (Costco knows about this and will never shift prices on certain items like its $1.50 hot dog combo and $4.99 rotisserie chicken.)

Passionate conversations — and even whole websites — are devoted to these foods, but there are plenty of other great prepared foods at Costco that are often overshadowed.

Costco warehouses are huge, so you'd be forgiven for not knowing every item that's in stock. Most people also have go-to's that they pick up every time they visit. Costco is always introducing new and seasonal items as well, though.

One of Costco's consistent prepared foods is thought of as a sleeper hit by one of the chain's biggest fans. Laura Lamb, creator of the Instagram account @costcohotfinds, told Delish that one of her favorite prepared foods is Costco's street chicken taco kit. Just $15 will get you a dozen tortillas, pre-cooked and seasoned chicken, cheese, cabbage slaw, salsa, and cilantro lime crema. That all amounts to about three pounds of prepared foods  for a price that won't break the bank. Take it home, and give it a quick reheat for an easy weeknight taco dinner. 

The only assembly is left up to each diner, which gives this taco kit a fun, taco bar feel. You can also elevate it by adding more toppings and by preheating the tacos and chicken over the stove. This will warm the food and give the tacos a light, toasty flavor.

Another sleeper hit that makes for an easy dinner is Costco's stuffed peppers. These bell peppers come with a hardy filling of rice and ground beef as well as a light sprinkling of cheese on top. They also only cost $4.99 per pound, meaning they fulfill Costco's promise of affordability. With six peppers in each package, they usually come in around the $16 mark, but they can be spread out for a couple of meals, depending on how many mouths you need to feed. They're also easy to heat in the oven  and will save time on the dishes needed to cook beef and rice separately before even assembling homemade stuffed peppers.

If dishes are your biggest concern, another hardy option is the rotisserie chicken pot pie. These massive savory pies come in their own oven-ready tray, meaning that they're ready to go right from the store to your oven without adding an extra dish.

These pies are also enormous. They only cost $4.99 per pound, but because they're loaded up with chicken and vegetables in a creamy sauce, they can easily cost as much as $28. Thankfully, this stick-to-your-ribs meal is large enough to feed a family for a couple of meals and tastes just as good reheated.