The 15 Best Costco Foods Under $20 That Feel Like They Should Cost $50

Everyone loves a good deal, which is why warehouse stores like Costco are thriving in today's dicey economy. It's hard to resist highly marked-down prices, but sometimes, you really need to contemplate each purchase due to its size. Buying in bulk doesn't always make sense when you go through something slowly or have a small household.

Some Costco foods taste better than your homemade favorites, while others miss the mark. When the stakes are so high, it's nerve-racking to branch out and try new items. How can you be sure that you'll love something enough to commit to a seemingly endless supply?

If you're striving to be a savvier shopper, you can learn how to best take advantage of Costco's bulk pricing without stuffing your kitchen to the gills. Read on to discover 15 products that are $20 or less, with a value that feels like they should cost $50. To simplify things, every item will be rounded up to the nearest dollar to account for price variations nationwide.

For this hunt, I dug around Costco's website within the grocery categories. I selected the filter for products that ranged from $0 to $25. Costco's site can be a bit tricky because some of the products don't immediately show a price. To find it, you have to click on the product, then click on another link that takes you to Instacart. Afterward, you can see a price that's a bit inflated compared to in-store costs.

I weaned out all of the sneaky products that passed our $20 limit. I used the word "around" while citing prices because your mileage will vary based on where you live, and products found through Instacart will always have an upcharge. My prices are based on Charlotte, North Carolina. For products I haven't personally tried and can vouch for, I relied on customer reviews on Costco's website.

We've all been there: You hit snooze one too many times and have to rush out the door without a proper breakfast. With so many fast food chains beckoning on the drive to work, you bargain with yourself to justify spending an extra five minutes in the drive-thru (or longer if you're unlucky). Desperate times call for desperate measures, so you end up spending $5 or more for a little breakfast sandwich.

Sure, whipping up some fluffy scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast is the healthier and more cost-effective option, but some folks just don't have the time, energy, or desire to do so in the morning. A happy medium is buying Costco's Kirkland Signature Breakfast Sandwich box, which gives you eight sandwiches for around $18. Costco sells other types of breakfast sandwiches that are even cheaper, but it's worth shelling out a few extra dollars for this product. Instead of the standard English muffin, it uses a buttery croissant shaped like a hamburger bun for convenience. It also contains cage-free eggs. For something that you can zap in the microwave quickly, it's worth the $2.25 per sandwich.

If you're like me, you have a love-hate relationship with Fig Newtons. They're good and strange at the same time, and it's amusing to find them in the cookie aisle next to all kinds of more appealing options. You're hungry enough to grab a Fig Netwon if it's all that's available, but you don't know if you want a second. They'll always be a nostalgic piece of my childhood, but better products have come since then. Cue Nature's Bakery, which has turned me into a fig believer.

These fun fig bars invite other fruits to the party, such as blueberry and raspberry, which I personally love more than plain figs. The outside is made with whole grains, so you can enjoy a chewy texture that still has some bite to it thanks to the fiber. For $20, you get 20 blueberry and 20 raspberry bars. They're great to stash in your car, purse, or backpack when you need a pick-me-up that provides at least some nutrition. My pro tip is to also try the decadent brownie flavor, which isn't currently available at Costco, but a girl can dream.

Stir-fry recipes are the best because they're a tasty way to add more veggies to your diet, use up ingredients in your fridge, and have a wholesome meal in 30 minutes. A plate of stir-fry is certainly enough to fill you up, but sometimes it's fun to jazz things up with a side dish. This is where having frozen dumplings comes in handy, since they're a labor of love to prepare from scratch.

At Costco, you can find CJ Bibigo Steamed Dumplings for $17. You get six trays of dumplings filled with six dumplings per tray. When you're ready to enjoy some, just pop a tray into the microwave to steam. Each dumpling contains chicken, mushrooms, onions, and cabbage. The chicken and mushrooms add protein and bulk, while the onions and cabbage add moisture and flavor. You even get dipping sauce to take things to the next level. Each tray is ready in just under two minutes in the microwave, so you don't need to worry about taking the dumplings out of the freezer to thaw or dirtying another pan.

If you haven't had Popchips before, they're fluffy and crunchy at the same time. They're made with a combination of potatoes and rice flour, making them airy and puffed instead of flat like regular chips. They also have a slight curve, so they're great for holding dips. Costco lets you try four different flavors in one box, which includes 30 single-serving bags for $17. You can enjoy sea salt, sea salt and vinegar, barbecue, and sour cream and onion. 

