The 10 Costco Products That Chefs and Pro Cooks Secretly Love

We had a suspicion that chefs loved Costco just as much as we do, and we were right! After asking a variety of professional cooks across the industry, including restaurant chefs and cookbook authors, about their favorite Costco finds, we learned the pros are big fans. In fact, they can teach us a thing or two about finding the best Costco snacks and ingredients. Here are 10 Costco scores you won’t want to miss out on, according to our expert sources.

1. Kirkland Brand Cauliflower Pizzas

“These are insanely convenient and so delicious. We eat these with Greek yogurt ranch and they’re super filling.” —Tyler Malek, founder and head ice cream innovator, Salt & Straw

2. Almond Butter, Dried Mango, and Mixed Nuts

“These items are pretty nutritious and so much more affordable than at any other grocery store!” —Anna Gordon, chef and owner of The Good Batch

3. Costco Bakery Croissants 

While I’ll normally eat fresh croissants from my local bakery solo (or with a cup of coffee), Costco's by-the-dozen are perfect for making a croissant breakfast strata or croissant bread pudding. I’ll also use them for sandwiches: I’ll press each one down to flatten, then toast and use two slices as ‘bread’. Add a few slices of prosciutto, a slice of Brie, and a drizzle of honey for fancy-ish sandwiches in a flash. —Peter Som, recipe developer and lifestyle expert

4. The $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda.

I mean if you know, you know. This is my own little secret but I’ll bring it home, drizzle it with Sriracha, kewpie mayo, sprinkle it with lots of furikake and add a handful of cilantro for a subtle nod to a báhn mì. (It's nowhere close to a true bahn mi—but it’s still delicious.) —Peter Som

5. All of the Meat

“I’m a big fan of buying meat at Costco. If I have a big BBQ at my home I can get all my burgers, baby back ribs, and fat, juicy steaks there. Also, people may not know that the Kirkland Brand rack of lamb is excellent. It’s one of my son’s favorites for dinner. I also like all the selections of the Kinder spices to use while grilling my meats.” —Joe Isidori, chef and restaurateur at Arthur & Sons

6. Frozen Sea Bass

“I like their frozen foods section. Especially their sea bass, which is very well priced. The filets are big and already cleaned so it’s very easy to cook with.” —Ron Hsu, chef and co-owner at Lazy Betty, Humble Pie, and Juniper Café

7. Mama Lil’s Peppers 

“I will put these on literally anything: scrambled eggs, pizza, deviled eggs… you name it.” —Tyler Malek

8. Beecher's Mac ‘n Cheese

“Beechers is unbelievable and makes the best mac ‘n cheese: another thing that pairs perfectly with Mama Lil’s Peppers!” —Tyler Malek

9. Frozen Broccoli

The Costco frozen broccoli still has a bit of a bite to it, so when it’s cooked, it doesn’t become completely mushy.” —Ron Hsu

10. Kirkland Signature Shrimp Cocktail Platter

“I have a special fondness in my heart for this big platter thanks to its versatility. It’s great as-is of course, but I’ll often take half of the shrimp and sauté it in a wok with the cocktail sauce—to which I’ll add sambal and lime and scallions, then I’ll eat it over rice. —Peter Som