Costco's Best Buys for Packing Your Freezer

There's a lot to love about frozen food: It's cheap, it's convenient, and you can squirrel it away for months without worrying about anything more than the occasional case of freezer burn. Buying your frozen food at Costco often makes it an even better value, since bulk buys often translate into major savings. Here are frozen-food buys at Costco that will make you want to clear some room in your freezer. 

Not a Costco member? You can apply here.

Prices and availability are subject to change. Lacey Muszynski also contributed to this report.

Related: How to Live on $500 a Month at Costco 

$17 for 12 sandwiches

Competition for our breakfast dollars is strong, but these Jimmy Dean sandwiches made with turkey sausage and egg whites are tasty and relatively healthy compared to other, greasier breakfast sandwiches. Snag them at Costco for much less: They're roughly $1.42 a sandwich here compared with $2.25 a sandwich at Kroger.

Related: The Greatest Breakfast Sandwich in Every State

$20 for 6 pounds

The Kitchn gives Costco's store-brand meatballs a nod as one of the best appetizers you can buy at your favorite warehouse club. Of course, these bite-size, lightly spiced morsels also prime dinner fare, whether thrown into a casserole, served up on a sub sandwich, or simply tossed with pasta and your favorite sauce.

Related: Prepared Meals at Costco to Feed Your Family

$13 for 8 pot pies

These eponymous pot pies win solid praise from Serious Eats, which notes the flavorful chicken, firm carrots, snappy peas, and peppery gravy. And at less than $2 each at Costco, they're certainly a lot cheaper and heartier than your typical frozen lunch options (we're looking at you, $3 Lean Cuisines).

Related: The Big Differences Between Costco and Costco.com

$11 for 72 waffles

Whether you're trying to feed a pack of hungry kids or need a quick bite before rushing off to work, frozen waffles are an easy breakfast staple. Stocking up at Costco makes sense: You'll pay about 15 cents a waffle here, compared with about 31 cents a waffle for the biggest box at Kroger.

$24 for 15 patties

We can personally vouch for these oh-so-convenient one-third pound beef patties, which have been a staple in our own freezer for months now. These burgers didn't taste like frozen patties at all, and grass-fed ground beef contains more omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed, Healthline notes.

Related: Costco Brand Products That Shoppers Love

$19 for 6.5 pounds

Grabbing a pack of fresh chicken breast is convenient, but frozen chicken can be a big money-saver if you can plan ahead to allow defrosting time. Case in point: paying about $2.92 a pound for Costco's store-brand frozen chicken, when a package of fresh chicken breast usually runs at least $6 a pound at the local supermarket.

$40 for 3 pounds

Wild-caught salmon is a high-protein dinner option that's healthier and more eco-friendly than the cheaper farm-raised stuff. But it can cost a pretty penny, which is why stocking up on Costco's high-quality frozen filets is a no-brainer. Here, you pay just over $13 a pound, and get three pounds to stock your freezer.

$11 for four pizzas

When more elaborate dinner ideas just seem too time-consuming, it's hard to beat a crowd-pleasing frozen pizza that can be dressed up with whatever toppings you might have on hand. Even better: Getting four Costco brand pizzas for $11 — certainly a better deal than delivery.

Related: We Tasted 13 Frozen Pizzas and This is the Best

$9 for 18 bars

Kirkland vanilla ice cream has long been a favorite of taste testers, so it stands to reason that Costco can also make a killer ice cream bar. Dipped in a thick coating of almond-sprinkled chocolate, they're more decadent than the typical frozen treat, and the sample we had in store made us grab a box immediately.

$7 for two 32-ounce loaves

Healthline calls Ezekiel Bread "the healthiest bread you can eat." Why? It's made of organic sprouted grains instead of refined wheat, and contains no added sugar, among other reasons. Of course, all of this comes at a higher price than your average loaf of Wonder Bread, but you can still save by buying these larger, frozen loaves from Costco. You'll pay about 11 cents an ounce, compared with 23 cents at Whole Foods.

$15 for two 3-pound trays

Lasagna is a hearty family favorite, but it can be time-consuming to make. Pop one of Costco's Kirkland lasagna trays in the oven and everyone will be happy. It's even a taste-test winner, earning raves from the San Jose Mercury News for sauce with a "long-cooked, homemade Italian flavor" and a good amount of meat. (Not a Costco member? Apply here.)

$12 for 36 ounces

We're going to warn you right now: These things are seriously addictive. Brazi Bites, which first found notoriety on ABC's "Shark Tank," are little balls of Brazilian cheese bread that make a great side dish, snack, or appetizer. Bonus: Because they're made with tapioca flour, they're even gluten-free.

$7 for 5.5 pounds

Here's another staple where it's hard to beat Costco's price. These versatile mixed veggies are about 8 cents an ounce here, compared with 12 cents an ounce for the Birds Eye brand at Kroger. For a quick and easy all-Costco meal, pair them with some of that aforementioned Kirkland chicken breast, seasoned however you like.

$16 for 2 pounds

If Costco's wild salmon doesn't prove its frozen seafood game is on point, the shrimp will. A favorite of Consumer Reports for its "firmer, chewier texture," Kirkland shrimp beats out name brands, and, in true Costco fashion, it's cheaper. At our local Kroger, 2 pounds of medium frozen cooked shrimp is $24.

$10 for 160 rolls

Say what you will about pizza rolls and their uncanny ability to burn the skin off the roof of your mouth — if you've ever had to feed a pack of teenage boys, it's best to buy these tasty little pouches of molten lava in bulk. Costco's price works out to about 6 cents a roll, while Kroger wants about 1 cents a roll for its biggest pack.

$12 for two half-gallons

From topping apple pie to spur-of-the-moment root beer floats, vanilla ice cream should be a staple in everyone's freezer. Many brands are shrinking the size of their ice cream containers, but you still get a full gallon in this package in two convenient containers to keep the freezer burn at bay. 

$9 for 3 pounds

Frozen fruit is picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen immediately, so it's often sweeter than the fresh version you can buy in the store. These organic blueberries are great for throwing in smoothies, pancakes, or muffins, and compared to the $4 per pound you'd pay at Kroger, they're a bargain too.

$13 for 3.4 pounds

You don't have to have celiac disease to enjoy these gluten and antibiotic free chicken nuggets. They're so tasty, inexpensive, and quick to prepare that every household with picky eaters should stock them. Though they can be heated up in the microwave, reviewers recommend using the oven for the crispiest breading. 

$11 for 4.2 pounds

Potstickers are a great freezer item for busy nights when you didn't plane dinner. You can add them to broth for a simple soup, put them over rice, or just eat them on their own. But unlike these Ling Ling chicken and vegetable potstickers, they can cost a fortune at regular grocery stores — they're about $7 per pound at Kroger.

$7 for 8 pounds

It's hard to find anything for under a dollar per pound nowadays, let alone something as crowd pleasing as french fries. These Ore-Ida crinkle cut spuds cook up brown and crispy in the oven or air fryer. They go for $1.65 per pound at Kroger, so it's best to grab this 8-pound bulk bag.

$13 for 18 sandwiches

No matter the logic or lack thereof, an Uncrustable is always better than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, especially when it's in a lunchbox. You'll not win any awards for frugality buying them, but as a special treat, it's a lot easier to swallow this price of 72 cents per sandwich than the typical $1.07 grocery store price.

$9 for 5 pounds

It's easy to get more veggies into your diet when you can throw a handful of these organic green peas into all your meals. This 5-pound bag will last a long time — and make for one heck of a giant makeshift ice pack if needed. Compared to the $4 per pound for organic green peas you'd pay at Kroger, this is a steal.