News & Trending Shopping & Deals News

14 Best Costco Meals to Make When You’re Too Tired to Cook

In a cooking rut? Costco offers a wide range of affordable, healthy, and delicious ready-made meals.

Best Costco Meals to Make When You’re Too Tired to Cook featured image
Updated Jan. 22, 2025
Fact checked

Between working full-time and doing household tasks, it's a wonder that any of us have time to get things done. Unfortunately, for the most part, we don't.

With so little time on our hands, it's often meal preparation that gets lost in the shuffle. If the last thing that you feel like doing after work is making dinner, then these Costco shopping hacks are for you.

Here are some incredibly easy meals you can make using ready-made items or ingredients from your local Costco.

Editor's note: Availability is subject to change and may vary by location.

Earn 2% cash rewards at grocery stores and Costco

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees) is a powerful rewards card that allows you to earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — including on groceries, even at warehouse stores like Costco.

New cardholders can also earn a one-time cash rewards bonus — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months!

If you’re looking for a powerful rewards card that offers an extended intro APR period, look no further, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card checks that box too!

This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable). Which is great for someone who wants a break from high interest rates, while still earning rewards.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card now.

Bibigo Beef Bulgogi Mandu

Courtesy of Costco Costco Bibigo Beef Bulgogi Mandu

Translating into the phrase "fire meat," bulgogi is a Korean dish made of high-end beef cuts coated in a sweet and savory sauce. Mandu, on the other hand, are Korean-style dumplings.

Combine the two, and what you get is absolute deliciousness. Plus, these dumplings are ready in only eight minutes.

Petite Cuisine Mozzarella Sticks

Courtesy of Costco Costco Petite Cuisine Mozzarella Sticks

If someone tells you Costco's Petite Cuisine Mozzarella Sticks aren't a full meal, they just might be right.

But there are easy ways to rectify the situation. Pair a quick salad with these delicious mozzarella sticks, and you've got yourself a meal.

Crazy Cuisine Mandarin Orange Chicken

Courtesy of Costco Costco Crazy Cuisine Mandarin Orange Chicken

Have a favorite local place for Chinese takeout? While it's great to support local businesses, it's not always the best thing for your wallet.

Luckily, you can mimic some of your favorite dishes at home with the help of the Costco frozen foods section.

This highly-rated mandarin chicken comes fully cooked. All you need to do is heat it and add some rice and/or veggies.

Alert: Americans lost billions to identity theft and fraud

According to the FTC, Americans lost over $10 billion to fraud and identity theft in 2023. Before your next online purchase, safeguard your data with all-in-one identity theft protection services from Aura.

Starting at just $9 per month, access Aura's Dark Web monitoring that scours data breaches for your sensitive personal data including Social Security numbers (SSN), Medicare information, and phone numbers.

Save up to 68% when you sign up today.

Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed Beef Patties

Courtesy of Costco Costco Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed Beef Patties

Burgers are such an obvious choice that we almost didn't include them on this list. However, we would be remiss if we didn't let you know that Costco's Kirkland house brand makes a great burger patty.

This classic American meal also happens to be one of the easiest ones to put together. Just add a toasted bun and your favorite toppings. Heads up: Hamburger buns will last quite a while if you freeze them.

Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes

Courtesy of Costco Costco Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes

Since its inception in 1995, Kirkland Signature has come to be known as an indicator of quality. Luckily, Costco offers a wide variety of products under the Kirkland brand, including these tasty chicken bakes.

Made from an enticing blend of cheeses (mozzarella, provolone, parmesan), these chicken bakes are also stuffed with bacon, green onions, and Caesar dressing. Not bad for a quick weeknight meal.

Armanino Basil Pesto

Courtesy of Costco Costco Armanino Basil Pesto

Pesto is one of those foods that tastes amazing homemade. However, there's no denying that making it yourself takes a lot of work (and equipment). Plus, recipes that include pine nuts can be very expensive. Have you seen the price of pine nuts?

