15 Overlooked Costco Snacks Worth Adding to Your Cart

Costco is known for some of its familiar favorites, from buttery bakery croissants to frozen Kirkland brand meals, but we want to talk about underrated snacks that deserve a spot in your cart. They may not be as viral or well-known, but they’re as equally delicious (if not more so). We’ve got everything, from sweet to savory to crunchy to creamy, so you can find something that suits your taste buds or to pair with other items you have at home. 

We picked these items based on past Tasting Table reviews, our personal experiences, and reviews on the Costco website, but you can learn more about how we selected these snacks in the methodology section at the end of this article. As you read through, your grocery list will get longer and longer, and you’ll probably find yourself drooling along the way. It’s safe to say that the next time you visit the popular wholesaler, your cart will be loaded with goodies for all occasions. Happy snacking!

Kirkland Signature organic fruit and vegetable pouches may seem like they are designed solely for babies who can’t bite into solid food, but anyone can enjoy these easy-to-eat treats. You get 24 pouches with two different flavors — one is apple strawberry spinach, and the other is apple mango yellow carrot peach. These organic, gluten-free pouches are perfect for when you need a little snack on the go.

They’re equivalent to applesauce, but they have added fruits and vegetables, all in a convenient squeeze pouch. They have an apple-forward flavor, so you don’t have to worry about any spinach or carrot taste. The pouches aren’t flashy, but they’re still great to keep at your office desk, backpack, or car for when you need a quick snack without mess. You don’t need a spoon or a napkin since you can simply squeeze and eat. The lid twists on and off easily to make the whole experience as seamless as possible.

The UNREAL dark chocolate coconut minis are a masterpiece — delicious beyond belief. At Costco, these sweets come in an unassuming 15.3-ounce bag and appear just like any old piece of candy. But we suggest purchasing them if you want a dessert that isn’t extremely high in sugar, which can be hard to come by. The vegan and gluten-free sweets have a total of 3 grams of sugar, so they are more accessible for people who have different dietary needs. 

This is a great option to keep on hand for an easy snack — although they are small, they are powerful and will satiate your craving. And, as one Costco review puts it, they don’t make you feel sluggish or fatigued after consuming. Pop them in the fridge if you want them to be cold and slightly firm (don’t freeze them, though), which can be perfect for summertime. Eat them as they come or chop them up to add to homemade rocky road to give it a pop of texture. The coconut and dark chocolate meld together for a decadent delight.

Costco has a handful of yogurt options, and we love the Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt variety pack — but their nutritional qualities aren’t super clear by name alone (you have to look closely at the packaging), which makes it fly under the radar. What does triple zero mean exactly? It means there’s no added sugar, artificial sweetener, or fat. It has a nice protein content of 15 grams per container, allowing you to feel like you’re consuming a nourishing snack. You get 18 5.3-ounce yogurt containers in three flavors: strawberry, mixed berry, and vanilla. 

These are rich and creamy and don’t leave your teeth feeling funky, which can happen sometimes with Greek yogurt. Eat the snacks alone or jazz one up with granola or chopped nuts for a more filling snack or breakfast. You could also use it as the base of your morning smoothie to give it a creamy profile. We suggest the vanilla yogurt to enhance the flavors in your next smoothie.

Costco’s regular pecans have close to 5,000 reviews, so they are a well-established snack option from the wholesaler. If you want something a bit different and slightly elevated, then we’d like to propose giving the praline pecans a try. This Kirkland Signature brand item comes in a 2.5-pound tub with a twist lid to make munching super easy. These are crunchy but not too hard to bite into and sweet, making them the perfect option for an easy snack or topping for pies — no chipped tooth here.

But you could also include the nuts in a salad with spinach, apples, and gorgonzola as a more savory way to eat them; this is one of our favorite ways to devour them, as the earthy components of the salad balance the sweetness of the praline coating. We recommend adding a handful to a party snack platter or grazing board when you want something different than your standard salted nuts. As one Costco member mentions in the reviews, “Be forewarned that they will test your willpower, your self-restraint, and the size of your stomach.” And we have to agree, as they ranked No. 1 in our list of Costco Kirkland sweet snacks.

The fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies from the bakery are a beloved option that Costco members enjoy picking up. They are perfect for work events or birthday parties when you want an affordable sweet treat. However, we’d like to introduce you to the small version with these adorable Costco bakery mini chocolate chip cookies. You might have walked right past them a time or two. We like that you get 60 little cookies to consume as you please.

