44 Costco Food Items You Need To Try Before You Die

Costco has more than 98 million members and that number is steadily climbing each year. While they sell everything from prescriptions to gasoline, it's their food items that will have you going back over and over again.

Costco claims to be dedicated to quality and that dedication shines through when it comes to their food. Their food court is extremely popular, features unbeatable deals, and draws a following that can only be described as cult-like, while their shelves are stocked with a selection that is the envy of every other store in the United States. Costco's own brand is called Kirkland Signature, and you can be confident of the quality when you purchase one of their products.

Although not everything at Costco is worth buying, there are dozens of food items that you should consume at least once in your life. By the time you finish trying all these items, don't be shocked if you end up visiting Costco on a daily basis.

Not only does Costco have the best rotisserie chicken you can find anywhere, it's so tasty and such a good deal that everyone deserves to try it at least once in their life. Costco actually loses money on each rotisserie chicken they sell. Why do they insist on keeping the price steady at $4.99? Costco knows that once you try their chicken, you'll come back again and again for another yummy bird — and everyone knows you can't just buy one thing when you enter a Costco. It's a smart business move on their part but it's also a delicious deal for you and anyone else who wants to help you eat the chicken.

If you need vodka for a party or a cozy night while bingeing Netflix, head to Costco. Many believe that Kirkland French Vodka is actually a generic version of Grey Goose due to the fact that the same distillery produces it. Even if it isn't exactly Grey Goose (spoiler alert: it's probably not), Kirkland French Vodka tastes so similar that you probably won't be able to taste the difference. A few shots in and you surely won't be able to detect one from the other. Considering that Costco's vodka is much, much cheaper, it'd be unwise to get tipsy without it.

When doing a mental search for where you can get a healthy snack on the go, you probably don't think of Costco. But you should, as their acai bowls are an affordable and delectable scoop of goodness. These plant-based and vegan bowls contain strawberries, blueberries, banana chips, granola, and an acai mix. The granola has cane sugar in it, which makes the acai bowl a sweet treat you can scarf down for breakfast or at any point in the day when you want to reward yourself without blowing your diet. And the acai mix comes out of Costco's soft serve machine, so it's pretty easy to trick yourself into thinking you're eating something indulgent.

Is there a better taste in the world than a perfectly cooked piece of bacon? At Costco, their Kirkland Signature Bacon is to die for. It's meaty, yet has a tasty amount of fat on each piece. To kick things up a notch, the bacon has a memorable smoke flavoring. When you head to Costco, it should definitely make your list of things to buy. Even though it can be argued that Elvis Presley was sent to an early grave thanks to his famous bacon, banana, and peanut butter sandwiches, if he were to rise up from his grave one day, he'd probably proclaim that the bacon made it worth it.

It's difficult to find good, creamy almond butter. Not only does Costco deliver just that, it's even organic. Kirkland Signature Organic Creamy Almond Butter is an amazing amount of bang for your buck. Even if you believe that peanut butter is your favorite type of nut butter, one mouthful of this stuff will likely change your mind. It has a perfect texture and is easy to spread. Tip: Put this almond butter in your next protein smoothie and you'll be in love.

Costco has a handful of danish options in their bakery section. While they all taste good, the one you should try before you kick the bucket is their cherry danish. The cherry filling's combination of sweetness and tartness takes the whole package to heaven. You'll learn how to take a big first bite to ensure that some of that cherry hits your tastes buds without delay. Each pack comes with four individually wrapped danishes. You might think you'll end up sharing — but you probably won't.

At least one time while you're still in the land of the living, you should order the Kirkland Signature Whole Wheel Parmigiano Reggiano. The 72-pound monstrosity of some of the best cheese found on planet Earth can be yours for a little less than a thousand bucks. Costco imports it directly from Italy after it has been aged for at least 24 months while under the care of expert old world cheese makers. You might get tired of cheese while you whittle down the 72-pound wheel, but it's an experience you'll always remember.

