Costco Foods You Might Love Better Than Homemade Versions

There's nothing quite like a homemade meatloaf served with piping hot gravy over creamy mashed potatoes. Or, homemade baked ziti stuffed with delicious savory meat and gooey melted cheese. But, cooking like this every day might not be feasible because, let's face it, most people live busy lifestyles that don't leave room to make scratch food every single day. Sometimes you want homemade taste without homemade effort, and if this sounds like you, there's great news. Costco has you covered with a few select foods you might just love better than the homemade versions... or at least just as much.

Of course, not every pre-made meal at Costco is going to be a hit. Normally, it takes a lot of time, effort, trial, and error to figure out which meals are worthwhile and which are going to be a disappointing waste of your time that taste nothing like homemade. Thankfully for you, this article provides a fantastic starting point by offering nine food items that taste just as good as (or even better than) their homemade counterparts. Ready to find out which those are so you can add them to your next Costco shopping list? Let's get into it.

Homemade lasagna is likely one of your family's regular meals, served weekly in countless American households. But, it takes a lot of time and effort, so you can save yourself some time without sacrificing taste by popping this Kirkland Signature Sausage and Beef Lasagna into the oven instead. Fully prepared and delicious, this pre-made meal is stuffed full of meat and cheesy goodness meant to serve about six people. You can't tell the difference from a homemade version, and since it takes less time to make, you may love this even better.

On Reddit, one user claims that this is the best frozen lasagna they've ever had. Another says, "I keep a pack on hand for days I don't want to cook!!!" This is an excellent suggestion, and because it's frozen, these packages can last a long time before going bad. Just make sure to stock your freezer properly and avoid accidentally puncturing the packaging, so you don't end up with freezer-burned food.

Meatballs aren't just to be served over spaghetti. They're a versatile ingredient that can be used in countless dishes or even eaten alone as a snack. With this large bag of Kirkland Signature Italian Style Beef Meatballs, you can make numerous better-than-homemade dishes for your family — one bag contains an incredible 28 servings!

The best part about these meatballs isn't even that they're pre-cooked and ready to be popped in the microwave or oven. It's that they're truly delicious with perfect amounts of seasoning, nice sizing, and an amazing texture. One Reddit user says they "deserve all the praise in the world," while another claims their family eats them at least once a week. Another Reddit user offered suggestions about how to use these up, saying, "I love adding all kinds of different condiments to these. Spicy Thai peanut sauce, Hollandaise sauce, almost everything works."

Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that's beloved by adults and children alike for its melty, cheesy goodness. Sure, you could throw together a box of cheap mac and cheese and call it a night, but that doesn't come anywhere near the homemade versions. Thankfully, this Kirkland Signature Mac and Cheese does, and you'll get about 12 servings per container, meaning it's perfect for even larger families or gatherings.

Here, you have a delicious and well-made take on the classic comfort food that only requires heating up in the oven. You'll find it much easier and equally as delicious (if not more so) than homemade versions. Quality macaroni is paired with creamy cheese that's then topped with shredded cheese for a little extra taste and textural complexity. On Reddit, one person boldly declares that the Kirkland Signature Mac and Cheese is the best. They further offered, "I added toasted bread crumbs for extra texture!" What a great idea that you could easily try at home with minimal effort!

Meatloaf and mashed potatoes is such a classic combo that it just doesn't feel right eating one without the other. But Costco obviously knows this, because they offer a combination tray featuring both delicious masterpieces that's basically a whole meal. If you want, all you need to do is add your favorite veggie and maybe dinner rolls or cornbread if you're feeling extra fancy. Voila! A full, balanced meal in the time it takes to heat this meatloaf up in the oven.

If you're like most people, you'll find this pre-made combination comforting, delicious, and tasty. It's well-seasoned, and because it's so easy, you may just love it better than homemade versions. A Reddit user enthusiastically declared this combo incredible after having it for the first time. Other users chimed in on how good the Kirkland Signature Meatloaf with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes was, with one stating, "By far the best of the prepared meals they have IMO... the meatloaf is decently seasoned, moist, and the potatoes are very tasty."