While they are not an exact dupe for the larger bakery version, these cookies ranked very high when we tried the Costco sweets because they are soft and chewy. Not only that, but their small size makes them a little more versatile for what you want to use them for. Try making small ice cream sandwiches for summer barbeques with vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two cookies. You could also add them to a kid’s lunchbox or take a few on a picnic.  

Bobo’s PB&Js oat sandwich bars are gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free and have a 4.5-star rating on the Costco website. They have under 200 reviews, so they aren’t entirely popular, but they’re still worth your attention, because the verdict is in: People love these as a comforting snack, especially if you have gluten, dairy, or egg allergies. These are like a fun alternative to your average PB&J sandwich or premade versions like Uncrustables, because Bobo’s has similar yet stand-out qualities. 

Rather than having the PB&J in the middle, these are soft-baked with a tantalizing peanut butter oat crust and a fruit filling — they effectively fulfill the peanut butter and jelly craving but in a different fashion. These make a delicious option to bring to a school lunch, but the bites can double as a dessert. At Costco, you can get a 20-pack with strawberry and grape flavors.

Chips are such an incredibly crunchy, salty snack that many people enjoy, and Kettle Brand is a trusted company when it comes to the potato-based snack. Its popular flavors include jalapeño or salt and vinegar, but it can be beneficial to go back to the basics. That’s why we recommend this hidden gem Costco collab: the Himalayan pink salt Kirkland Signature Kettle Brand krinkle cut kettle chips. 

This is the optimal snack to appreciate with a sandwich and a cold soda after a long day at the pool — wonderfully crisp with those delicious ridges that are perfect for dipping. You could also crumble some to put on your macaroni and cheese or casserole. They’re basic, but you don’t need any whimsical flavors if a chip is made well. The crunchy texture and salty flavor (similar to hot boardwalk fries at a local fair) make it highly delectable and versatile. 

Costco has a growing line of jerky options, so you might be wondering which is the best one to pick. It usually depends on your flavor profile preference (original, teriyaki, among others), but we think that you can’t go wrong by picking one that focuses on texture. Cue the Kirkland Signature extra thick steak strips, which offer a peppery, smoky profile (the flavor isn’t overwhelming) that has what can only be described as a slightly juicy and tender texture. You just have to try it to understand. 

We love that they’re not too difficult to bite — you don’t have to gnaw at it to tear off a piece. These are a bit different from your standard jerky, which can make them an easily overlooked snack, but we can’t recommend them enough. They have 9 grams of protein per serving, so it’s protein-rich, too. Just make sure to refrigerate them after opening. Bring them on your next road trip or to the theme park when you need a hearty, mess-free bite to eat.

Girl Scout cookies are a much-loved and raved-about snack, but have you ever tried the staple flavors in a different form? Costco offers the Edward Marc Girl Chocolatier Thin Mint chocolate-covered bites, which are exactly as the name implies. They are little chocolate-covered bites that have the classic minty profile and crispy cookie crunch that you expect from Thin Mints. These are the perfect size to snack on, to leave on a grazing platter, or to take with you to work or the park. 

They are well-made and sweet but not too cloying. Although they are not a whole, unprocessed food by any means, we can appreciate that the chocolate bites don’t contain any artificial flavors or preservatives. They contain actual peppermint oil to give them that minty taste, but on top of that, the green coloring comes from natural ingredients, such as turmeric and spirulina (unlike some brands that have lake dyes). Don’t let the run-of-the-mill packaging fool you; these deliver a fun flavor and texture. If you want to amp up the texture, try placing them in the freezer for an ultra-crunchy dessert.

Costco sells quite a few nuts, but the Kirkland Signature cashew clusters with almonds and pumpkin seeds offer a different flavor and consistency. They might not look like much, but we’re happy that they come in convenient cube shapes to make them easy to grab — we consider them a perfectly snackable shape. They’re also pretty filling if you want to bring them on a hike or to a long beach day where you’re outside or exerting a lot of energy. But they’re great in smoothie bowls, too.

The nuts stick together, thanks to the honey and cane sugar combination, so it creates a marvelously tasty mix of sweet, salty, and nutty. Food reviews on TikTok rate them a 10/10 and say that they’re better than candy. The gluten-free bites are easy to chew (not too crunchy) and ideal when you want a nut-based snack other than trail mix, which can taste plain after you have a few pieces. The clusters are easy to pour into a small bowl to put out for company or to add to your morning yogurt to make it more filling.

The Tropical Fields organic crispy coconut rolls are a scrumptious Costco treat when hosting a kid’s birthday party on a budget. They’re light and airy, which makes them easy to chew for those with little hands and teeth, but we recommend them for all ages and occasions. These are hollow in the middle and have a wafer cookie type of texture, so it may seem like your bag is light, but you get a good amount of rolls. 

