When you become a Costco member, you unlock access to members-only perks, unique bakery offerings, and a ton of freezer aisle gems. Costco's frozen meals and staple products are well worth the investment, because making a meal requires a lot of steps: planning, shopping, chopping and preparing, and finally, cooking. For those days where you just don't have the time, they can be a saving grace just waiting in your freezer.
The popular warehouse club carries hundreds of different food items, so it can be difficult to sift through all of them on your own. But, you don't have to—there are plenty of shoppers who have already figured out the winners in every department.
Here are the 10 tried-and-true frozen meals you can count on at Costco, according to customers on Reddit.
Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna
If you're a regular Costco shopper, you're no stranger to the Kirkland Signature lasagna. It's been a highly-rated customer pick for years, and its reputation holds firm today. Customers on Reddit recommend picking up this whopping tray of carbs, meat, and cheese for an "easy meal." Many say this filling pasta dish of 100% USDA Choice-grade ground beef chuck and Italian sausage comes close enough to tasting homemade without any of the prep, so it'll do for a last-minute potluck if necessary.
Motor City Pizza
A long-standing favorite at the warehouse, Motor City Pizza offers a Detroit-style Double Pepperoni pizza that has won over countless shoppers. Some go so far as to say it's the best frozen pizza they've had in their life, according to comments on Reddit. "I bought this because i wanted to try something new. Maaaaan…I liked it so much, I went back the next day and bought 3 more boxes," wrote one fan of this meal. While it's not a particularly healthy option, it can save you from ordering delivery.
Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites
If you've ever added these egg bites to your coffee order at Starbucks, you probably know they're a steep price in the store. Fortunately, Costco's bulk pricing makes these Sous Vide Egg Bites a fraction of the cost.
"I love the Starbucks egg bites for a quick protein option when I've forgotten to buy or defrost something," one fan commented on Reddit. "They're great for breakfast by themselves, for lunch on a salad or for dinner with toast and whatever else you have laying around the house." Between the cottage cheese, cage-free eggs, and uncured bacon, eating two egg bites will start your day with 17 grams of protein, which is pretty good for an occasional snack on the go.
La Boulangerie Smoked Ham & Swiss Cheese Pockets
Sometimes you need something more satisfying than a granola bar when you're running between meetings. Well, skip the bakery and stash this pack of protein-filled pockets in your freezer. This croissant wraps around a smoked ham and aged Swiss center, making a quick and tasty sandwich for lunch. – like : "They aren't healthy, but the ham and swiss cheese pockets are amazing," raves one Redditor. "I'm healing from surgery and one of them bad boys with a couple mandarin oranges is a spectacular and easy lunch."
Ajinomoto Yakitori Chicken with Japanese Style Fried Rice
When you need to get a delicious dinner on the table in just minutes, this frozen meal does the trick. The Chicken Fried Rice by Ajinomoto comes in a pack of six individual nine-ounce bags for easy portioning. Customers love this Costco freezer aisle staple because it tastes like eating real food from a convenient package. The dish is made with white meat chicken, peas, edamame, and sliced bell peppers on a bed of seasoned rice.
"3 minutes in the microwave and you have a halfway decent serving of fried rice with actual chunks of actual chicken, and a detectable level of veggies that don't look like they were freeze-dried and rehydrated," wrote one Redditor. "The best thing, each serving is individually wrapped, rather than all being in one bag, so no need to cook a huge batch and store it when you're done."
Milton's Cauliflower Roasted Vegetable Pizza
Calling all gluten-free eaters! Milton's Cauliflower Crust Pizza is a Costco exclusive that you can pop in the oven for a party or a solo dinner. It's usually a good idea to have a frozen pizza in your ice box, just in case you have too much on your plate to think about making dinner.
This one comes topped with roasted zucchini, an assortment of bell peppers, onions, and a cheese blend of mozzarella, romano, and parmesan—but don't let that stop you from sprinkling on additional garnishes. "The Milton's cauliflower pizzas are great," wrote one commenter. "We add olives and diced tomatoes. Delish!"
Since the crust is made of vegetables, too, this pie isn't only tasty—it's also the healthiest frozen pizza at the warehouse, according to dietitians.
Chicken Potstickers
Dumplings are a filling appetizer that can feel like a meal if you eat enough of them in one sitting. You can also prepare them alongside other small dishes to put together a dim sum-like eating experience. Plus, when they come frozen in a giant bag, you can cook a few at a time without worrying about the rest spoiling.
While people may agree this Chinese side dish is one of the best frozen meals at Costco, the best brand of potstickers is a contentious topic. For some stores that sell both Ling Ling's All Natural Chicken & Vegetable Potstickers and Bibigo's Savory Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings, shoppers have debated which option is the better buy.
Those who prefer Bibigo contended that the Ling Ling wrappers were too thick compared to the amount of potsticker filling, while Ling Ling lovers said that the potstickers were better for steaming, pan frying, or adding to soups than the Bibigo dumplings.
A commenter with over 400 upvotes seemed to settle for a compromise by explaining the differences between each type: "They are just different styles of potstickers/gyoza – both are fine and it depends on your taste. Bibigo is Northern China/Korea/Japan style with thin wrappers and chunkier filling. Ling Ling is Southern China style with thick wrappers and smooth/minced filling."
The Redditor also claimed that each Costco differs products by regional preferences, so some locations will only carry one or the other. With plenty of fans on either side, you can't go wrong trying whichever you find at your local warehouse.
Bibigo Mini Chicken & Cilantro Wontons
This Chinese-inspired appetizer can be labor-intensive to make from scratch, so it's convenient that Costco sells this three-pound, resealable bag of Bibigo mini wontons already fully cooked. They're also very versatile. A few suggestions from Reddit users are to eat them pan-fried with sauce, as an addition to soups, or alongside vegetables and rice. "I use chicken broth, egg, tofu, and wontons to make a quick high protein egg drop soup," offered a commenter.
Baguio Raw Pork Lumpia
If you've never had lumpia before, this thin, golden, and crunchy spring roll comes from Filipino cuisine and is loved by many enthusiasts. Rather than having to shop at a specialty food store or make them on your own, you can go to Costco. The warehouse sells a large bag of 48 pork and vegetable lumpia rolls, wrapped and ready to cook. "My Filipino family is super picky on our Filipino food and we swear by these lumpia," raved a customer. "All the greatness of lumpia without the hard work!" Who doesn't love a delicious shortcut? Fry up the lumpia, pair with a dipping sauce and a side of rice, and dinner is served.
Kirkland Signature Garlic Butter Shrimp
Costco's store brand Kirkland Signature is known for carrying bulk meat and fish options that are packaged and portioned, which allows customers to use what they need and stash the rest in the freezer for later. These shrimp come in a handy two-pack, and customers say you can use it to turn a simple pasta dish from plain to impressive, since they're pre-seasoned with plenty of butter, romano cheese, garlic, onion, and parsley.
"You put the frozen shrimp in a skillet and the butter sauce melts off. While that cooked, I cooked spaghetti noodles and served the shrimp over the noodles," wrote one Kirkland shrimp fan. "….so delicious and easy and quick. I'm going back for more…" These shrimp are also ASC certified, meaning the seafood was responsibly sourced, from farms that meet the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's standards.