As long as you have your credit card out and you're ready to spend the big bucks, consider adding D'Artagnan Spanish Mangalica Dry Cured Ham to your basket. Costco will sell you 9.25 pounds of this glorious ham for a cool $500. It's crafted by fourth-generation virtuosos from Spain who know a thing or two about making some of the best ham in the world. All you need to do once you get your hands on it is slice it thin, put it in your mouth, and be thankful that you got to taste this meat before you died.

Once you try Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup, you'll never be able to go back to regular pancake syrup again. While most pancake syrup pretends to be maple syrup but is actually just corn syrup mixed with maple flavoring, Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup is 100 percent real maple syrup. You couldn't find better tasting syrup short of going to Canada and sucking maple sap directly out of a maple tree. Save yourself the airfare (and the embarrassment) and just go to Costco to change you and your pancakes' lives forever.

For more than 35 years, Costco has been selling their hot dog and soda combo for $1.50. Despite just about everything else getting more expensive since then, Costco has held tight on that price. These days, you'd be hard-pressed to find a deal better than $1.50 for a quarter-pound hot dog and 20 ounces of soda. Not only will this combo fill you up, the flavorful hot dog will surprise you. While the hot dogs are no longer Hebrew National like they were until 2009, they're still scrumptious.

While you'll need to do some of the legwork before the take-and-bake Kirkland Signature Chicken Pot Pie hits your stomach, it'll be well worth the effort of firing up your oven when you get home. And by your final bite, you'll wonder why you hadn't tried this pie sooner. The Kirkland Signature Chicken Pot Pie is covered by pie dough from Costco's bakery and filled with all-white meat, carrots, and peas. Everyone who is lucky enough to get a slice will love it — from adults to kids.

The Kirkland Signature Artisan Rolls are a heavenly delight that are sure to make your dinner a success. These things are basically soft ciabatta rolls that are cut in half and ready for you to munch on. While good right out of the package, if you want to take it to the next level, toss these bad boys on a grill then fill them with all your favorite ingredients for the perfect sandwich. Once the Kirkland Signature Artisan Rolls are slightly toasted, their flavor is enhanced and the texture will make each bite a party.

For less than $400, the Alaska Premium Seafood Variety Pack from Costco gets you at least one pound each of king salmon, halibut, sablefish, king crab legs, and scallops. You also get one pound of unbelievably tasty smoked king salmon. All this high-quality seafood is caught wild in the waters in and surrounding Alaska. It's then processed at the docks in Juneau, Alaska. All told, you will get about ten pounds of the best seafood you've ever tasted if you order this variety pack from Costco. Sample a bit of everything and then reorder your favorites.

Some oatmeal raisin cookies are dried out and crumble before they reach your lips. Other oatmeal raisin cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with flavor. Costco Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are the latter. What will send these cookies to your life's highlight reel are the big, plump, juicy raisins. It is safe to say the raisins aren't an afterthought in these cookies. In fact, they play the leading role and they're the star of the show. Additionally, Costco has mastered the necessary texture of the oatmeal and the fact that all good oatmeal raisin cookies need a little bit of saltiness to them.

Costco is your destination if you're looking for raw organic honey that will add the perfect amount of sweetness to your hectic and dreary weekdays. This honey, which originates in Brazil, manages to be flavorful but not overly sweet, and doesn't have the artificial taste that ruins many brands of honey. Short of tapping a beehive in your backyard, you're not going to find fresher tasting honey. Start your day with a slice of toast coated with Kirkland Signature Organic Raw Honey and you'll be able to tackle even the gloomiest of day

Before it's your time to be the one pushing up the daisies, eat a bowl of Kirkland Signature Organic Ancient Grain Granola. With a host of healthy ingredients including almonds, amaranth, quinoa, spelt, and Khorasan wheat, this granola will tantalize your taste buds while keeping you in tip-top condition. Kirkland Signature Organic Ancient Grain Granola has six grams of fiber, five grams of protein, 30 grams of whole grains, and an untold amount of yumminess. Eat this on a daily basis and don't be surprised if you end up postponing your date with the daisies indefinitely.

