Plummeting temperatures mean cozy sweats, fireplace on, and plenty of comfort food. Even if overindulgence is the name of the game over the holidays, there's something tempting about having a warm and comforting meal in the depths of winter, even if it may not be the healthiest choice.
Once the holiday cookies and chocolates make their way out of Costco, in comes the foods that warm your belly and ease your stress. Let's be honest, this isn't the list of meals that nutritionists recommend, but they sure are delicious.
In true Costco fashion, plenty of them are found in the prepared foods section, meaning they are large enough for a family and you'll have to do nothing more than heat up the meal and devour it. Ideal on busy weeknights and during snowstorms.
Here are 20 comfort food meals that are worth the indulgence.
Kirkland Signature Beef Pot Roast with Gravy
Stocked in the deli section by the packaged soups, you'll find Kirkland's version of a beef pot roast with gravy. Although the package comes sans the vegetables you'd normally find in a pot roast, one Redditor says this year it's better than it's ever been, "very little fat, tender and tasty beef." Heat in the microwave or sous vide/heat up in the bag. The pot roast is $6.99 per pound in the warehouse.
Panera Mac & Cheese
Costco has many different versions of macaroni and cheese, ranging from its own beloved massive tray of pop-in-the-oven mac to boxed mac and everything in between. This Panera version is two 24-ounce containers that you can heat up at any time (less gargantuan than the Kirkland version) and it's easy as a side or main dish in minutes. It'll cost $11.89 in the warehouse for the two-pack.
Shepherd's Pie
We all know that Costco does massive pies and it's no different on the savory side. The Shepherd's Pie, running $3.79 per pound, weighs in close to six pounds. The pie is filled with beef, caramelized onions, corn, peas, carrots and mushrooms and topped with a hefty layer of mashed potatoes and a sprinkling of parsley. Put in the oven for about 45 to 50 minutes and dinner is served.
Chicken Pot Pie with Rotisserie Chicken
This love it or leave it chicken pot pie may ruffle up a ton of varying opinions, but everyone can agree that it's certainly a comfort food. Similar to the shepherd's pie, this monstrosity can weigh close to six pounds, running at $3.99 a pound. The flaky crust is filled with chunks of rotisserie chicken, peas, and carrots.
Cannelloni with Butternut Squash and Sausage
Unsurprisingly, Redditors have opinions on this seasonal prepared food. Some call it too sweet. Others complain about too much nutmeg. Some absolutely love it. You can decide if it's worth indulging at $5.99 per pound.
Beef Chili
Few things are more comforting than a big bowl of chili while watching football on Sundays. Costco makes enough of its version to serve a large crowd or to last for a week. Jazz it up with oyster crackers, cheese, and onions, and you'll be in business. It's $3.49 per pound in the warehouse.
Roli Roti Cheese Potato Bake
What started as a food truck in the Bay Area has become a staple brand that you'll find throughout Costco. One of Roli Roti's newest side dishes is the indulgent cheese potato bake made with decadent Swiss cheeses like raclette, rmmentaler Swiss, and asiago over heirloom potatoes. You'll get two 18-ounce pouches for $9.99 at the warehouse.
Savora Irish Beef Stew
Savora's products are meant to be heated up sous vide—that is, inside the bag, submerged in a pot of hot (not boiling) water—a method preferred by many chefs and home cooks. This dish is made of premium beef, creamer potatoes, carrots and onions. It will run you $5.49 per pound in the warehouse.
Vicky's Kitchen Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breast
Chicken breasts aren't particularly indulgent but when you stuff them with broccoli, cheddar and rice pilaf, you are towing the line between healthy and comforting. However you want to view it, these chicken breasts will run you $7.99 per pound and you'll find them in the deli section.
Meatloaf with Mashed Yukon Potatoes and Glaze
Costco has its own meatloaf and mashed potatoes meal that you can just reheat and eat. It's relatively inexpensive compared to other dishes, just $3.99 per pound in the warehouse for a complete meal with one side glazed meatloaf and the other mashed Yukon potatoes. Although some shoppers on Reddit have complained that it takes awhile to reheat, there is no extra cooking prep required.
Rana Tagliatelle and Vodka Sauce with Italian Sausage and Calabrian Chili
Costco always carries a variety of the Rana fresh pastas. The latest one is particularly indulgent. Fresh tagliatelle and a creamy vodka sauce with Italian sausage and Calabrian chiles come in the package to simply combine, cook and serve. The 38-ounce package will cost $11.99 in the warehouse.
Farm Rich Breaded Cheese Curds
You don't have to be from Wisconsin to revel in the comfort of fried cheese curds. This 2.5-pound box is found in the frozen section for $10.99. You can air-fry them, bake them in the oven, or deep fry them and you'll definitely want to eat them while they're hot, preferably with a side of ranch.
Kirkland Beef Lasagna
When comparing the Kirkland-brand beef lasagna from the deli and this frozen version, shoppers on Reddit are surprisingly strongly in favor of the freezer product. Some even proclaimed that it's the best frozen lasagna they've ever had. That's a good thing because you get two separate three-pound trays in one package. Now is a good time to stock up on the ground beef lasagna as well because it's on sale for $14.89, the regular price around $18.89 in the warehouse.
Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pies
If you are looking for individual pot pies you can make on demand instead of the ginormous Costco prepared-foods version, these seem to be well-liked. Eight 10-ounce frozen pies come per box, ready to put in the oven whenever someone needs dinner. For $13.99 in the warehouse, these are a good thing to have on hand for some instant comfort food.
Annie's Organic Cinnamon Rolls
Some may argue that fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls are the ultimate breakfast comfort food and this three tube pack of Annie's Organic cinnamon rolls allows that smell to waft through your house whenever you are in the mood. On sale now for $11.49, they'll regularly cost you $14.99.
Deep Indian Kitchen Butter Chicken
This traditional spiced creamy tomato chicken comes with Basmati rice for a complete and belly-warming meal. The package contains four 10-ounce bags, meaning you can indulge whenever the craving hits for some Indian comfort food. It'll cost you $15.99 in the warehouse.
Petite Cuisine Mozzarella Sticks
A five-pound box of mozzarella sticks may seem like a lot, but put a bunch of kids in a room and these will fly. The ultimate nostalgic food that needs no excuse, mozzarella sticks are delicious and comforting. And for $10.69 in the warehouse, it's worth adding to your freezer.
Nongshim Tonkotsu Ramen
You may just have to add water and microwave this ramen, but the result is a rich and comforting pork broth filled with noodles. It's nice to have a pantry selection that can provide immediate comfort, too. A pack of six bowls runs you $11.69 in the warehouse.
Kirkland Signature Butter Croissants
A croissant in Paris may be the real comfort food but Costco makes their own in their bakery down the street, so you can take that as second best. These buttery flaky croissants will cost you around $6 for 12 of them and they're worth the indulgence.
Rispo Mac and Cheese Bites
If you like your mac and cheese with a little crunch, then you'll like these breaded bites, which are made in Italy. A two-pound box containing 30 bites is $13.89 at the warehouse. "Put them in the air fryer and they came out nice and crunchy," wrote one fan on Reddit. "Served with some Costco Tomato Sauce with 3 cloves of Garlic in it made for a nice snack on a cold day."