For those nights where you need a full Italian meal but don't want to go through the effort of scratch cooking, the Kirkland Signature Chicken Alfredo with Penne Pasta is what you're looking for. It features thick chunks of seasoned chicken in a warm, rich alfredo sauce topped with cheese and parsley. You receive about 12 servings per container, so you can feed a crowd or feed a standard family with leftovers.

A Reddit user posted in the Costco subreddit to say that the "chicken alfredo is always good." Another person chimed in, saying that the chicken and sauce specifically are really fantastic. However, some said it needed a vegetable like broccoli to be more balanced. Thankfully, this is a super easy upgrade to do if you want to, although you don't have to! Just pop a bag of broccoli (or another vegetable you prefer) into the microwave to heat when this dish is almost done. Then, combine the two together and cook for an additional few minutes. You can top with extra cheese if that's your preference.

Stuffed bell peppers are a delicious homemade food that takes considerable time — you have to prep the stuffing, prep the peppers, and put everything together. But Kirkland Signature Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice skips all of that prep work and goes straight to popping it into the oven. The dish is well-seasoned, topped with cheese and absolutely stuffed to the brim with the ground beef and rice mixture.

One Reddit user enthusiastically said that these were really good, while another proudly stated, "this is my favorite premade from Costco!" Another person chimed in to agree that it was also their favorite Costco premade meal option. Some recipes include extra tomato sauce over the top, although this one does not. If that's your preference, just cook them three-quarters of the way through and then gently pour a can of seasoned tomato sauce over top of these before finishing off. Easy peasy!

Hummus can be a fantastic snack, especially when paired with crackers or fresh vegetables. Making your own doesn't take as long as making some of the other dishes on this list, but it still takes some time and quite a bit of effort. Skip that effort and opt for a hummus you might love better than homemade versions anyways — the Kirkland Signature Organic Roasted Pine Nut Hummus. This is, hands down, one of the best hummus recipes you'll ever have, and it may be the inclusion of pine nuts that elevates the flavor profile so much. It's a little salty, nutty, and creamy, with a nice seasoning profile.

One raving review on Reddit states, "I love it, occasionally use it as a mayo substitute in a sandwich." Keep this on hand in your refrigerator so you can eat it as a healthy snack whenever you're looking for something salty but not too salty. Or use it as a condiment, as the Reddit user suggested!

Looking for something warm, cheesy, gooey, loaded with goodness, and even better than homemade? The Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken Enchilada's have you covered. Made with their signature, delicious rotisserie chicken, these enchiladas are ready to eat after being heated up in the oven, so they'll save you significant time on dinner prep. Just be aware there are allergen warnings for wheat, dairy, and soy on the label, so it may not be an appropriate choice for families with specific allergies.

One fan of the dish on Reddit stated they get one of these about once a month to feed their family. Another said, "this is 100% in the rotation along with the meatloaf and ravioli lasagna for our family." With endorsements like that, it's a no-brainer that these enchiladas should join your family's better-than-homemade rotation of Costco foods. Best of all, it's a meal on its own with no side dishes (or additional cooking) required! 

Not everyone has all day to slow-cook a tender pot roast, but that's okay, because there's an option that's not only faster, but also better than your homemade version. Introducing the Kirkland Signature Beef Pot Roast, which features tender chunks of beef cooked in natural juices and served inside a flavorful, hearty gravy. Best of all, it's ready to go — just heat it up in the oven while you do other end-of-day things.

A raving review on Reddit said, "Perfect pot roast! Although the gravy in the picture is not quite how it turned out, still this is a solid pick. Great dinner in minutes." Another commented that the gravy is, indeed, a little different from what you see on the package, but the pot roast is still delicious. Pair with some pre-made dinner rolls and thick, creamy mashed potatoes to create a complete meal in the time it takes for this to heat up in the oven.