"It's My Go-To Easy Meal": People Are Sharing Their Favorite "Lazy" Costco Meals That Will Absolutely Save Your Wallet
If you've ever roamed the aisles of Costco, you know it's basically the mecca of bulk deals and convenience foods. Sometimes, after a long day of adulting (or just existing), the last thing you want to do is cook a meal from scratch. So, when all else fails, you can always turn to the wholesale wonder for a lazy yet satisfying feast.
In an attempt to figure out which easy Costco meals are fan favorites, I headed over to the r/Costco subreddit — home to the most honest, no-nonsense opinions on the internet — and found a few threads where people shared their go-to lazy Costco dinner ideas. Get ready to fill up your cart and avoid doing real cooking all at once. Because isn't that what lazy meals are all about?
1. "My easiest is the orange chicken, sticky rice, and frozen green beans (all from Costco!). Also, I will do the frozen edamame because my kids (two and six) love it."
2. "Costco Italian sandwich: place an open-faced artisan roll on a baking sheet with basil pesto, salami, ham, prosciutto, and mozzarella balls. Toast until the cheese is melted. Add a slice of tomato and drizzle with red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. This sandwich cures seasonal depression."
— Talusaboutit
3. "Lazy man enchiladas: rotisserie chicken, cheese, tortillas, and salsa (it has to be a salsa you like). Shred your chicken, chop it up a bit, put cheese and salsa in there, then fill your enchiladas with that mixture. Put the rest of the salsa on top with more cheese and bake."
4. "Bibigo microwave rice, shredded rotisserie, and Bachan's Japanese BBQ sauce make a great Asian-style BBQ chicken bowl. You can do the same with ground beef for a beef bowl."
— Parking_Cranberry935
5. "Salmon, rice, and asparagus. Put the salmon and asparagus in the air fryer and the rice in a rice cooker. It's healthy, delicious, and easy."
7. "The chicken tikka masala is good. Warm it on the stovetop, and serve it over rice. We sauté some diced bell peppers and add a little extra heavy cream, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne to the chicken mix for some extra flavor. You can get the naan dippers to go with it as well."
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8. "Get the tortilla-crusted tilapia and throw them in the air fryer. They make wonderful fish tacos. Put whatever toppings you want! They pair really well with the lime crème sauce."
— Banana_Clips
9. "We make 'cheater chicken parm.' It requires breaded chicken of your choice (we use the Tyson panko breaded tenders), five cheese tortellini, and marinara sauce. Cook everything according to package directions; cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, throw some cooked tortellini on a plate with a handful of chicken pieces, and cover in marinara sauce. If you feel fancy, you can add tomatoes and extra cheese."
10. "A feta cheese block, cherry tomatoes, and pasta. The TikTok recipe is viral for a reason and a staple in our house."
11. "Kirkland lightly breaded chicken breast chunks, PuraVida fire roasted root veggies, and Sweet Baby Ray's."
— tuckedpin
12.
"Chicken, two packs of the French country loaves, and maybe some tomatoes or a bag of salad. Freeze one of the loaves for next time. You can make sandwiches, but just the bread (with butter or chicken juices), chicken, and tomatoes is a perfect meal."
13. "Kielbasa, chopped bell pepper, and red onions. Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, and lay on a foil-lined baking sheet. Put into a 425°F oven for 15 minutes or so to roast. Add the kielbasa when five or so minutes are remaining. Once done, chop kielbasa, and you're good to go. We'll sometimes do the pierogies with the kielbasa instead. Boil the perogies and sauté with butter in a pan. You can also sauté some diced yellow onion and serve with sour cream."
14. "Baked sweet potato (or any other kind of potato) topped with Amy's chili and avocado. You can add more toppings if you have/want them (cheese, Greek yogurt, jalapeños, etc.)."
15. "Rotisserie chicken and Rao's marinara, pesto sauce, or jarred curry sauce. Shred the chicken, heat it up in one of the sauces, and serve over pasta or rice. Serve with raw mini carrots, or slice and add carrots to the sauce of your choice."
