20 Costco Foods I Buy When I Don’t Feel Like Cooking

I cook a lot at home, but there are plenty of days when I just don’t feel like cooking. That’s when I rely on easy Costco meals I can keep in the refrigerator or freezer.

Some of these just need to be reheated, while others go straight into the air fryer, oven or microwave. And on the days when I really don’t want to do anything, there’s always Costco food court pizza.

One other thing that matters for our family: my son has a peanut and tree nut allergy, and everything on this list has been safe for him based on the products we’ve personally bought and the labels at the time. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change, so always check the current package if you’re shopping for someone with a food allergy.

Here are the Costco foods I buy when I want dinner to be easy.

Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka Masala

Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my go-to Costco meals when I want something fast. My kids love it, and it’s not spicy at all.

It’s also one of the only ways my son can eat chicken tikka masala. Indian restaurant versions often contain nuts or may be made in kitchens where nuts are used, so this is something we usually avoid when eating out.

The chicken comes in a creamy tomato curry sauce, and all I have to do is heat it up. I usually serve it with rice, which makes this one of the easiest dinners in our house.

Kirkland Signature Chicken Alfredo

Costco’s Chicken Alfredo is one of those easy meals my kids always like.

It comes with pasta, chicken, Alfredo sauce and cheese, so there’s no prep. I just put it in the oven and dinner is taken care of.

I also like that I know my kids will actually eat it.

Royal Asia Prawn Hacao

Royal Asia Prawn Hacao is one of my favorites.

I think these taste pretty authentic for something from the Costco freezer section. The wrapper is nice and chewy, and they remind me of the shrimp dumplings you’d get at a dim sum restaurant.

They’re easy to steam and work well for lunch, a snack or part of dinner.

Kirkland Signature Birria Tacos

I haven’t seen Costco’s birria tacos at my warehouse in a while, but I’m still including them because they’re my son’s favorite Costco prepared food.

They’re easy to make and come with everything you need to put the tacos together. I like to air fry them so the tortillas get nice and crispy.

If they come back to my Costco, I’m definitely buying them again.

Kirkland Signature Chicken Pot Pie

Costco’s Chicken Pot Pie is one of the best values in the prepared-food section if you’re feeding a family.

The pie is huge. I can usually feed my family of four for two meals with one chicken pot pie, and it costs around $24 at my warehouse.

That’s hard to beat for a prepared dinner.

It does need a while in the oven, but there’s basically no work involved other than putting it in and waiting.

Sabatino’s Chicken Piccata

Sabatino’s Chicken Piccata is a newer favorite in our house, and my husband and kids all like it.

The chicken can look a little raw or unappetizing straight out of the package, but once you add the sauce and heat everything up, it’s really good.

It’s one of those meals that tastes like more effort than it actually takes.

Rana Beef & Short Rib Lasagna

Lasagna is one of those meals I like eating but don’t always feel like making.

That’s why I like Rana’s Beef & Short Rib Lasagna.

It takes some time in the oven, but there’s very little work involved. I just put it in and let it cook.

Just Bare Chicken Breast Chunks

Just Bare Chicken Breast Chunks are probably my number one lazy meal.

I just put them in the air fryer, and my kids love them every time.

There’s no prep and barely any cleanup. I like keeping a bag in the freezer because I know I can always make a quick meal out of it.

I’ll add fries, vegetables or rice on the side depending on what we have.

Trident Fish Sticks

Trident Fish Sticks are my daughter’s favorite.

I just air fry them until they’re crispy. That’s it.

They’re one of those freezer foods I like having around because I know she’ll eat them and I don’t have to think too hard about dinner.

Costco Food Court Pizza

Sometimes I don’t even want to heat something up.

That’s when Costco food court pizza comes in.

One of my Costco shopping habits is to call in my pizza order while I’m still shopping. By the time I’m finished, I can pick it up on the way out.

Dinner is done before I even get home.

Guinness Battered Fish

Guinness Battered Fish is a newer Costco find for us.

If we’re in the mood for fish but don’t want fish sticks, this is what I make. My kids love it.

I just cook the pieces until they’re hot and crispy and serve them with an easy side.

Jamaican Beef Patties

Jamaican beef patties are my son’s favorite.

He’ll even eat them for breakfast.

I usually microwave the patty first and then finish it in the air fryer so the outside gets crispy.

That works better than microwaving alone because you still get the crispy crust.

Costco Chicken Street Tacos

Costco’s Chicken Street Taco kit is an easy dinner because most of the work is already done.

The chicken, tortillas and toppings are all there. I just heat everything up and put the tacos together.

Mama Mancini’s Meatballs

Mama Mancini’s Meatballs aren’t quite as lazy as some of the other meals on this list because I still have to cook pasta.

But they’re one of our go-to shortcuts when I want something easy that still feels like a regular homemade dinner.

I heat up the meatballs and sauce, cook a pot of pasta and put everything together. It takes a little more effort than tossing something in the air fryer, but it’s still much easier than making meatballs from scratch.

It feels like a full dinner without all the chopping and prep I’d normally have to do for taco night.

Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken

You really can’t beat Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken. If I’m shopping at Costco and realize I have nothing planned for dinner that night, I’ll almost always pick one up.

I’ll servie the chicken with white rice, salad or an easy side. 

For $4.99, it’s one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get dinner on the table, and it’s one of those Costco staples I buy over and over again.

Kirkland Signature Shepherd’s Pie

Costco’s Shepherd’s Pie is another good value for my family.

One pie usually feeds my family of four for two meals, and it costs around $24 at my warehouse.

It’s filling, topped with mashed potatoes and easy to heat up in the oven. I especially like meals like this because we usually have leftovers for the next day.

Costco Sushi

Costco sushi is one of the easiest meals on this list because there’s nothing to cook.

Our favorites are the Shrimp Tempura Crunch Rolls and the California Crunch Combo.

I can bring a tray home, put it on the table and dinner is done.

Bibigo Sobaba Crunchy Glazed Chicken

Bibigo Sobaba Crunchy Glazed Chicken is my son’s favorite.

It’s really easy. I just air fry the chicken, add the glaze and serve it.

I think of it as a more elevated version of chicken nuggets. You still get crispy chicken that kids like, but the glaze makes it feel more like a takeout meal.

Add rice and dinner is done.

Seeds of Change Quinoa & Brown Rice

Seeds of Change Quinoa & Brown Rice is my backup rice when I didn’t plan ahead and forgot to make rice in the rice cooker.

The pouches are already cooked, so I can heat one in the microwave in about 90 seconds.

I like having these around for meals like chicken tikka masala or one of the Asian freezer meals on this list.

It saves me on those nights when dinner is ready and I suddenly realize I forgot the rice.

Crazy Cuizine Mandarin Orange Chicken

Crazy Cuizine Mandarin Orange Chicken is another freezer meal I like keeping around.

I cook the chicken, toss it with the orange sauce and serve it over rice.

It’s an easy dinner for the nights when I want something fast without ordering takeout.

Whatever Costco Prepared Meal Looks Good That Week

One of the reasons I like Costco for easy meals is that the selection changes all the time.

Between the prepared-food section, refrigerated meals and freezer aisle, I can usually find something that keeps me from having to cook dinner from scratch.

I still cook plenty of meals at home, but I also like having a few shortcuts around.

And on the nights when I really don’t feel like doing anything, I’m calling in that Costco pizza order while I shop.