5 Best Costco Frozen Foods (And 5 Worst), According To Customers

The Costco frozen food section is legendary, with prepared meals and ingredients from all over the world. From limitless frozen breakfast options and delicious grab-and-go meals to highly rated frozen desserts and almost everything in between, the Costco freezers are chock full of hidden treasures. However, navigating your bulk options at a warehouse like Costco can be overwhelming, and not every item is worth the purchase. If you've ever felt lost while roaming the aisles, we have you covered.

Some of Costco's frozen food items are celebrated for their flavors and textures, while others are well-loved for their impressive value. On the other hand, there are some items in the freezer aisle that you're better off skipping or purchasing from another grocery store. We turned to the experts — Costco members — to determine which Costco frozen food finds you should always add to your cart and which you can confidently leave behind. Your stomach and wallet can thank us later.

Making a pizza dough out of vegetables is a tall order, and customers are notoriously critical when it comes to this Italian dish. We turn to cauliflower crust as a less caloric or gluten-free alternative to doughy, indulgent pizza, but expectations are high when it comes to taste and texture. According to Costco customers, the Kirkland Signature cauliflower crust pizza does the trick. You get two pizzas for $13.61, and the crispy cauliflower crust comes topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, pork pepperoni, seasoned sausage, and an array of colorful veggies.

Customers applaud the pizza for disguising any cauliflower taste. One Redditor explained that the rice and other ingredients in the crust completely mask the veggie taste. They go on to say, "It's excellent and lower calories than regular frozen pizza but definitely scratches the itch. Highly recommend." Another commenter claims it is one of their most frequently purchased items from Costco. For the taste and the price, it's worth making this a freezer staple for the nights when you don't have time to cook or when those pesky pizza cravings refuse to quit.

Costco's chicken bakes are packed with chicken breast, mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing, and bacon, all wrapped in a crust that is perfectly crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside. It's no secret why this is a highly popular food court item among members. However, Costco also started selling this fan-favorite food court item in its freezer aisle, and shoppers are not as impressed by the new version.

In comparison to the freshly-baked food court version, the freezer chicken bake often turns out "wet and mushy from the microwave or hard and dry in the oven," according to customers on Reddit. The frozen chicken bake is much smaller than the food court version, and another noticeable difference between the two is that the freezer version has green onions inside the filling. After tasting the delicious food court chicken bakes, customers claim the frozen version just doesn't compare. Thus, it has earned the nickname "chicken fake."

If you stroll the frozen aisles of Costco, you will find numerous options for breaded chicken, from tenders and nuggets to patties — and apparently chunks. The Kirkland Signature chicken breast chunks are one of the most popular frozen food items at Costco. Shoppers appreciate that these chicken bites are antibiotic-free and raised with no added hormones or steroids. Plus, with 16 grams of protein per serving, they are a high-protein snack or meal that is quick and easy.

Parents love to keep this product on deck for the kids. One customer on Reddit quipped, "My kids are singlehandedly keeping them in business I think." But they're a crowd pleaser for adults, too. Another Redditor stated, "I like them air fried and on my tzatziki salad." In comparison to other chicken chunk products, customers find the Kirkland brand to be less "squishy" in texture. A 4-pound bag costs $18.19, which breaks down to $4.55 per pound, so it's also an excellent value for those who are trying to avoid seriously overpriced Costco items.

There are several lightly breaded chicken strip options to choose from in the Costco frozen aisle, and not all of them are worth the purchase. Despite being advertised as "crispy," customers find the Tyson chicken strips to be chewy and loaded with added ingredients. One customer on Reddit even said Tyson chicken strips are the only product they've actually thrown away from being so dissatisfied, claiming they "took up too much valuable freezer real estate for how much they sucked." Fortunately, Costco's frozen chicken selection stretches far and wide, and knowledgeable shoppers have found the perfect alternative.

Customers online much prefer the Just Bare lightly breaded chicken strips for their stripped-down ingredient list and antibiotic-free chicken. One shopper explained on Reddit, "I also looked at the nutrition content, and Bare has less crap in it than Tyson and other brands. While more expensive, Bare every time." Tyson chicken strips cost $16.45 for a 3-pound bag while Just Bare strips cost $18.15 for the same size, so it might be worth spending the $1.70 extra for a higher-quality product.

The frozen tempura shrimp from Kirkland Signature receives praise from customers for being perfectly crispy and even tasting restaurant-grade. One of the biggest complaints that often arises with tempura shrimp is that it can be all batter and no shrimp. The freezer staple doesn't have that problem, according to customers online. One Reddit user explained, "I decided to try the Kirkland tempura shrimp. I'm so glad I did! 8 minutes in the air fryer and they are crispy and delicious, very comparable to restaurant shrimp. They are not all batter either, the shrimp are large."