Imitation vanilla is cheap and, unfortunately, it's probably what you're used to. But once you try pure vanilla extract, you'll shun the imitation stuff for the rest of your natural life. Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla Extract won't blow your budget, but be warned that it may blow your mind. It will change everything that you thought you knew about the true taste of vanilla. With its deep color and rich aroma, you'll find excuses to consume Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla Extract on a daily basis.

You probably knew you could buy wine at Costco. However, did you know that their brand catches the attention of even the most pretentious of wine snobs? Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco Superiore is an Italian sparkling wine born near the Alps in Italy that will dazzle you with its low price tag and excite you with its expensive taste. The amount of money you can save by switching to Kirkland Signature wine will blow you away, especially once you realize you won't be sacrificing quality. Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco Superiore tastes great by itself or when mixed with fruit juice.

If your sweet tooth is begging for pleasure and you only have change in your pocket, head to Costco for a churro. The churros at the food court are hot, fresh, and only cost a dollar. All Costco does is take some dough, fry it up, sprinkle on some sugar, and then sprinkle on some cinnamon. The result is a surprisingly long, soft, flavorful churro that will satisfy your sweet tooth with the change from your couch. Do you want even more excitement? Ask the friendly Costco employee for chocolate sauce to dip your churro in.

Fresh blueberries have the annoying habit of getting mushy or even moldy before you're able to finish them off. Before they dig your six-foot hole, change the way you get your berries by buying Kirkland Signature Whole Dried Blueberries. These aren't blueberry pieces, they're whole blueberries that have been dried to make them last longer. Eat these pleasantly sweet blueberries on the go or mix them into your yogurt, hot cereal, waffles, muffins, oatmeal, or anything else you can imagine.

Another take-and-bake option from Costco that you need to try before you draw your final breath is the Kirkland Signature Salmon Milano with Basil Pesto Butter. Put it in the oven at 400 degrees for about half an hour and you'll have yourself a mouth-watering salmon meal. It can be difficult to get fish to taste just right — but Costco nailed it and this concoction needs nothing other than some time in your oven. Pick up some Costco bread and Costco wine to go with it and you'll have a rich man's meal on a working man's budget.

Typical beef jerky can be more of a chore to eat than it's worth. But go ahead and throw away that dried leather that passes for beef jerky and step into the modern age by purchasing a bag of these Kirkland Signature Premium Extra Thick Steak Strips. This jerky is thick, soft, and will leave you completely satisfied. The deep smoke flavoring will make it impossible to eat just one strip, although that isn't a bad thing since this jerky is 98 percent fat-free and totally gluten-free.

While there's a lot at Costco's food court to grab your attention, there are those who believe that the best item available is the BBQ brisket sandwich. And it's difficult to argue otherwise. This sandwich isn't that gross BBQ sandwich you ate at your elementary school's cafeteria. This BBQ brisket sandwich is overflowing with juicy, tender brisket that almost melts in your mouth. Joining the beef within the tasty yellow bun and a layer of crisp coleslaw only adds to the sandwich's authentic BBQ taste.

If you think that the only worthwhile coffee comes from South America, Kirkland Signature Rwandan Coffee will alter your perspective. Compared to the coffee you are accustomed to, this coffee will have a bolder aroma and an extremely rich taste. While it might take you a cup or two for your taste buds to adjust, your life will be changed forever once you realize that the best coffee you can buy comes from Costco. This stuff is so flavorful that you'll think twice before adding your normal amount of sugar and creamer.

Sure, this six-pack from Costco costs about a thousand bucks, but you're only planning to live once, right? Included in this collection of luxury champagnes are a few classics: Dom Perignon Brut, Piper Heidsieck Rare, Veuve Clicuot La Grande Dame, Nicolas Feuillatte Palms D'Or Brut, and more. Whether you are a champagne connoisseur wanting to enjoy the best of the best, or just someone who's looking to celebrate life in a luxurious manner, this six-pack is a purchase you'll remember for all eternity. It's expensive, certainly, but if you buy it from Costco, you'll pay much less than if you go out and purchase these bottles individually.

