We Tasted 11 Popular Costco Prepared Meals To See If They Live Up To Their Hype

In the land of Costco, convenience is everything. Whether it's buying things in bulk that'll last for months, or grabbing a quick bite to eat on the way out of the warehouse, finding ways to make your life easier is key to a successful shopping trip. While many people seem to be familiar with Costco's $5 rotisserie chicken, its prepared foods section hosts an array of pre-made meals that are also worth buying. The options range from quick bites, like wraps and tacos, to more upscale foods, like salmon with basil pesto butter. Most are sold by weight, with the exception of the rotisserie chicken, but as a whole, they're generally affordable.

Costco has prepared meals to fit everyone's taste and budget, and I wanted to see which of these meals were really worth the hype.In order to choose what foods to examine for this review, I looked at the best and worst prepared meals Costco had, took my own preferences into consideration, and went from there. At the end of the day, I think you'll be surprised by just how many of Costco's prepared meals are actually worth buying. 

Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on region. 

It wouldn't be a complete list of Costco's prepared meals if I didn't include its famous $4.99 rotisserie chicken. Even before I got a Costco membership several years ago, I was aware of its rotisserie chicken, which the company sells at a loss. I never knew if people were raving about the cost or if the taste was part of the hype. When I finally got my hands on one, though, I could tell people were ranting and raving for good reason.

There's something to be said about the primal urge to pull off pieces of rotisserie chicken by hand and eat it straight out of the package — which is one of the many things I love about grocery store rotisserie chicken. But it's also just as good as a part of a full meal. On top of being affordable, Costco has its chicken prep down to a science. Every time I get one, the chicken is fresh, juicy, and has a crisp, well-seasoned exterior. After shopping at Costco, the last thing I want to do is actually cook a full meal, so it's nice to grab a pre-cooked chicken and call it a night. That is, if the chicken makes it home without being picked apart in my passenger seat.

I eat Mexican food several times a week, so I was excited to try Costco's chicken street tacos. Each package contains enough ingredients to make 12 tacos and comes with tortillas, chicken, shredded cheese, shredded cabbage, salsa, cilantro lime crema, and a few lime slices. I'm personally a fan of doubling up on the tortillas, which does yield fewer total tacos, but the meal is still quite filling and could feed multiple people.

My absolute favorite element of the taco kit was the cilantro lime crema. I liked it so much that I could've easily eaten it with just a spoon. It added a great creamy, earthy element to an otherwise savory dish. The salsa was also unexpectedly delicious. I feel like pre-packaged salsas can be pretty hit or miss, but I was a fan of this one. I do wish it had more spice to it; however, it still complemented the tacos well. For a quick and easy meal that's filling and well-balanced — as it contains protein, vegetables, and carbs — it's definitely worth buying. It can be enjoyed by one person or feed the whole family. This meal was priced at $4.99 per pound, and my container was only $14.22. The price alone is a selling point, but the taste puts it over the top.

Meatloaf is a classic home-cooked meal, so I really wanted to see how Costco's version fared. Each container comes with one meatloaf, coated in a red sauce, and a pile of mashed potatoes topped with two pats of butter. After about an hour in the oven, everything is warmed to perfection. The butter was nice and melted into the potatoes.

I love potatoes in any form, so these were a hit for me. Paired with the meatloaf, it reminded me of a Sunday dinner spent with the family before gearing up for a fresh start to the week. It's the definition of "comfort food" — it's warm, filling, and indulgent. Though it doesn't come with a vegetable, there's no reason you can't pick up some nice green beans or a salad to serve it with while you're at Costco. The sauce on the meatloaf tastes ketchup-based and adds a nice, subtle sweetness to the dish, though the meatloaf itself seemed slightly under-seasoned. If you get a bite of the meatloaf on its own without any of the sauce on it, it's average at best. But with the sauce, I think it does the job well. 

I'm not sure I would ever purchase it again; however, I think this would be worth it for families with picky eaters or someone who wants an easy meal with a lot of protein and carbs. For me personally, the meatloaf didn't live up to the hype, but perhaps I have higher expectations when it comes to seasoning. 