Interestingly enough, all the bags are vegan. The sour cream and onion flavor happens to be my favorite, and the taste is quite convincing if you're a dairy lover. They're a fabulous snack to send your kid to school with, bring on a plane, and share at events when allergy concerns are a factor. At only 100 calories per bag, you can scratch the itch for a crunchy, flavorful snack without feeling like you're going overboard. Of course, I could still take down a large bag since they're so tasty.

Garfield the cat had the right idea by being obsessed with lasagna. It's gooey, hearty, and comforting. Best of all, making one pan can feed a large family, and you may still end up with lots of leftovers. Lasagna is easier to make than it looks, but it does take some time. If you're in a rush, going the pre-made route may be your best option. The bummer is that lots of frozen options are designed to be a single serving. It's a no-brainer that Costco, the land of overabundance, has some hefty trays for its members. 

Technically, the Kirkland lasagna does break our $20 budget, but it's possible to find it for under $20 in parts of the country. It was too good not to include in this list because lasagna is so filling. For around $21, you can get two 3-pound trays of 100% beef lasagna. There's even some Italian sausage thrown into the mix for extra flavor. The recipe also uses whole milk ricotta and mozzarella for maximum decadence and meltiness. Single folks or couples can heat up a tray in the oven and have a tasty, affordable lunch ready to bring to work.

I haven't had the chance to try Ajinomoto's Yakisoba with Vegetables yet, but I've heard great things from friends. The online reviews also back up this product since it currently has a 4.6-star rating. The box advertises that the dish is vegetarian, but after inspecting the ingredients, it's suitable for vegans as well. For $19, you score six 9-ounce microwavable containers of yakisoba noodles with veggies. Each container is 400 calories, so this is a substantial lunch that you could bring to work. For only $3.17 per container, this beats ordering takeout by a landslide.

If you're worried about feeling full without meat, the recipe includes edamame, which is packed with plant protein and fiber. The mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, Chinese pea pods, asparagus, red bell peppers, and cabbage will also work wonders for the taste and your satiety. That veggie blend is definitely a mouthful figuratively and literally! The instructions on the back of the box give consumers the option to microwave or heat the dish in a pan. For the convenience, price, and vibrant array of veggies, it's worth giving this product a shot.

Summer is coming, which means we all have plenty of fun barbecues to look forward to. If you're manning the grill, you'll want to learn how to make grilled hot dogs taste like restaurant-quality. However, your skills can only go so far if you're working with subpar hot dogs. Luckily, Costco provides tasty franks that can feed a crowd on a budget. You can buy 28 100% kosher beef hot dogs for $16, which breaks down to 57 cents a piece. Considering that many folks happily spend $5 or more on a hot dog from a stand, this is a steal.

With hot dogs covered, you can focus on gourmet toppings, buns, side dishes, hamburgers, and maybe even some steak or chicken. Even if you're not planning a get-together, it's still nice to have these hot dogs stashed in the freezer for a quick meal.

Tortellini and tortelloni are such fun types of pasta. You can fill them with all kinds of yummy ingredients, and you can eat them as a main dish, side, or throw them in a soup. Making these little satchels of joy from scratch takes time, which is why many folks opt for the pre-made options.

Costco sells a two-pack of 24-ounce tortelloni for only $15. One pack could be the ideal amount for one to two people, while both packs could feed a small family. Costco sells these packages refrigerated, but if you don't plan on eating both in the near future, I've had great success freezing tortellini and ravioli. For best results, let them thaw overnight in the fridge to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

The recipe has a dreamy blend of five different cheeses, including ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, mascarpone, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano. You can count on each bite being velvety and savory. My mom's favorite way to prepare tortellini is in a soup with chicken broth, spinach, crushed tomatoes, fresh garlic, Parmesan, and a lovely blend of Italian herbs. If you're feeling inspired, you should try this simple chicken tortellini soup recipe.

Don't get us wrong: It's easy to make phenomenal homemade brownies. However, there's something comforting about dumping a boxed mix into a bowl, cracking a couple of eggs, and pouring in water and oil to get some effortless brownies. Of course, licking the bowl is a forbidden delight, because many of us grew up with parents who warned us about the dangers of raw batter.

If you want to go the boxed brownie route, it's helpful to know that Ghirardelli landed the first-place spot in our ranking of boxed brownie mixes. The brand does a lot to let consumers know that its chocolate is high-quality. Of course, that also comes with a higher price tag compared to Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines. Ghirardelli lovers can snag a pretty competitive deal at Costco, though. Six boxes of Ghirardelli's Triple Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix cost $20 at the warehouse. This breaks down to $3.33 per box, while Walmart sells just one Ultimate Chocolate box for $7.