In fact, the texture and taste are so good that some customers believe this is the same tempura shrimp that restaurants probably use behind the scenes. And what is good tempura without a flavorful sauce to dip it in? Customers appreciate the accompanying sauce so much that they will save the leftovers to pour over rice or add to another dish.

Frozen taquitos will never stand a chance against the fresh and crispy homemade version. And the El Monterey chicken taquitos sold at Costco are one such example. In addition to being one of the biggest frozen food recalls to hit Costco in the past few years, these taquitos lack almost all of the qualities that make a good taquito. One YouTube reviewer who air-fried the taquitos explained, "It's too much tortilla and not enough filling. It's too doughy," and proposed the texture would be much improved if they used corn tortillas instead of flour.

Additionally, customers find the taquitos to be inconsistent with the filling, where some are more filled than others, and even when they are all dressed up with additions like guacamole and salsa, they simply don't make the cut. Other commenters had the same problem with the texture. One Reddit user noted, "Those taquitos they sell are awful. They have chicken (allegedly) and cheese inside so it's basically mushy. Horrible texture." In fact, customers recommend simply buying the ingredients from Costco to make your own fresh taquitos at home instead of purchasing the frozen ones.

The brand behind Costco's popular private-label vanilla ice cream is Humboldt Creamery, which also provides ice cream to several other grocery stores, like Trader Joe's. The ice cream is highly praised by customers on Reddit: "It's some of the best store bought vanilla ice cream. High quality vanilla flavor, doesn't melt too quickly, pretty easy to scoop." But what excites customers about the Kirkland ice cream is not only the creamy taste and texture, but the value. Costco's premium vanilla ice cream comes with two half-gallon cartons for $16.90. In comparison to other grocery stores, this is a great value.

Another Redditor explained, "The crappy store brand at 1.5 quarts is the same price as half a gallon of the Kirkland brand, which is super premium." Bargain shoppers who have the freezer space believe the price is well worth it, claiming on Reddit, "You are getting 33% more so the price is actually pretty reasonable."

Several Costco shoppers have been fooled by the delicious-looking Pad Thai on the Green & Sunny box, only to be disappointed by its contents. One commenter on Reddit painted a particularly descriptive picture of their experience with this frozen meal: "Tastes like someone described pad thai over a cup and string kids telephone while drunk and craving Mexican food." In simpler terms, the concept is there, but the delivery completely misses the mark.

Customers have found the Pad Thai to be unappetizing and, in some cases, completely inedible. Some shoppers even threw out the box or returned it due to dissatisfaction. Other Reddit users noted a bizarre, fishy smell and out-of-place "neon orange color." In one case, the fish smell was so bad that a customer was instructed not to bring it as a work lunch anymore out of consideration for coworkers. It's safe to say Pad Thai is a dish best served fresh, not frozen.

There's good news for fans of Asian comfort food, as there are several frozen potsticker brands that sell delicious, authentic-tasting potstickers that can be made right at home. Ling Ling chicken potstickers are a freezer staple for Costco shoppers who appreciate doughy potstickers that crisp up perfectly. Customers recommend pan-frying the potstickers for best results, as microwaving or steaming them may result in poorer texture. For the best results, one Reddit customer shared: "Oil in the pan, line with potstickers, add water to nearly cover then cook until water vanishes and the bottoms get all crispy from the fried starch and oil."

Add some chili oil to add a kick of flavor if you're a fan of spice. Other shoppers explain that the fillings are juicy and just as tasty as the crispy dough, which pairs perfectly with the dipping sauce that comes with them. A Costco bag of potstickers is 4.2 pounds and costs $13.38, which amounts to only 20 cents per ounce, making this an incredible value as well.

The private-label lasagna is an item Costco shoppers pass by in the frozen aisle, namely for how unhealthy it is. The product gets mixed reviews on its taste, but it is notably inconsistent. Some claim it's fine for the price, but many shoppers find the meat lasagna to be far too greasy. One commenter on Reddit explained, "We don't like it at all. Too greasy and somehow too sweet and too spicy at the same time. Bought once but would not buy again."

The other common complaint lodged against this Italian dish is that it is extremely salty. And if you take a peek at the nutrition facts, it's easy to see why. The meal is packed with sodium, boasting 890 milligrams per serving. The American Heart Association recommends a sodium intake of "no more than 2,300 mg a day," so one serving of this lasagna is almost 40% of the recommended daily intake. Not to mention it's made with ultraprocessed meat and has very little fiber. With so many hidden treasures in the Costco frozen food aisle, you're safe skipping this product.