6 Costco Snack Alternatives and Their Comparison to Name Brands

Is the name brand always better? This is a question that comes up a lot when dealing with popular items, food and beverages included. As a kid, you always wanted the name-brand item and not the knock-off to show how cool and in-the-know you were, but as an adult, you can see things with more objectivity. Sometimes, the name means more than the quality, but then again, sometimes it can be both. I wanted to test out some Costco items and pit them against the most similar name-brand item to see which comes out as the winner. 

Can our favorite warehouse get it right, too, or is it always the well-known brand? Join me on the journey to taste these and put to rest which is best. I’m trying them side-by-side and judging them by flavor, texture, appearance, and cost. I sampled a handful of items that seemed to closely resemble each other. There are items like nut bars, chicken, and chocolate chip muffins, so the snacks give you quite a range based on your mood — sweet, salty, sometimes both at the same time (but most of them are sweet). Let’s begin!

Chocolate and nuts are an epic combination. It’s hard to get them wrong, and I’ll start by saying both brands nailed this snack. That said, they are different. While they look somewhat similar if you remove them from the packaging, you can spot the differences when you take a deeper look and that first bite — it comes down to the nuts.

The Kind dark chocolate nuts and sea salt bars are comprised of two nuts: almonds and peanuts. The peanuts are prominent and noticeable with each bite, while the almonds offer their distinct crunch. The combination gives the Kind bars a very peanut butter and chocolate vibe, which we all know goes well together. Meanwhile, the Kirkland Signature nut bars are made with chocolate, almonds, cashews, pecans, and sunflower seeds, among other ingredients. These are beautifully nutty and crunchy. I will say that they are almond-heavy, followed by sunflower seeds, and I wish there were more of the pecan or cashew components. The Costco price is also truly unbeatable. 

Both brands’ bars are dense as far as calories and fat content, and each certainly make for a very filling snack that you can bring for an afternoon on the trail or at the beach, when you need some nutrients. They’re crunchy, sweet, with a lot of flavor. I loved the peanut profile of the Kind bars, and also appreciated the greater variety in nuts and seeds in Kirkland’s version. Even though Kirkland’s is an incredible value, this one is a tie for me based on the appearance, flavor, and texture.

Yum, I love breaded chicken. And what are these lightly breaded chicken breast chunks if not miniature versions of chicken tenders? They are fantastic to keep stocked in the freezer for an easy meal for adults and kids. I have purchased the Kirkland version before purely because they are slightly cheaper. But I’ve heard great things about Just Bare and wanted to settle the debate for good, since both brands offer very similar products. 

I like my nuggets to have a crisp exterior, so I put both brands in the oven for a couple of extra minutes. I must say that this chicken dupe is duping. The nutrition facts and ingredients are extremely similar. The chicken itself looks very much alike on a plate, and both have a juicy interior (because who wants dry chicken?). Both come in 4-pound bags, and the chicken has varying sizes of chunks, meaning some will get ultra crispy in comparison to others.

The main difference is the price and the flavor of the breading. I preferred Kirkland’s more because it had a deeper profile with a light peppery flavor that isn’t as noticeable on the Just Bare ones. The difference is mild, but it’s there, and for a more affordable cost at that. Costco is the winner of this one, thanks to the better flavor and cost. Both are highly versatile, though; try using them to bulk up your weekday salad or coat them with a three-ingredient orange sauce.

Egg bites are a quick way to start your day. You get a little protein and sustenance without having to cook from scratch. Starbucks has egg white and roasted red pepper egg bites, while Kirkland Signature has its egg white with cheese trio and peppers egg bites. Upon first glance, the Starbucks egg bites look like they went through the ringer. They appear smashed and uneven, if not a little sad, while the Kirkland brand ones are more uniform in their shape. 

The Starbucks one has larger strips of the bell peppers compared to the minuscule pieces in Costco’s. Starbucks has cottage cheese, as well as Monterey Jack and feta cheese, while the Kirkland brand egg bites similarly have cottage cheese and Monterey Jack, along with Parmesan cheese. Costco’s has a mild, tangy flavor likely from the cottage cheese, while Starbucks is a little creamier and more cheese-forward. Neither of these was particularly scrumptious, but more so bearable. Both benefited from some hot sauce (even though hot sauce is a listed ingredient in both egg bites — it must be a literal drop). 

