The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
During my most recent visit to Costco, I couldn't help but notice how delicious the ready-to-eat meals looked. Each one is basically dinner made easy, and I couldn't believe how many people were scooping them up from the shelves.
I have never had a ready-to-eat meal from the warehouse before, mainly because I'm a new Costco member so I'm still discovering all its glory. Not only are the meals big enough to feed at least three people with leftovers to spare, but the dishes are fairly affordable once you do the math, especially if you compare it to dinner at a fast food chain.
The convenience of putting one of these meals in the oven and calling it a day is wonderful, but to be honest, I wouldn't buy all of these ready-to-eat meals again. There are only two out of the five that I picked off the shelf that I would wholeheartedly grab again.
I bought Costco's stuffed bell peppers, chicken pot pie, chicken penne alfredo, red Thai chicken curry and chicken tacos. I followed the instructions for all the ready-to-eat meals and ate one a day for about a week. After each meal, I jotted down my notes and ranked them from worst to best.
Here are the two meals from Costco I would buy again and what I thought about the rest.
5. Costco Chicken Penne Alfredo
Costco Chicken Penne Alfredo
The Chicken Penne Alfredo from Costco was the dish I was most excited to try; in fact, I tried it first but didn't like it the most.
I'm a huge Alfredo fan. It's my favourite pasta sauce and I love it on pizzas too, but Costco's ready-to-eat meal was not it.
The dish was super easy to prepare; all that's needed is a pot. Once assembled and ready to eat, the dish smelled delicious. The cheese melted nicely and it was like an upgraded mac and cheese dish.
My first bite was good, but after a few moments, when the dish cooled down, it started to taste like chalk. Do you know when you can taste the powder when you eat boxed mac & cheese? Costco's Chicken Penne Alfredo had the same texture.
I was immediately put off because the sauce was a liquid, but the texture of the pasta was like boxed cheese.
It was a no from me.
Price: $13.84
4. Costco Stuffed Bell Peppers
Cooked Costco Stuffed Bell Peppers
Costco Stuffed Bell Peppers were the easiest and least messy meal to prepare. There are six stuffed bell peppers in an aluminum container that can be popped into the oven.
The peppers were stuffed with ground beef, mozzarella, parmesan, rice, tomato paste, and other herbs and spices. According to the cooking instructions, the stuffed peppers needed around 50 to 55 minutes in the oven, so make sure to plan accordingly. But in my experience, it needs to be in there for longer.
After 55 minutes, the cheese was melted, the peppers looked good and I took a bite. But I felt like they weren't fully cooked. The pepper was still crispy, and the rice was undercooked.
Maybe the dish is supposed to be eaten al dente, but I popped them in the oven for longer and enjoyed it better when it was moist and soft.
Overall, the dish wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favourite so I wouldn't grab a tray of this again.
Price: $23.83
3. Costco Red Thai Chicken Curry
A single Costco Red Thai Chicken Curry serving.
I'm not usually a fan of Thai food because I've had a lot of it, so I've taken a bit of a break, but Costco Red Thai Chicken Curry has reminded me why I used to love it so much.
The curry is flavourful, aromatic and delicious, but it is expensive.
The cooking process was a bit lengthy and required quite a few steps, which included heating the rice, heating the curry and toasting the bread. Also, the way the container was divided made it quite challenging to separate the rice and sauce into different pans, and I ended up making a mess in the kitchen.
Nevertheless, once I reheated the food, it felt fresh and like something I'd get from my local Thai restaurant. Also, there was a lot of it. My partner and I ate the meal for two days and put some of the fresh bread in the freezer. So, even though it's pricey, you'll get a lot of food for your dollar.
Overall, as much as I enjoyed this ready-to-eat meal, I thought it was outside of my budget, and getting takeout from my local Toronto Thai restaurant would be a cheaper option.
Price: $38.42
2. Costco Chicken Pot Pie
Costco Chicken Pot Pie before and after it was baked.
There used to be only one kind of Costco pie I'd eat repeatedly, and that's a pecan pie. Now there are two because this Chicken Pot Pie from the warehouse is so good I couldn't believe it.
The $11 pie is a baked dish that feels like something you'd get in England. It was so flavourful and aromatic. The smell of it filled my apartment with joy and nostalgia for my past trips to the U.K.
The pie was creamy and crunchy at the same time. It was perfectly salted and herbed. It was filled with chicken, onion, potatoes, green peas, carrots, corn and a few more ingredients that made it so good.
If you haven't had this pie from Costco before, I know what you should bring to your holiday potluck.
Price: $10.99
1. Costco Chicken Tacos
Costco Chicken Tacos before and after assembling it.
Last but not least, the winner. Do not, I repeat, do not walk out of your nearest Costco without their ready-to-eat Chicken Tacos. You can get so many tacos for $18. It might be the best deal in the city.
Not only is this an affordable meal, but it's also terrific.
They might not be exactly what you'd expect from a taco because the shells are pretty thick and doughy, the chicken pieces are massive and there are a few different sauces, but they are worth every bite.
The preparation was simple because all you need is a microwave. If you wanted to jazz things up, you could pop the tacos in the oven, put the chicken on the stove and melt the cheese on the taco in the microwave.
The tacos are filling, and the cilantro-lime cream is so good I could eat it on its own.
Costco's Chicken Tacos were the best by far, and I'll grab them every time I shop.
Price: $18.02
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