Stuffed peppers are one of those dishes that have the potential to be really great or pretty blah depending on how they're made. Ultimately, what it comes down to is the seasoning. From what I've seen, the dish is typically comprised of a hollowed-out bell pepper filled with a variety of meats, veggies, and cheeses. They're a pretty nutrient-dense, low-carb dish, since the protein is cooked directly inside the vegetables. Each package contains six stuffed peppers, each filled with ground beef, rice, and cheese. They can be used as a main meal or a side dish to something more substantial.

I can't really say these live up to the hype. Unfortunately, they're quite bland, and I ended up having to supplement them with hot sauce. They're fine for a quick meal and are filling enough, but I don't have much positive stuff to say besides that. Even after I added hot sauce, they still weren't anything to write home about. Somehow, the meat and rice managed to mask any additional flavor that hot sauce added. I shared these meals with my brother, and while he seemed to enjoy the stuffed peppers, I thought they were a huge miss. They were edible, but not something I would consider spending money on again. Instead, I would rather make them at home and try fun ways to upgrade them to make them more interesting. 

I'm not the biggest fan of cooked fish, but the rave reviews and the basil pesto butter drew me in. Each package contains three salmon filets that need to be cooked in their metal tray for about 30 minutes. The smell that wafted throughout my apartment when the cooking time was up was a great preview of how delicious these would be.

Despite not being a big fish fan, I thought that these salmon filets were delicious. The basil pesto butter added a rich earthiness that made them taste indulgent. My biggest critique of this product was that it only included the salmon, so if you're looking for a completely hassle-free meal, this isn't necessarily it. To make it a full meal, you'll want to serve it with something like rice or greens; luckily, you can find these items at Costco. 

My last critique of the salmon has nothing to do with the taste, but rather the quantity. There are three filets in each package — which I found bizarre. All the other pre-portioned meals had an even number. There were 12 tacos in each kit, six stuffed peppers, and four wraps, which makes the odd number of salmon filets stand out. That being said, the taste outweighs the negatives for me, making it a meal that's definitely worth the hype.

Costco sells two premade pizzas (aside from what's offered in its food court), including a favorite of mine: the Margherita. It's a classic pizza, and I was curious to taste Costco's interpretation of it. When you look through the window on the box, you can see shredded cheese topped with slices of mozzarella, globs of pesto, and cherry tomatoes. Not only is it a classic option for pizza lovers, but it will help feed a crowd of vegetarian guests as well. 

I was actually pleasantly surprised by this pizza. The crust is more reminiscent of flatbread than pizza, but that didn't bother me. I still found it quite enjoyable. This square pizza could easily be sliced into eight individual pieces, or however you like to cut it. Either way, my pizza cutter easily slid through the crust. The toppings themselves tasted fresh and bright, which is what I was looking for in a Margherita pizza. While it may not be the most nutrient-dense option on this list, the carbs are worth it.  

Even the corners of the crust that didn't have as many toppings still held their own; they're light and airy with a nice crunch. At $14.99 per pie, it's about the same amount as delivery — just without the extra fees and tips. It's affordable, filling, and tastes great, so I would definitely consider getting this again on a future Costco run. 

The other premade pizza that Costco sells is its combo pizza, which features a little bit of everything. If you peer into the package window, you can see the cheese, pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and onions. Underneath all that is a layer of red sauce and the same square flatbread crust that the Margherita pizza has. Since both pizzas are fresh instead of frozen, they only need to be baked for about 10 minutes in the oven before they're ready to be served.

I was a huge fan of the combo pizza's taste. Perhaps as a child, I would've had a much different opinion at the sight of vegetables on my pizza, but as an adult, I quite enjoyed it. The meats and vegetables help balance out the carbs. Of course, not everyone is going to like every topping, but this pizza can probably suffice if you're feeding multiple people. It's reminiscent of any "supreme" or "deluxe" pizza you might order from a pizzeria, but the ingredients taste fresher. The ingredients all married together beautifully and made for a delicious bite. If you're looking to bring home a pizza to cook for dinner after your trip to Costco, the take-and-bake combo pizza is a solid option.