— throwaway22526411041
16. "We like the Rana chicken and pasta kits. I buy a bag of fresh spinach, broccoli, and sometimes the little tomatoes and throw in the sauce the last minute of microwaving."
17. "The ramen bowls in the freezer section (fresh, not deep-fried, rehydrated noodles). If I'm really hungry, I'll bake or air fry a couple of the Kirkland tempura shrimp for 10 minutes (also in the freezer section) to have on the side."
— bemocked
18. "Definitely the shrimp cocktail over spring mix with diced apple cubes and some Kirkland Signature balsamic vinegar. I love that as a quick healthy lunch!"
19. "The rotisserie chicken is the ultimate. It's a whole, cooked chicken sold for less than the same amount of raw meat, saving you time and money. It can be put into almost any chicken dish (I use it for chile verde, pasta, soups, tamales, etc.). You can just carve it up with the skin on, roast it a little more in the oven (I do, like, 10 minutes at 375°F), and serve it with a salad and baguette or maybe rice. Boom, that's a sit-down quality dinner for your family that took maybe 20 minutes to make. I also love using the carcass for stock!"
— drewdaddy213
20. "I always have a bag of frozen tortellini and a jug of minced garlic on hand. Cook the tortellini, then throw some butter and garlic in the pot to make a sauce while the pasta drains. It's my go-to easy meal. Sometimes, I'll have a sauce on hand like pesto or marinara, but if I don't have a jar opened, I go with butter and garlic. I also keep frozen shrimp on hand, which is nice because you can defrost shrimp quickly if you want protein."
— HooWhatWhen
21. "In a large pot, add one jar of Rao's, one jar of water, and one bag of whatever frozen or fresh veg sounds good. Add some Better Than Bouillon (beef or chicken) and any other spices you want. Let this cook for about 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Add two cans of beans or one cup of dried lentils. If you're using dried lentils, cook them for 10 minutes. If you're using canned beans, cook until the beans are warm (about five minutes). Add more water if needed, bring to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook the pasta slightly longer than you would in water — it generally takes me 12 minutes instead of nine for whole-grain pasta. Serve with a dash of parmesan."
22. "Get a rotisserie chicken and a pack of King's Hawaiian buns. Remove as much meat as you can from the chicken, dice it, and throw it in a bowl. Sauté some red onions until cooked and add to the chicken, then add salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and some balsamic vinegar. Stir the whole thing up and make sandwiches. They are even better the next day."
There you have it: Costco meals that are big on flavor but small on effort. Whether you're brand new to the world of bulk buying or you have your membership card memorized, these lazy meal ideas can truly make your dinner prep a cinch. Because sometimes you just want something delicious without all the fuss. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to grab a rotisserie chicken and a tub of spinach artichoke dip — for, you know, 'research.' Bon appétit and happy Costco shopping!