Since the flavor and texture of both are pretty meh, the Kirkland wins this round based on appearance and price. You can get a pack of five (10 pieces total) for about half the price of purchasing five sets of Starbucks egg bites. Both Starbucks and Costco sell other egg bite flavors, and that might be your best bet for taste.

If you’re seeking adorable, little muffins, then you’re in luck, because Little Bites and Costco offer very similar products with comparable nutrition facts. They look mostly alike, except the Kirkland one has a more golden-brown hue. The Little Bites are slightly stuck to each other with residual crumbs fastened from one to the other, making for a messier appearance.

Both brands offer moist, tiny cakes with mini chocolate chip pieces that offer a touch of texture. Little Bites is denser and more cake-like, while the Costco one is more airy and spongy. As a mom to a toddler, I’d always wanted to try the mini muffins after seeing them in plenty of “what my toddler eats in a day”-type videos on social media. Well, both are great, according to my little one, who devoured both interchangeably.

I prefer the texture of the Little Bites, but the golden, fresh-baked look of Kirkland’s. They have a similar taste, and while Costco’s has a better overall value, it isn’t enough for me to declare it the winner — so, I will mark this as a tie. Which one you pick will depend on the texture (and price) you prefer, as texture is a big deciding factor for some children and toddlers.

I’ve never been to Hawaii, but anyone I know who has always seems to bring back a box of Hawaiian Host — usually the AlohaMacs box, so I’ve had them plenty of times. They’re delicious. Hawaiian Host sweets are beautiful with their creamy milk chocolate that melts in your mouth and those crunchy, buttery macadamia nuts. You’ll receive 5 ounces of chocolates that come in a lovely box where the chocolates are delicately placed in their plastic container — they aren’t moving anywhere. I understand why boxed chocolates are a good gift idea, because the presentation gives them such an elevated feel.

The Kirkland Signature chocolate macadamia clusters also have salted caramel included, which means this isn’t an exact dupe. The caramel offers its buttery, highly sweet flavor and chewy texture, drawing attention away from the chocolate and nuts. While you get a lot of product from Kirkland, 2 pounds to be exact, they look pretty beat up and scratched. This is because they’re just loose and rolling around on each other in the plastic container.

I am a huge fan of macadamia, so I knew I would like both of these. However, I deem Hawaiian Host as the winner because of the flavor, as well as the presentation and overall look of the chocolate. Of course, you can’t beat Costco’s price, but the chocolates look like they had a rough day. If you need some budget-friendly items to put out for a party, then the Kirkland ones will work just fine. Both are delicious in their own way.

I scream, you scream, but we likely aren’t screaming for these Kirkland Signature chocolate almond ice cream bars. This icy treat ranked dead last in a taste test for frozen desserts from Costco because it couldn’t keep up with the Häagen-Dazs bars they’re a dupe for. Upon viewing them side-by-side, you can see a few differences. Costco’s is quite large with a brown color, rather than the reddish-brown hue of the Häagen-Dazs. It’s also wider and flatter compared to the narrower but thicker Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar. But it’s that first and second bite that tells the truth.

While they offer somewhat similar textures — snappy chocolate, creamy ice cream, a light crunch of nuts — they have distinct differences, too. The Häagen-Dazs bar has a considerably crisper chocolate shell, and the almonds are firmer, offering a contrasting, more audible crunch to the dessert. Both of these elements bring a welcome mouthfeel to the otherwise creamy nature of the bar. The Häagen-Dazs ice cream is noticeably more flavorsome with notes of vanilla, while the Kirkland seems bland in comparison. The Kirkland chocolate is also thin and doesn’t bring as much flavor and texture to the table.

As per usual, if you’re only after the best bang for your buck, Kirkland hits that mark. But the flavor, texture, and appearance of Häagen-Dazs make it the winner.