Although you might have passed by them at Dollar Tree in a 2.1-ounce bag, these are certainly underrated as they’re a new addition to Costco. It comes in an 11-ounce bag, so grab one if you spot it. The crispy coconut rolls are gluten-free and dairy-free to make them more accessible if you or someone in your household has food allergies. Nosh on them by themselves or dunk them in Nutella if you want something that’s a sweeter profile. There’s no wrong way to consume these.

If you’re looking to move beyond your average potato chip, then we’d like to introduce you to the SoKusa happy shrimp chips, which are made mostly from tapioca flour, shrimp, and sustainable palm oil, along with some other flavors. The one that Costco sells has a garlic butter flavor and comes in a huge bag, making it easy to share. We recommend packing it in school lunches or leaving it out at a party where you want to serve a memorable yet scrumptious item that people will enjoy. 

The SoKusa happy shrimp chips might not look flashy, but they have an airy quality and are marvelously complex with a shrimp flavor, some herbal notes, and a hint of sweetness. It’s crunchy but somehow still melts in your mouth. Don’t worry about it being overly fishy — the shrimp profile is pretty subtle — and you can always pair it with a dip to pack on more flavor. These light chips are certainly among the best Asian-inspired snacks from Costco.

We likely never would have picked up the Kirkland Signature chewy protein bars of our own accord. They don’t look like much, especially if you’re not a big fan of the standard chewy bar. But when someone brought a couple of bars over when visiting, we decided to give them a try. We can confidently say that we were missing out on these for years. You might be the same way, so we want to share these gluten-free bars for your consideration. 

While indeed chewy, they aren’t as soft as the standard chewy bar, which can be rather unpleasant for certain palates. Instead, these have a chocolate coating, semisweet chocolate chips, and peanuts to give it a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, rather than a basic choco chip chewy bar that seems to fall apart at the touch. These also have an added perk of 10 grams of protein per bar and 6 grams of fiber. The protein content isn’t a lot compared to other protein bars, but still more than most chewy bars, which usually have around 1 gram of protein. This is the perfect snack to have in between a meal since they are filling and have that protein content, too.

Costco has a sea of candies, many of which you probably haven’t tried yet. The wholesaler sells name brands that we’re all familiar with, like M&Ms, but sometimes you want to go with a more unassuming option. There’s no way to know how many times we overlooked the Sanders dark chocolate sea salt caramels over the years, but once we tried them, we never went back. This is a favorite in our household because of the buttery, soft caramel interior and the thick snap of the dark chocolate. The crunchy pieces of salt add dimension to both the flavor and texture. They’re quite big and rich, so you can eat one and feel like it satisfies your sweet tooth.

What makes them so special is that they look and taste like high-quality expensive chocolates, but they have that Costco bargain quality. If you place these caramels on a nice plate for a holiday party, people will think they are a gourmet delight from a chocolatier. One Redditor says to wrap cookie dough around them and bake for the most decadent cookie you’ve ever had. There’s no wrong way to eat these morsels.

You might be thinking that crackers are a pretty boring item to purchase at Costco, so you’ve likely passed the Simple Mills almond flour sea salt crackers several times without giving them a second glance. That’s why they’re so underrated. These vegan, gluten-free crackers are pleasantly crisp and have a satisfying snap. Other crackers can have a butteriness or flakiness rather than crunchy quality, so this is a welcome option; they’re almost like a chip. 

The Simple Mills crackers are quite salty, which adds to the savory quality, but the almond flour gives it a light nutty profile — the two flavors make a subtle but delicious combination that works with many foods. We like to use them to scoop up a spruced-up tuna salad, but you can serve them alone or pair them with other snacks or your dip of choice. Costco is the best place to get these, since Amazon and Walmart sell them for a much higher price per ounce.

If you type the word “snacks” into the Costco website search bar, about 300 items show up, but there might be even more in your store or Costco Business Center — or even items that aren’t deemed “snacks” but still are. To help us determine underrated options, first, we used our own experience as longtime Costco members with years of experience curiously peering into people’s carts during checkout and trying items ourselves.

We have an understanding of which items are super popular and which ones don’t get as much love as they deserve. We also determined items by looking at previous Tasting Table articles on well-received products as well as Costco reviews. For reviews, we looked at the Costco website, organized the snacks by ratings of four stars or more, and combed through reviews to discover items with the most potential. The bottom line is that you’ll find something that you’ll enjoy for your family, a party, or yourself.