Costco does take-and-bake as well as any store in the country. If you need more proof, buy the Kirkland Signature Enchilada Bake With Ground Beef. While this dish looks colorful, the most important aspects are the tasty ground beef, cheese, and tortilla strips. Pop the foil pan in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour. Once it's ready to eat, you'll have a Mexican meal that will taste like you accidentally crossed the border at some point between Costco and your home. Your taste buds will thank you for the detour.

Pretzels and peanut butter are an awesome combination. When it comes to the Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets, the name tells you exactly what to expect. Each nugget is made with a salted pretzel and is filled with a generous amount of yummy peanut butter. These nuggets look like they'll taste great, smell like they taste great, and actually succeed in tasting great. They are perfect to take to a party or to mindlessly eat from the large container at home as you wind down your day.

If you have an extra $1,000 and you want to taste a life-changing food that you owe it to yourself to try before you die, you can order a six-pound Japanese Wagyu Tenderloin Roast from Costco. Imported from Japan, you'll soon find out why many experts agree that the tastiest beef in the world comes from Japanese farms. The Japanese Wagyu Tenderloin Roast melts on your tongue like it's warm butter. There's simply nothing stateside that can compare to this beef. Spend the money to order it from Costco and your mind will be irreparably blown.

The Costco Bakery Blueberry Muffins are big and beautiful like muffins are supposed to be. The blueberries are large and completely in charge of the flavor. Each muffin has an ample amount of blueberries for each bite to feature at least one berry. The muffins are baked to a golden brown but are moist and buttery inside. If you want to taste these goodies at their best, heat them up and then slather them with butter or jam. That said, these muffins are still joyous right out of the package.

You just can't find eggs of higher quality than the eggs you find at Costco. Kirkland Signature Organic Large Brown Eggs are not only organic, they're cage-free, hormone-free, antibiotics-free, and kosher. Whether you love your eggs sunny-side up, scrambled, over easy, or any other way, your taste buds will instantly be able to taste the difference in quality. It only makes sense that chickens that live a happier life lay higher quality eggs.

Pizza is serious business for Costco. In fact, if you consider Costco a pizza chain due to all the pizza they sell, it'd be the 15th largest chain in the country. The pizza here is made super fast but they don't make shortcuts when it comes to taste. What makes Costco's pizza taste even better is the appetizing price tag. By the slice, it's $1.99. By the pie, it's $9.99. Either deal will make your bank account smile. 

While Costco doesn't offer a wide variety of pizza toppings (it's basically either cheese, pepperoni, or a combo with mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, olives, bell peppers, and onions), the freshness and the fact that it's so cheap could make this your new favorite pizza chain after you give it a try.

If you're roasting in the summer sun and need a refreshing drink, there's nothing more refreshing than Kirkland Signature Organic Coconut Water. The next time you work up a sweat, reach out for one of these drinks and your rehydration process will be a memorable occasion. You might even look forward to doing cardio for the first time in your life. This delicious drink isn't that fake stuff made out of concentrate. Rather, this is real, genuine coconut water that tastes like it's delivered straight from a tropical beach.

Looking to feed an army of picky eaters? You can't go wrong with Kirkland Signature Mac and Cheese from Costco. While it's fully cooked, you do need to heat it back up once you take it home and melt the sprinkled cheese on top. The greatest aspect about this mac and cheese is that not only will kids inhale it, adults will also enjoy it. The cheese is thick, creamy, and plentiful. In fact, there are multiple types of cheese in it including cheddar cheese, Romano cheese, and Parmesan cheese. The noodles are soft but successfully tiptoe the line to avoid becoming a mushy mess.

You have to be brave to order your first chicken bake at Costco because it doesn't look like a culinary delight. But once you have it in your hands, your bravery will pay immediate dividends. It tastes so much better than it looks that you may be left in a state of shock. A chicken bake is made with pizza dough, chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, and bits of bacon. But before it is pinched into a tube and put in the oven, the inside and the outside of the chicken bake is brushed with a creamy Caesar dressing. Yum!