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Eater
4 hours ago
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The Chefs' Guide to Chicago's Farmers Markets
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The frantic dog days of summer bring us the gifts of okra: fried, stewed, sauteed with South Asian spices. And fall, when the chill begins to set in, brings the luxury of figs and pomegranate with baked desserts, along with the heartiness of root vegetables and hardy greens like kale, collards, and mustard greens. The temporality of farmers markets is what makes them so beloved by the city's best chefs, who frequent them — and sometimes have stalls there, like Daisies and Verzenay — to find superior products for their customers. Quality comes at a higher price than convenience, but farmers markets are also working on making themselves more accessible and convenient; many, including Green City Market in Lincoln Park, take SNAP/Link cards and triple-match credit so customers can stretch their dollar, and some farms have delivery services if rolling out of bed at 7 a.m. on a Saturday isn't your jam. Markets in the South Side, like 61st Street Market, the El Paseo Community Market, Hyde Park Farmers Market, and Plant Chicago's Mercado De Intercambio are also expanding access to fresh, quality produce to under-served communities. We spoke to chefs around Chicago about their most beloved farmers market items and what they cook with them, and farmers whose work they love: Mick Klüg, Nichols Farm, and Froggy Meadows are classics, while Oriana's (Asian pears, pawpaws, and quince), Joe's Blues (blueberries), and Seedling are known for more specialty items. Latinx-owned Los Rodriguez Farms, Black-owned Growing Home, and Willowbrook Farms are also opportunities to support farmers of color, who are underrepresented. Lamar Moore of Etc. Farmers Market Move: Apples from Growing Home Right now, I'm looking for apples. I love apples in the fall. I used to grow up just eating apples. My grandmother was selling them all the time. In Illinois, we're so close to Michigan, so you get a lot of those farmers that are bringing up those amazing apples, from Pink Lady apples down to the Fujis. We have duck ravioli on the menu, and I do pickled apples on there and apple sorrel ... It gives the ravioli this citrus flavor. I'll make apple compote for our biscuits too. Obviously, Green City has everything. But I try to stick close to South Loop Market because I do find a lot of Black-owned farms that are coming through that way. And 61st Street Market is another good one for that. Justin Lerias of Del Sur Farmers Market Move: Baby corn from Nichols Farm Every summer, Nichols has these tiny little baby corns that I just love to use and bake. It's so soft and you can just eat it with the cob. I think it's more subtle than regular corn, and it's the perfect canvas. Baby corn is so easy to saute and grill to make something exciting. 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The real stuff. And melon is also really good for ceviches. It has all this beautiful water content that lends itself really well to aguachiles. And whatever you get from the market, try pickling it. Erick Williams of Virtue Farmers Market Move: Sorrel, torpedo onions, and root vegetables from Nichols Farm, the South Shore Market, and Bronzeville Boxville Market I love sourcing from Nichols Farm. They consistently offer a wide variety of high-quality, seasonal produce. I also keep an eye out for small-batch growers at the South Shore Market and the Bronzeville Boxville Market, where you often find gems that reflect the flavor and soul of the South Side. Supporting South Side farmers markets is about equity and community investment. These markets not only bring fresh, nutritious food to neighborhoods that need it, but they also support local growers and food entrepreneurs who often don't have the same access to visibility or resources. The produce is just as beautiful, the stories behind the vendors are powerful, and the impact is deeper when we circulate our dollars locally. We need to uplift all of Chicago, not just the parts that already get attention. What I'm excited about … sorrel has this beautiful, bright citrusy flavor — try blending it into a pesto with sunflower seeds and olive oil, or stir it into scrambled eggs or warm grains like farro or couscous to bring some acidity and freshness. With torpedo onions, I love grilling them whole until tender, then drizzling with olive oil and vinegar for a simple side. They also make a fantastic onion jam when slow-cooked — a great addition to burgers, sandwiches, or even a roasted veggie plate. Beets, turnips, and rutabagas are staples for us. Beets can be roasted with a bit of honey and thyme, or shaved raw into salads for texture. Turnips, especially the small Hakurei variety, can be sautéed with garlic and finished with lemon zest. 