There's nothing more frustrating than grabbing a giant sub from your local deli or grocery store and then succumbing to the temptation of buying an accompanying tiny bag of chips for $1 or $2. The amount of chips in those tiny bags never seems to justify the price, but your sandwich experience won't feel complete without them. This is why it's brilliant to keep some small bags of chips in your car and pantry for these moments.

Costco has a wide variety of chips that you can buy in bulk. The risk is that buying too many of the same flavor can cause you to get bored fast. If you're looking for a variety box that packs a ton of flavor, look no further than Zapp's. You can get a 36-count box for $17 that contains four different flavors. There are more bags of the Voodoo chips because that's arguably the brand's best flavor. It's sweet, salty, and tangy in each bite.

In Mashed's ranking of every sweetener, stevia actually placed higher than traditional white and brown sugar. It lights up your taste buds when you're craving something sweet, but it's far gentler on your body than sugar derived from sugar cane plants. If you're trying to cut back on refined sugars, lose weight, reduce inflammation in your body, or just make more mindful dietary choices, switching to stevia is a sustainable change that won't feel like a punishment.

Costco is here to help coffee and tea drinkers have a simple ritual with convenient stevia packets. Just rip one open, dump, and stir for a sweet beverage. For only $18, you can get a whopping 800 packets of stevia. Even if you want to double up on packets each day, one box will last you more than an entire year.

If you take a look at any ranking of the most popular chocolate brands, you'll notice that Ferrero Rocher always soars high. How could it not when we're presented with delightful truffles wrapped in gold? Some folks like popping a whole one in their mouth, while others delicately munch until they get to the toasted hazelnut in the center.

If you're ever on the hunt for a simple gift that's guaranteed to please most people you encounter, or you just want a lovely treat, buying Ferrero Rocher at Costco is your best move. You can get 48 truffles for only $19. This same product goes for $28 at Walmart, which has strived to maintain its reputation for being one of the cheapest grocery stores out there. If you are getting this package just for yourself, you may have reservations about buying in bulk. But once you eat one truffle, you'll be happy you have 47 more to savor.

Eating healthy is a challenge for many because price is often a barrier. Nuts provide wholesome fats that are great for your wellness, but they seem to cost an arm and a leg. If you're a fan of pistachios like me, then you shouldn't pass on the Kirkland Signature In-Shell Pistachios that ring up just under $20. You get an entire 3 pounds to yourself, unless you're kind enough to share. For comparison, an 8-ounce bag at Sprouts costs $7.99. To get 3 pounds, you'd have to spend $47.94. This means that Costco's $20 bag truly could cost $50.

Some folks hate dealing with the shells, which is totally understandable. However, if you like playing with your food, freeing the pistachio from its shell can provide some entertainment. It also helps you stay in tune with your hunger signals. It's easy to go overboard on calorie-dense nuts, so taking the time to remove the shell can help you stick to a smaller portion. Costco sells a variety of pistachio products, so feel free to find one that suits your preferences.

If someone were selling mini tacos for a dollar each and you were feeling peckish, you might think that this price was a great deal. Of course, fresh tacos are always superior, but sometimes it's good to have some fun snacks at home that are easy to portion out. At Costco, you can get 50 mini tacos for only $14, which breaks down to only 28 cents per taco. For the convenience and whimsy, it's worth having these little guys on hand.

As for the filling, each taco contains all white meat chicken and mild chipotle chile for extra flavor. The product uses corn tortillas, which means you can get a phenomenal crunch by pan-frying or air-frying these tacos. One reviewer said that dipping them in sour cream is a must. You can enjoy them as a snack, side dish, or appetizer.

Nutella has felt like a luxury product for many years because of its pricing. When you buy a big tub, it's hard not to plow through the whole dang thing in a few days. When I was younger and still living with my family, I thought I was so clever sneaking spoonfuls here and there, thinking no one would notice, but we all seemed to be going to town on it.

This is why Costco's Nutella & GO! Hazelnut and Cocoa Spread With Pretzels is such a good snack to have on hand. For $20, you'll get 16 servings that provide just enough Nutella to quell your sweet tooth. No big jar will be calling out to you at night. And who doesn't love an edible utensil? Dipping pretzels into the Nutella will satisfy fans of sweet-and-salty flavors. You'll just have to assess if you're in a judgment-free zone when you're out of pretzels and deciding if you want to stick a finger in there to get the last bit of Nutella the pretzels couldn't scrape out.