Thanksgiving Foods to Buy at Costco

Thanksgiving is in two weeks. Obviously, many people associate the holiday with the food and football. My favorite part has always been the time spent with family (awww…) because I don’t love the specific foods and I do not like football. However, Costco doesn’t sell families (three-pack of brothers, anyone?) so I’ll focus on food. I came across an article about the top recommended foods to buy at Costco for Thanksgiving. In addition, because it misses some items that I would want, I’m adding some.

A few years ago Costco started selling a Thanksgiving meal kit. Certainly an entire meal is a helpful option. However, many people want to make their own meals because they enjoy cooking or have special recipes and traditions it appears that there may be a few versions of the meal kit but one is advertised the most. The $270 kit serves between 8-10 people and includes a 5-lb antibiotic-free turkey breast, 2 lbs of mashed potatoes, 2 lbs of stuffing, 2 lbs of brussel sprout casserole, 1 lb of green beans almondine, 2 cranberry, apple, and orange relish, 2 turkey gravy, One 10-inch pumpkin pie and one 10-inch apple pie.

Costco Products to Buy for Thanksgiving

1. Pumpkin Pie

This pie gets very positive reviews.

I have written about this pie as it is a favorite from Costco at this time of year (Fall Items to Buy at Costco). I have never had pumpkin pie and am not interested in it. However, for the many people for whom it is a staple of the meal, it appears that Costco is the place to buy it. 

2. Fried Onion Strips

According to thearticle,onion strips are essential for green bean casserole and are much less expensive at Costco than at grocery stores. These French’s onion strips are sold in 26.5 ounce bags, and are vegetarian, kosher, and non-GMO.

I have never had this classic dish and am not interested as I don’t like green beans or onions. However, it is good for people to know they can save money by buying one of the key ingredients at Costco (not surprisingly).

3. Swanson Chicken Broth

Another recommended item for Thanksgiving is this chicken broth, sold in packs of 12 14.5- ounce cans. It is suggested because of its use in many dishes, low sodium content, and ease of storage.

I have written about this broth recently (November Food Deals at Costco). It is not for me but is definitely a helpful purchase for those doing a lot of cooking. 

4. Bread

The article points out the range of bread items available at Costco that can be used in the classic Thanksgiving side dish of stuffing. 

Stuffing is delicious. Growing up, we often had two kinds. One was more traditional and made from bread and often cooked inside the turkey (which I recently learned is called “”dressing ” whereas outside is “stuffing”). The other was my grandma’s recipe and made from crackers and then baked. Both were delicious. I don’t tend to think about anything but basic white bread (or corn bread, although I’ve never had cornbread stuffing, despite how delicious it sounds) being used in traditional stuffing. I learned from this article that people use all kinds of bread for stuffing.

5. Apple Pie

Another suggested dessert is apple pie. Buying it at Costco enables members to have a very large pie at a lower cost than from other stores

I have written about this pie before (Additional Fall Items at Costco); (Summer Bakery Desserts at Costco); (“Would you bring a dessert?”)).I have never had it (it is dairy so I wouldn’t eat it after the meat) dairy but is definitely a classic for many and looks delicious. Growing up, my mom always made apple crisp, which I actually prefer to pie. Both desserts are delicious, but I like the crumbly topping of the crisp.

6. Potatoes

A simple item on the list is potatoes for their use in many Thanksgiving recipes. Buying them at Costco saves money and ensures high quality potatoes.

My family tends to serve baked potatoes on their own rather than in recipes. We like baked potatoes from the oven but rarely eat them that way because they take a long time and it is not worth it if we are not using the oven for anything else. The microwave is adequate.  Thanksgiving, when the oven is on, is a good opportunity to actually bake them. They get so soft, especially sweet potatoes (my favorite). We like mashed potatoes but tend not to make them for this meal. I agree with the high quality of the plain potatoes at Costco (Product Review: Russet Potatoes) and, although I’m not sure we get them there (but probably do!), I am sure the sweet potatoes are as well. 

7. Crescent Rolls

The article mentions that many people buy rolls at Costco for the holiday. Although there are many options at Costco, a suggestion is the frozen crescent rolls sold in a package of eight cans. 

My family never serves bread or rolls with Thanksgiving dinner. The rest of the food is more special and people wouldn’t generally choose bread over the other options. I am actually a little surprised to see rolls on this list. However, I guess for many families, bread or rolls are served with most dinners.

8. Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast

The author of this article recognizes that not everyone wants to cook an entire turkey. A suggested alternative is this pre-cooked turkey breast that can be reheated in the oven. 

I always thought turkey was a very difficult item to make. Raw turkeys are pretty gross-looking, require defrosting in the fridge, cleaning (yuck), take a long time to cook, and require basting.  However, my mom always says it is actually a very easy item to make. Once it is clean, it just requires a few spices and lemon wedges and then sits in the oven for hours. It virtually always comes out well. Nevertheless, because it does require the cleanin, I can definitely see the appeal of buying this breast. A smaller piece seems especially good for people who don’t like the skin, wings, drumsticks, or dark meat. It is helpful for people to know that this simpler meal is an option from Costco. We have bought kosher chicken or turkey breasts on other occasions and it is definitely an easy meal. 

9. Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yet another popular thanksgiving dessert is this seasonal cheesecake. It is an alternative to pie.

I have mentioned being intrigued by this item (Pumpkin Items to Buy at Costco), despite my preference for plain cheesecake. Obviously, dairy cheesecake is not a dessert item I would have after meat but for others, it is nice to have an alternative to pie. 

10. Fresh Cranberries

The final item on the list is cranberries. Apparently, Costco sells fresh berries at a good price 

I admit it. I really like the canned cranberry sauce that gets sliced. It is excellent on top of turkey and I only eat it once or twice (sometimes we serve it with brisket on the High Holidays) each year. I have never had fresh cranberry sauce and, aside from this sauce, cranberry juice, and craisins, I actually don’t like cranberry much (e.g., in baked goods). I guess I only like very sweet cranberries. 

The above list has some good suggestions. I wanted to add some others. 

1. Kirkland Signature Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream

I reviewed this delicious ice cream in the past (Product Review: Kirkland Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream). I wouldn’t eat it after meat but for most, it would make a great addition to the apple pie. As delicious as hot pie is on its own, it is even better with vanilla ice cream. 

2. Fresh Whole Chestnuts 

I know many people use chestnuts in stuffing. However, in my family, they are an appetizer on their own. We eat Thanksgiving dinner as an actual (early) dinner (vs lunch) so we have always had a lot of appetizers during the day. My grandpa introduced me to roasted chestnuts. He would cut an “X” into each one, bake then for a long time, and then help me peel off the hard shells. They were so tasty and provide nice memories. We continued the tradition after he died. We buy them at the grocery store but I imagine the Costco ones are high quality, less expensive, and I always wanted more so a big bag would be good.

3. Fresh Vegetables 

One of the afternoon snacks we serve is a vegetable platter. I’d recommend buying the carrots (Product Review: Cal-organic Baby Carrots), tomatoes (Product review: grape tomatoes), bell peppers, and mushrooms. The platter is easy to prepare, healthy, and a good snack while sitting around.

4. Fresh Fruit

We have always served fresh fruit along with “real desserts” after dinner. Therefore, I’d suggest buying some of the high quality fruit at Costco, either to put in a fruit salad or on their own. 

5. Apple Cider

I have never liked apple juice. However, apple cider is a different story. I especially like it heated up. It makes a great drink on the afternoon with the appetizers, with dinner, or with after the meal with a snack. 

6. Mixed Nuts

Nuts are an easy snack to have available throughout the day. We buy the Kirkland Signature Fancy Mixed Nuts (Product Review: Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Unsalted Mixed Nuts) but any of the varieties at Costco would be a good purchase for the day.

7. Tortilla Chips

I don’t eat chips so I don’t have a preference on brand or style. However, I would get them for others to eat. 

8. Hummus

I mentioned the vegetable platter. We serve it with hummus. It is healthy, easy, and looks nice.

9. Salsa

We often also serve salsa for the chips and/or vegetables. It is nice to have a few options for dips. 

10. Apples

I love apples. My favorites are Grammy Smiths because they are tart and virtually always crunchy (unlike the Red Delicious which always seems to be pushy). Unsurprisingly, I like applesauce. The packaged kind (unsweetened) is good but not nearly as good as homemade. My mom makes an excellent homemade applesauce by just cooking them on the stove for a very long time. The hot dish makes a delicious and comforting side at the meal. It is also a good use for slightly bruised apples. I have never bought apples at Costco but I would trust them to be very good. 

Do you buy these items at Costco for Thanksgiving? Any others you’d recommend?