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And at Gaijin, we do a lot of Japanese-inspired pickles, and one is like a quick kind of ferment of mustard greens or chrysanthemum greens. The farms that have been pretty consistent in my world would be the Nichols Farm, Mick Klüg Farm, Ellis Family Farms, Iron Creek Farm, and there are a lot of others too. I like River Valley Ranch's mushrooms, Finn's Ranch for meat and eggs (they have duck eggs too). I love Jake's Country Meats. When they're at the market, I make sure to bring my Yeti strap cooler and buy a whole chicken, get some pork, good stuff I can make at home. Oliver Poilevey of Mariscos San Pedro , Le Bouchon , Obelix , and Taqueria Chingon Farmers Market Move: Summer tomatoes from Froggy Meadows I'm most excited for the summer tomatoes. I'll put them on everything. The really good ones are only here for a little while, and I don't really use the other ones that much. Nothing ruins a February sandwich more than a hard tomato. My friend Jerry at Green City Farmers Market in Lincoln Park, from Froggy Meadows, he's the tomato whisperer. Put tomatoes in everything you can think of, but definitely salads. And make sauces and salsas with them. You can also just slice them and eat them with salt and pepper. Leigh Omilinsky of Daisies Farmers Market Move: Strawberries, sweet black cherries, and sugar cube melons from Mick Klüg Farms, Quince from Oriana Orchard and Nursery We wait six months or however long for strawberries. Those are always the best. They're always the highlight for me. Because I have my strawberry items planned in my head in March, when I'm actually ready for them. But we don't get them until the first week of June. We get the majority of our fruit from Mick Klüg. I love them. I've worked with them for more than 15 years. I watched Abby's kids grow up. So it's cool to go and see how they've expanded. But I always look forward to the first strawberries. Then everything happens in rapid succession. All of a sudden, everything is here, at least fruit-wise. Sweet cherries are always fun for me because the season can be like two weeks. And then it's done, so I need to find something that really showcases them. Those sweet black cherries are so fleeting. And black raspberries, too, are so fleeting. I used to know in the city where there are some secret spots where you can pick them. I think generally speaking, with produce that is so special, we know our farmers, we know where they come from, we know what it takes to get there. The less we muck it up, the better. So we are jamming and preserving, and pickling all summer. Then, always like in August, the sugar cube melons I love. The little teeny yellow cantaloupe-looking ones. Those are great. I always make a sous vide out of those because, like it's two ingredients and that's it. And that's just perfect as is. Later into fall, I always want to do something with quince from Oriana. Bring a bag. Take your time. Talk to your farmers. These are the people that put everything they have into this. And for the most part, I can't think of a single one that's not willing to answer any questions. Ask them what's coming up next. Ask them what they're excited about. Ask them what they would do with it. They want to educate you. They want to have you enjoy their product as well. Jenner Tomaska of Esme and The Alston Farmers Market Move: Medlar and a strawberry smoothie from Seedling Fruit Peter from Seedling Fruit is amazing. He's been a long-time supporter of me, and he's an avid diner; he really stays in touch with the chef community. He's able to curate and plan for the following year if there's something special or unique you want to do. His stand at Green City Market also makes smoothies; my favorite is strawberry when they're in season. Right now, I'm looking forward to rhubarb. It's such a small season and small window, so we usually bulk up on it. But he also does medlar, which is just kind of an out-of-the-norm fruit that people don't really buy because it's kind of a pain in the ass to process. Medlar is a small brown fruit, like three times the size of a blueberry. It's dark in complexion, and when you press the innards out of it, it almost tastes already cooked and caramelized. It's almost like a roasted apple pawpaw flavor. It does have some of the slightest astringency to it. You can turn it into ice cream, adding it to a vinaigrette or dressing to make it slightly more savory. Esme is like a block away from Green City in Lincoln Park, so I usually go with my kid, and he goes up to Seedling Fruit, and he'll eat a flat of blackberries in like 30 seconds. Arshiya Farheen of Verzenay Farmers Market Move: Strawberries, gold and black raspberries, and Jupiter grapes from Mick Klüg and Ellis Family Farms, pawpaws from Oriana's Our booth is very close to Nichols Farm, and soon as the ramps get done, you start getting garlic scapes, which is very fun. They have different varieties of allium that you can never see in a grocery store. But we are a bakery and I really believe that strawberries from the Midwest, especially Michigan, are the best in the entire country. If you try Mick Klüg farms or Ellis Family Farms or any other farm from Michigan, their strawberries are a whole different level. It's red through and through, it tastes amazing. They're the closest I have seen to the gariguettes, these tiny French strawberries that grow around spring. The strong flavor profile that a strawberry should have, unfortunately, gets lost in other conventional farming. I also love getting the apples, the peaches, and the pawpaws from Oriana's. Jupiter grapes from Mick Klüg, they're a good alternative to Concord grapes, but they have a deep muscat flavor, and I love to make open-faced tarts with them. Ireland tomatoes from Nichols and sungold tomatoes from Jerry [Boone at Froggy Meadow]. Black raspberries and gold raspberries from Ellis; they are really fragile, so you have to get them right when they bring it out and eat them soon. Oriana's pawpaws and the Asian pears she has are so good. I didn't know what a pawpaw was 10 years ago before we started going to the market. They remind me of some of the fruits back in India; they have a custardy flavor profile, and you don't have to do anything but scoop it out and eat it with a spoon. You can also do something savory with strawberries if you want to try something new. Get the green strawberries and pickle them. These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. Sign up for our newsletter.
