Shopping at Costco can be a bit overwhelming, even if you’ve been at it for a while. But if you’re new to the big box store or maybe returning after a long break from the super-size shopping model, you may want to make a game plan or you’ll wind up with 20 pounds of bacon, a lifetime supply of pickles, and enough toilet paper to survive another pandemic.
It’s easy to get carried away. After all, the deals are sometimes too good to be true, and Costco seems to carry all the things we love to snack on and didn’t know we needed. But take a deep breath and remind yourself that you need actual food, not just economy-size snacks. The carts are designed to fit the bulk items the store is known for, but that also makes it easy to fill up on impulse buys. That’s where we come in — to make sure you don’t fill up on items you’ll regret and skip the one item you shouldn’t miss: the Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna. It’s not only one of the must-buy items for first-time Costco shoppers, but it’s also a delicious Italian dinner that often gets appreciated for its restaurant-like quality by fans.
Homemade lasagna takes time. Of course, you can follow time-efficient ways to make your own lasagna, but nothing beats having a delicious tray on hand that’s ready to go on the table in a pinch. So this freezer staple at Costco makes perfect sense, not just for busy people with little time for cooking, but for anyone who likes to have a delicious meal without hours of prep and hard work.
A frozen meal that stands up to the taste test
Like the ready-to-eat meals that Costco does so well, this ready-to-cook, pre-made lasagna is remarkably good for a frozen meal. And while many frozen lasagnas feature the classic blend of ricotta and mozzarella, this recipe also blends spicy sausage and savory beef for a well-seasoned meaty flavor. If you believe frozen foods lack flavor, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with this gem, but if you’d still like to jazz it up, you can always sprinkle basil and a coating of extra cheese on top.
Each package contains two trays of lasagna, so you can enjoy one right away and stash the other for a last-minute meal after a busy day — one of the great things about frozen lasagna is that you don’t need to defrost it before cooking. In fact, when you cook it from a frozen state, the lasagna actually retains moisture better, so you don’t end up with a meal that is dried out and tasteless despite the presence of “wet” ingredients like sauce and cheese. Each tray serves six, so there is enough for a whole family, and at less than $20 a pack, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more affordable main course.
A Costco newbie can easily get lost in the shuffle of all the eye-catching displays promising great deals, or you can go in armored and ready to accomplish what’s important — feeding yourself and your family are, or should be, high up there on the list of priorities. Once you’ve got your needs met and chosen one of the best things you can stock up on, then you can go to town grabbing large quantities of everything else you can fit in your oversized shopping carts.