Fortunately, Costco offers a delicious pre-made frozen pesto product. Simply heat it, boil some pasta, and enjoy.

Frontera Chicken Fajita Bowl

Courtesy of Costco Costco Frontera Chicken Fajita Bowl

Sizzling fajitas at a restaurant are great, but Costco offers a ready-made fajita bowl that makes a delicious weeknight dinner. 

Instead of the other options on this list, which require you to make pasta or rice to accompany your meal, this fajita bowl comes ready to go with chicken, fajita sauce, peppers, and grain.

El Monterey Mexican Grill Taquitos

Courtesy of Costco Costco El Monterey Mexican Grill Taquitos

These taquitos come already frozen and are easy to make. All you have to do is pop them in the oven or microwave and wait for them to heat up.

Made from real cheese, charbroiled chicken breast, and flour tortillas, they're a wonderful after-work snack or meal.

Kirkland Signature Cheese Pizza

Courtesy of Costco Kirkland Signature Cheese Pizza

Sometimes, the most simple meals are the best ones. Often underappreciated and misunderstood, the cheese pizza is not just the choice of picky eaters and children at a birthday party.

Pizza is also a delicious meal, especially when it's dunked in your favorite hot sauce or even just ranch dressing. This Costco-brand pizza is made from 100% real cheese and comes with a delicious breadcrumb crust.

Get a protection plan on all your appliances

Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.

Whether or not you’re a new homeowner, a home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short and protect you against surprise expenses. If a covered system in your home breaks, you can call their hotline 24/7 to get it repaired.

For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.

Get a free quote

Rotisserie chicken

Courtesy of Costco Costco Rotisserie Chicken

Costco is famous for its rotisserie chicken. Not surprisingly, the company loses money on these chickens, which it sets at a bargain-low price point.

However, since you have to travel to the back of the store to pick up one of these chickens, Costco likely makes up for its losses when shoppers pick up other items.

In addition to eating the chickens on your own, you can also cut them up and add them to a stir fry or soup.

Ajinomoto Yakisoba with Vegetables

Courtesy of Costco Costco Ajinomoto Yakisoba with Vegetables

A stir-fry on its own is already a pretty quick meal. But, a stir fry out of a box is even quicker. The best news? It tastes way better than "stir fry from a box" sounds.

Made from all-natural ingredients, these Japanese-style noodles come with a delicious savory sauce and frozen vegetables. Another item on this list that's suitable for vegetarians.

La Boulangerie Ham and Swiss Cheese Pockets

Courtesy of Costco Costco La Boulangerie Ham and Swiss Cheese Pockets

If somebody tries to tell you that a ham and cheese croissant isn't a suitable meal on its own, then we give you permission to scoff at them. It's obvious they haven't spent a great deal of time in France.

These delicious pastries are perfect for when you're looking for a small dinner or are feeling too burnt out to cook.

Trident Seafoods the Ultimate Fish Stick

Courtesy of Costco Costco Trident Seafoods the Ultimate Fish Stick

Made from wild Alaskan pollock, these breaded pieces of fish are the perfect accompaniment to a rice or pasta dish. 

They're packed with protein, super versatile, and help change things up a bit if you're tired of eating chicken for the fourth time that week.

Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pies

Courtesy of Costco Costco Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pies

Chicken pot pies are about the closest thing to comfort food that you can get. However, there's a lot of prep that goes into making them, from chopping vegetables to making a sauce. Not to mention if you're making your own crust from scratch.

Luckily, we live in modern times, and modern times allow us to have a delicious ready-made chicken pot pie at the ready. Pick one up at Costco and see for yourself.

Bottom line

jetcityimage/Adobe Costco Wholesale location

Energy seems to come at a premium these days, and you need to conserve yours whenever you can.

Not only can you save money on groceries at Costco, but you can also save time on meal prep for the week. So, next time you're wondering what you're going to make for dinner, try these quick and easy Costco meals.

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

5.0
info

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details