Hamilton Spectator
10 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Qajakkut Society set to return to Canadian Canoe Museum
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Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
New owner of Portsmouth events venue once went to school there
Giovanni Donatelli used to walk the halls of Portsmouth Catholic High School as a young boy. Now, almost four decades later, Donatelli is the new owner of the renovated and renamed building, Cambridge Hall. An entrepreneur who moved to the U.S. in 1982, Donatelli is the founder and CEO of The Language Group, a Virginia Beach-based translation service company established in 1999. His company employs 70 fulltime employees and 600 linguists skilled in 225 languages. The Language Group also has a secondary office in Hamburg, Germany. In early April, Donatelli purchased the building at auction for $660,000. There was also a separate transaction totaling $25,000 to buy the intellectual property rights for the business, including the event hall, website, furniture, artwork and baby grand piano. William J. 'Billy' Summs Sr., auctioneer with Atlantic Asset Management Group, said Donatelli was the perfect buyer. The Italianate-style building was transformed into a wedding and event venue in 2022 by Ed O'Neil, an insurance agent with New York Life in Norfolk. Donatelli plans to reopen it this summer as an event hall to host family and company functions. An immigrant from the east coast of Italy, he said he identifies as a local boy from Portsmouth and cherishes the building. 'I stood where my locker used to be and you can see where the desks used to sit,' he said. 'I can almost see myself sitting in the classrooms again.' Armed with ideas, Donatelli said he will continue to operate it as a rental event hall for now — including employee functions for his business — but he is also thinking about using part of the more than 6,000 square feet for nonprofits. Overjoyed with the amount of care the two most recent owners put into the building following years of neglect, Donatelli, a resident of Virginia Beach, said it's now up to him to be a proper steward of it. 'I would love to have a reunion to celebrate the different classes that graduated from there — back in their own building,' he said. 'And I'd like to make a wall to honor the school with a copy of all the yearbooks.' Situated at the corner of London and Washington streets in Old Towne Portsmouth since 1892, the structure was originally St. Paul's Academy for Boys, then St. Paul's Catholic High School before it became Portsmouth Catholic High School in 1964. The Donatelli family's journey to Hampton Roads began in the late 1970s when his father, Otero, a tailor in his native land, was recruited by Morris Rapoport, late patriarch and founder of The Quality Shops. 'They couldn't find anyone in the U.S. so they extended their search and found my father,' Donatelli said. Rapoport sponsored the family's visas and after 6 years they applied for their citizenship. Donatelli's mother, Grace is known throughout Hampton Roads for her seamstress skills. Donatelli and his younger brother, Sandro began their schooling at the now defunct Shea Terrace Elementary where he fondly remembers they learned to speak English. His love of languages only grew from that experience. When Donatelli was in seventh grade, he started his studies at Portsmouth Catholic. An altar boy in Italy, Donatelli said he continued his faithful service to the church every Sunday, serving mass at St. Paul's Catholic Church adjacent to the school. 'I used to play right there and fly my kite on North Street in the parking lot,' Donatelli said. 'It's my home; even though I'm an immigrant, I really grew up in Portsmouth.' Portsmouth Catholic shuttered in 1991 and Donatelli graduated from Churchland High School the following year. 'It feels right; the sentimental connection is there, and it's really special that I was able to do this,' he said. 'It's really nice to feel like I can offer something back to the community by buying my old schoolhouse.' Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836,
