The Best Costco Freezer Finds For Your Thanksgiving Dinner

When Thanksgiving rolls around, kitchens suddenly get very busy. Nobody's unaware of the sheer amount of work it takes to put together a superb Thanksgiving feast, and you can quickly find that your fridge is bulging with ingredients, your energy levels are flagging, and the sheer bulk of prep you have to do is getting out of hand. Using frozen ingredients is one of those Thanksgiving shortcuts that's totally worth it, and a quick and easy way to cut down on the amount of time and effort it takes to get things to the table. Plus, if you're cooking for a crowd, you're likely gonna need a lot of those frozen items to ensure that no one goes hungry.

Enter Costco. The bulk-buy supermarket is one of the best places to grab frozen items that can go into your Thanksgiving dinner, thanks to both its extensive range of goods and the big ol' packages that they come in. Some of these items, like frozen green beans, are pretty humble, but they will make putting your food together a breeze. Others, like Costco's spinach and artichoke bites, can provide you with a party-ready appetizer that takes no work at all. Take the pressure off this holiday season, and grab these easy Thanksgiving freezer finds.

Don't have the mental strength to make a full Thanksgiving meal and a bunch of appetizers? We don't blame you — we wouldn't either. So, this year, we heartily recommend that you take the pressure off and serve up some ready-made appetizers that emulate the homemade version. One way to do this is by grabbing a pack of Partini Spinach and Artichoke Bites from Costco. These bites give you all of that spinach and artichoke flavor without having to make the dip yourself, and with 40 pieces per box, you'll get enough to serve a dozen hungry guests (and probably more than that, if people are saving their appetites).

It's safe to say that customers are big fans of these bites. Costco shoppers who have reviewed them have dubbed them absolutely delicious, with one Reddit user saying that they're "the best bites I've ever had in my life." Reviews have noted that they love the balance of spinach to artichoke, and that they're not too cheesy, with a great crunch on the outside and a lovely creaminess within. All of this adds up to a tasty frozen food item that won't be too heavy as a Thanksgiving appetizer.

Fridge space is at a premium at Thanksgiving, and it can quickly run out when you need it most. That means that finding ways to transfer items you'd normally refrigerate to other places, like the freezer, becomes a pretty high priority. We bet you didn't know you could do that with whipped topping — but if you're shopping at Costco, you can. Its Pastry Pride Frozen Whipped Topping can be safely stashed in your freezer until you need it to crown your pies, pastries, and cakes. It's non-dairy, so anyone can enjoy it, and it's ready to whip the moment it's thawed.

Importantly, you do have to take it out of the freezer the night before, but we think we can all agree that's easier than making it yourself. Once you've whipped it up, you'll be rewarded with a topping that can be piped onto your pies in an artful pattern. This whipped topping has a surprisingly light texture and a good flavor, and your guests may well have trouble telling the difference between this boxed version and the homemade kind. Additionally, people who have reviewed this whipped topping have noted that when it's used as a frosting, it holds moisture in cakes well and supports their structure — even better, perhaps, than regular whipped cream. As a result, it's an awesome option if you're making your desserts ahead of time. 

Green beans are one of the most annoying parts of a Thanksgiving meal. If you're using the fresh kind for a green bean casserole, you'll have to do a lot of slicing, which can take time away from other jobs. We just don't think you have to do that to yourselves, folks. Instead, grab yourself a bag of Flav-R-Pac Cut Green Beans from Costco, thaw them, and pour them into your casserole dish. Sounds pretty easy to us.

It's hard to expect much from frozen green beans, but Flav-R-Pac's product has a surprisingly fresh flavor and a crispness that defies its frosty status. Multiple reviewers have pointed out that they're as good as the fresh kind, with some noting that it's difficult to believe that they were once frozen. High praise for a processed vegetable product, right? People also love the size of the beans and how suitable they are when paired with roasted foods (like that Thanksgiving turkey). The fact that they're cut is, of course, another major bonus: There's nothing to do but throw them in. 

On top of all this, green beans can last for up to a year in the freezer, so if you don't use them all in one go, you can keep them for another time. They'll be a far better choice than using canned green beans, both for their color and their flavor.

Did you know that Costco's ice cream is actually pretty good? Well, if you didn't, we're here to spread the good word. Its Kirkland Signature Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream is a much higher quality than you might expect for a supermarket product. Costco's vanilla has a dense, creamy quality and a slow melt rate that speaks to its density. As opposed to other grocery store brand ice creams, which can be airy and light on flavor, Kirkland Signature Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream feels like a product that's actually worth the price you pay.

As such, it's definitely worth picking up next time you're in the store. This ice cream makes an ideal pairing for your Thanksgiving pies. Its vanilla flavor is easygoing without being anonymous, and it'll complement everything else on the plate while also holding its own. It's definitely on the sweeter side, but if that's your thing, you'll love it as much as customers do: Folks have stated that it's not only the best ice cream they've bought from Costco, but the best vanilla ice cream out there. It's also a great choice if you have any kids this Thanksgiving, who may not yet be up to eating some of the more complicated desserts. Give them a couple of scoops of this, and they'll be happy.

We know, we know — riced cauliflower isn't exactly the most traditional ingredient in a Thanksgiving dinner. However, pick some up from Costco, and you might just be surprised at how it can be used. Costco stocks Via Emilia Organic Riced Cauliflower, which, as frozen cauliflower goes, is a pretty good option. It has a chunky consistency and an easygoing nature, and if you weren't looking closely, it could easily pass for rice. A lot of Costco customers praise it for this very reason, and cite it as a bit of a game-changer when it comes to evening meals. When compared to fresh riced cauliflower, customers also love that it holds its texture and crisps up nicely, making this frozen choice a winner. 

What can you use it for at Thanksgiving, though? Well, more than you think. Riced cauliflower can form the base of a gluten-free stuffing (that's also incidentally low-carb), which can be a great option for folks who can't eat wheat around your table. Alternatively, you can opt to use it in less traditional ways, such as by making a Persian cauliflower rice pilaf or by cooking up a rice salad that can serve as a bed for your meats. Save the rest, and use it for a cauliflower fried rice the day after, when you're craving something a little more sprightly.

If you need a quick and easy Thanksgiving appetizer or a tasty alternative to classic dinner rolls, then Brazi Bites have got you covered. Known for its appearance on "Shark Tank," this Brazilian cheese bread (known as pão de queijo in Portuguese) is a gem of a freezer find at Costco. Shoppers fall for its chewy texture and gluten-free versatility. When cooked in the air fryer, Brazi Bites develop a crunchy exterior while the inside remains cheesy, steamy, and soft. They're perfect with a little pat of butter or a smear of cream cheese to whet your appetite before the big feast, or you can serve them with the turkey and invite your guests to make homemade sliders with them. Hey, it's Thanksgiving — anything goes.

Although other retailers like Trader Joe's stock their own versions of pão de queijo, customers agree that Brazi Bites are way superior, and compare them to the kind that you'd get at Texas de Brazil. Restaurant-quality cheese bread at home? Don't mind if we do. When you've got customers on Reddit stating that they "highly recommend getting this dangerously addictive snack," you know that it's doing something right.