I'm a huge fan of the chicken bacon ranch flavor combination, so I was excited to try these wraps. Each package contains four wraps and a container of ranch for dipping. That being said, the wraps themselves taste like they already have ranch in them, so the dip is presumably for those who need just a little bit more. They're made with Costco's rotisserie chicken, bacon, and the dressing, along with baby spinach, red onions, tomato, and shredded cheddar cheese — all tucked into green spinach wraps. 

If you happen to work in an office or need a simple, zero-effort meal prep, these are a great option. I thoroughly enjoyed coming back to these throughout the week for quick, hassle-free lunches. In fact, it's something I intend to purchase for weeks when I don't have the energy or time to make lunch, or simply need a good, fresh option for a road trip. They were quite filling and felt healthy, thanks to the vegetables and protein. The ranch gave them an indulgent twist. There are a lot of situations where a handheld bite is the way to go, whether it's an on-the-go lunch, a beach day, a road trip, or a hike. The wraps on their own, or with the extra ranch, are great. These are still worth the hype, even without the extra dip.

Much like the chicken street tacos, the tempura shrimp taco kit features 12 servings of tempura shrimp, corn and flour tortillas, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and cilantro lime crema. After a few minutes in the oven, the tempura shrimp is ready to be served with the provided toppings. I was a big fan of the chicken street tacos, so I was excited to see how these compared.

The tempura shrimp itself was pretty good, but the assembled tacos were rather underwhelming. The pico de gallo lacked flavor, and the cabbage didn't add much aside from some much-needed crunchy texture. The cilantro lime crema was as delicious as it was in the chicken street taco, but it fell flat when paired with the shrimp. While I appreciate the freshness of the toppings and the tail-off shrimp, I was overall unimpressed by this meal. If you're looking to have a taco night, I would recommend the chicken tacos over the shrimp tempura any day.

While a pot of chili isn't the most laborious meal to make, sometimes it's nice not to have to make it yourself. Thankfully, Costco sells containers of it that come topped with shredded cheddar cheese and parsley. Since it's made with beef and beans, it has a decently high protein content for anyone looking to bulk up. That being said, it also comes with a whopping 1380 milligrams of sodium. Nutrition values aside, I was curious to see how this Costco chili tasted. 

To say I was a fan would be an understatement. It's hearty, well-seasoned, and warms you from the inside out. It would be a great meal to chow down on during cold winter months or to use for chili dogs or Cincinnati chili. Even the most difficult-to-please crowd, Reddit users, have lots of good things to say about it. It reminded me of a chili my grandfather made when I was a kid, and it's been many, many years since I've gotten to enjoy a bite of it. I think this chili would be a winner for someone without the nostalgic ties to its flavor profile, too. 

Given how popular Costco's rotisserie chicken is, it's no surprise it's found other ways to utilize this product. I prefer eating soups during fall and winter, so I had to try out the rotisserie chicken noodle soup to see how it compared to the chicken on its own. And despite trying a bowl during a warm night, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Not to knock on Campbell's, but this was arguably the best store-bought chicken noodle soup I've ever had. Costco didn't skimp on add-ins, so you get hearty chunks of chicken, carrots, and celery, all cooked to perfection, rather than just spoonfuls of broth. The overall taste was peppery, which compelled me to go back in for spoonful after spoonful. This is also a great way to enjoy the rotisserie chicken without having to deal with the leaky bag it's packed in.

I will say, though, this soup is expensive for what it was. It was priced at $4.67 per pound, and since each container is between 4 and 5 pounds, you're spending nearly $20 on a container of soup. I often think of soups as an inexpensive meal, and the canned ones at the grocery store typically cost between $1 and $2. However, after trying it, I had no issues with the cost. Whether you're just looking to stay warm or in need of a good comfort meal, the rotisserie chicken noodle soup is an option that's well worth the hype.