You may already love brie but avoid it due to the fact that it's usually costly. However, Kirkland Signature Isigny French Brie is different. This Costco cheese is affordable enough that you can eat it every day. Before you go off and meet your maker, try this amazing brie and experience how a daily gourmet cheese habit can improve your life. This cheese is made in Normandy, France, and probably comes from cows that feast on alfalfa all day long — at least it tastes that way. The result is an unforgettable yet affordable cheese that comes in a cool round container.

Even if the heavenly gates are calling your name, hold on a couple more days so you can try the Plaza Osetra Kilo Caviar Pack from Costco. While you'll need $1,300 to get your tiny spoon on this caviar, you'll believe it was a small price to pay once you revel in its majesty. The Plaza Osetra Kilo Caviar Pack comes with Russian sturgeon caviar from Bulgaria that is considered some of the best of the best. Throw a party and enjoy this caviar with your friends as you'll get enough to feed up to 50 people.

It doesn't seem possible but Costco was actually able to improve upon Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Grab some Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Cups and see for yourself. Once you eat these, Reese's will taste like a disappointment. How did Costco do it? It comes down to quality. The milk chocolate is richer, while the peanut butter is more authentic and tastier. These creamy, delicious peanut butter cups come in small bites, with each cup individually wrapped. If you want to be the superstar of your block on Halloween, hand out this candy.

If you're at Costco shopping for ice cream, there's only one choice that rises far above the rest: Schwan's Espresso After Dark. This ice cream is made with real butterfat and real cream without any artificial colors or artificial flavors. It's patiently churned, which results in a thicker than usual ice cream. The coffee flavoring is perfectly subtle enough to allow you to eat this ice cream by the pint without stopping for a break. Considering you get six pints from Costco, that's not a bad thing.

When it comes to healthy snacks, it doesn't get much healthier than the Kirkland Signature Organic Roasted Seaweed Snack available at Costco. Coming straight from Korea, this seaweed snack has a sesame flavor that is insanely addicting. But even if you eat way too much, you'll be happy to learn that each serving only has 20 calories. If you believe seaweed is disgusting and not something humans should be eating, you'd be wise to give this Costco snack a try to have your mind changed.

If you enjoy tins of assorted European cookies, the Kirkland Signature European Cookies With Belgian Chocolate is something you should go buy at Costco this second before doing anything else. You wouldn't want to keel over before getting these cookies in your mouth. The assortment includes outstanding choices, most made with Belgian milk chocolate. Start with the Hazelnut Cream cookie, as the hazelnut and the chocolate form a powerful duo you will never be able to forget. These tins of cookies make great gifts, but you'll have an incredibly hard time parting with them.

Another bakery item Costco has mastered is the croissant. These croissants are very flaky but don't turn into a crumbling mess while you're handling them. Costco uses real butter when preparing these croissants and it's very apparent. The butter is the flavor that hits your taste buds first and remains in your mouth after you have finished eating. Don't be surprised if you're left licking your fingers after the last croissant is gone. Heat these up for 10 seconds in the microwave and they become even softer and tastier.

While this giant plastic container of Kirkland Signature Milk Chocolate Raisins may be a danger to your diet, you will surely not regret your purchase from Costco. Once you have more than three pounds of milk chocolate raisins at your disposal, you'll feel like you're enjoying a slice of heaven inside of your home. The raisins are bigger than you'll expect, while the milk chocolate will melt in your mouth as you enjoy every bite.

If you're planning an epic shopping trip to Costco to buy the things you should try before you pass away, you'll need some extra energy. That's where Kirkland Signature Energy Shots come into play. Each bottle contains only two ounces of liquid, but also a hefty 180 milligrams of caffeine. These energy shots are also sugar-free and contain B vitamins, plus a blend of other nutrients that will boost your energy. The taste is also entirely pleasant. Don't be surprised when these become a staple in your household, as well.

While this obviously isn't a food item, there's one thing you should definitely buy at Costco before you die: a casket. Save your family some dough while getting a say in your final resting place. That's a win-win. Costco actually has multiple caskets for sale, however the Hampton Casket is the best of the bunch. Before it's game over for you in this lifetime, buy this casket to ensure you'll rest in the lap of luxury and as peacefully as possible once you're six feet under the ground.