10 Costco Ready-to-Eat Meals That Are Better Than Takeout for a Fraction of the Cost

Costco's prepared foods section goes well beyond the famous $4.99 rotisserie chicken. Tucked into the deli case and freezer aisles are fully cooked entrees built for nights when cooking from scratch isn't happening; some need zero heat at all, others are ready in about five minutes flat.

This roundup covers 10 items you can get with your Costco membership that are easy to turn into a real meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) with next to zero effort. Standouts include a Korean BBQ beef, smoked salmon you eat straight from the pack, and sous-vide egg bites that cost a fraction of the coffee-shop version.

You'll never regret stocking up on these easy Costco meals.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Price: $19.99

Costco's own product page says it plainly: "Ready in 5 Minutes." Sous-vide-cooked grass-fed beef strips come pre-portioned in a soy-free bulgogi-style sauce. Just heat and serve, no seasoning or searing required.

Spoon it over steamed rice or into lettuce cups with sliced cucumber and green onion for a five-minute Korean BBQ bowl.

The 32-ounce tray is made with grass-fed sirloin beef raised without antibiotics, and Costco lists it as gluten-free, paleo and soy-free. The sweet and spicy sauce gets its flavor from coconut aminos, garlic and toasted sesame seeds, and the package holds about 6.5 servings. It's sold in the warehouse only, so check your local Costco's deli case before you go.

Price: $15.99

Sukhi's calls this a "5 Minute Ready Meal" right on the label: chicken simmered in a creamy tomato curry sauce that only needs reheating. You get 2 counts of 18-ounce packs.

One shopper, JimminSD, left a glowing review, calling it "Flavorful and good quality."

Costco lists it as gluten-free and halal, made with chicken raised without antibiotics, with 21 grams of protein per serving. Each pouch heats on the stovetop or in the microwave, and a 5-ounce serving has about 180 calories. Serve it over basmati rice or with warm naan to round out the meal, and save the second pouch for another night.

Price: $18.69

Get 40 ounces of slow-cooked pulled pork with no shredding or seasoning left to do with this Costco deal. Heat time is 5 minutes. Shopper Janet D vouches for it: "Excellent product. We've purchased it three times now and crisp it up in a cast iron skillet. We love it."

For reference, Walmart has listed a 15-ounce Del Real Foods Carnitas for $8.94 on Rollback; Costco's 40-ounce club size works out to a lower per-pound cost.

That's about $7.48 per pound at Costco versus about $9.54 per pound at that Walmart price. The carnitas are handmade in small-batch kettles, come in two pouches and are fully cooked. Pile them into warm tortillas with onion, cilantro and salsa for quick tacos.

Price: $14.49

"Fully Cooked" is right on Costco's product page. About 60 antibiotic-free chicken meatballs in a sweet-savory glaze that just need warming through.

For reference, Target sells a 10-ounce box of the same meatballs for about $6 while Costco's 46-ounce bag holds more than four times that. Turn it into dinner or lunch by tossing it over rice or noodles for dinner, or skewer a few as a no-fuss appetizer.

The meatballs are gluten-free, and some have small pieces of real pineapple mixed right in. They also reheat well in an air fryer, which gives them a slightly crispier outside in just a few minutes.

Price: $15.99

Fire-grilled and fully cooked, these come individually portioned with 22 grams of protein per pouch (10 counts in this deal). Costco's listing calls them "great for snacking," but they hold up as a meal-builder too.

Eat straight from the pouch, cold or warmed for 30 seconds — no skillet required.

Each 3.2-ounce pouch is its own serving, so the 10-count pack totals 2 pounds of chicken breast. The chicken is raised without antibiotics, and the bites are gluten-free. Toss a pouch into a salad, grain bowl or wrap, or pair it with a bagged salad kit for a fast, high-protein lunch.

Price: $25.99

No heat, no prep — this is genuinely ready to eat straight from the package, and it's a top-quality, delicious pick.

BeautyAmy left a review on Costco's website saying it all: "I have been buying this smoked salmon on repeat since I discovered it a year ago, and I haven't looked back! It has NO artificial coloring and contains only two ingredients: salmon and salt. Even high-end stores sell "wild-caught salmon" with added coloring, which is disappointing. I have bought this item at least 10 times now. It tastes great and is perfect for making lox for breakfast! P.S. I never found a bone in mine."

Price: $13.99

Labeled "Fully Cooked," these Italian-style jumbo beef meatballs come already simmered in sauce — just heat and serve. For reference, Target sells a 24-ounce package of the same meatballs for $11.99, while Costco offers 48 ounces for a few dollars more.

Turn it into dinner by heating it up in the microwave, then spoon over pasta, or pile onto a toasted sub roll with mozzarella for a meatball hoagie.

The meatballs are made with ground beef, Pecorino Romano and breadcrumbs, then packed in an Italian-style sauce with tomatoes, onion, olive oil, garlic and basil. The 48-ounce package holds eight jumbo meatballs.

Price: $16.99

Each kit comes with tuna salad, crackers, and a spoon, making this a perfect ready-to-eat lunch or mid-afternoon snack.

Costco's deal gives you 9 boxes, and with over 100 5-star reviews on the Costco site, you know this is a fan favorite. Shopper Kann66 left a review saying, "I love to keep these tuna and cracker packs on hand, and especially enjoy them for my short break at work. I don't have time to eat a whole lunch, and this feels more substantial than something like a sugary granola bar. They are reasonably priced for a nice prepared snack."

Each kit holds 3.5 ounces of tuna salad, and Costco.com offers the 9-count box with 2-day delivery.

Price: $10.20

A genuine zero-cook side or light meal — open the bag, toss with the included dressing, done.

Costco's 2-count of 12-ounce bags is a great deal for your healthy week lunches. Turn it into a dinner side or give it an upgrade by pairing it with some rotisserie chicken. Easy, healthy, delicious, and budget-friendly.

Each kit combines organic romaine, chicory, broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage and carrots with herb flatbread strips, feta crumbles and an organic basil balsamic vinaigrette. Each 12-ounce bag holds about three servings. Taylor Farms says one serving of its Mediterranean Crunch kit has about 150 calories, so it's a light option that still feels like a full plate.

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Price: $11.79

Sous-vide style egg bites have bacon, gouda, and egg cooked into individual portions that need about 30-45 seconds in the microwave.

Starbucks' Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites typically run about $5 for a 2-count, depending on location; Costco's 10-count works out to a fraction of that per bite. Microwave two bites and pair with fruit or toast for a five-minute breakfast that beats the drive-thru.

Each 21-ounce box holds 10 bites, or five two-bite servings, with 17 grams of protein per serving. Costco says they're made with cage-free eggs and are certified gluten-free, and the uncured bacon has no added nitrites or nitrates.

Costco's prepared foods aisle proves you don't need a stove to eat well on a busy week. Between the heat-and-eat entrees, the zero-prep proteins, and the grab-and-go salad kits, there's enough here to cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner without a single recipe.

You can definitely save money on groceries and avoid those last-minute expensive takeout prices. Just keep in mind, the stock can vary by warehouse, so check what's in your local Costco's deli case before building a menu around it.

And don't forget the $4.99 rotisserie chicken, which still hasn't budged in price and pairs with nearly everything on this list.