fbpx

Eat With Ellie

Dietitian Approved Costco Refrigerated Section

Uncategorized

I’ll email you a free printable list to take with you to Costco right now! Let me know where to send it!

Refrigerated Sections

Taylor Farms Avocado Ranch Chopped Salad Kit – This salad is pretty low in saturated fat, has 3g of fiber, and a little protein. Plus, the sodium isn’t too high either. You could pair with some rotisserie or grilled chicken for a more well rounded meal!
This salad mix is a little higher in saturated fat and sodium but I think it’s an ok option every once in awhile. Again, it could pair well with chicken!
Taylor Farms Organic Mediterranean Crunch Chopped Salad Kit – It’s on the higher side of sodium and does have 7g of added sugar per cup of salad (when you add the dressing) but honestly looks pretty good with the saturated fat, fiber, and has some protein. I think it’s perfectly fine to through in the mix, if you want to!
Eat Smart Spicy Asian Crunch – Only 1g added sugar, low in saturated fat, ok on the sodium, 4g protein make this an ok option in my book. I’d pair with other food to make a more well rounded meal.
Okami Chinese Style Salad Kit – This salad option has 6g added sugar but the rest of the nutrients of concern (sat fat, sodium) look reasonable!
Laughing Cow Creamy Light Swiss Cheese Wedge – We love these on our breakfast sandwiches and on crackers. I love it because it is a healthier alternative to processed cheeses (like cheese in a can)
Fountain of health Tofu – Tofu is a great source of lean protein and calcium!
Kibun Healthy Noodle – These noodles are made from soybeans and have 6g fiber and are a good source of calcium! If you used them in an asian dish that included some protein and fat and veggies it would be a well rounded meal for sure!
Roli Roti Heriloom Potatoes – These potatoes would be a quick side! The ingredients are just potatoes, chicken broth/drippings, spices, garlic, and salt.
Stonefire Mini Naan – Their isn’t much nutritionally that makes Naan stand out but if it’s paired with a healthier meal or dip then it can be a great way to help shovel in some nutrients!
Wholly Avocado Smashed Avocados – Just avocados and salt! Pair with a nutrient dense food(s) for a healthy snack or meals (i.e. whole grain toast, chips, sandwich, etc.)
Wholly Guacamole Classic – This has a little less salt than the option above and some garlic/onion. Very similar products though.
This guac has more mix-in’s that the ones above and a little more salt. But over all, they are all great choices for some healthy fats from avocados and can be easily paired with nutrient dense foods.
Kirkland Signature Hummus – with 10g of healthy fats, 3g fiber, and 4g protein there is no wonder hummus is often a dietitian approved snack product if you like it!
Sabra Simply Roasted Pine Nut Hummus – 5g healthy fats and may be nice to switch up the flavor of hummus if you enjoy it!
Siete Almond Flour – Their isn’t anything too nutritionally superior about these compared to regular tortillas (although they do have more protein and fiber due to the almonds) but if you an allergy or medical condition and can’t have gluten and/or dairy these can be an alternative!
Crepini Egg Wraps – I’m not an advocate for paleo or keto or no carb, etc. But if you wanted to try these, there isn’t anything concerning nutritionally. It actually could be a way to branch out with a picky eater who likes tortillas. However, I have never actually tasted them so I can’t guarantee they are good 🙂
Stonemill Artichoke Jalapeno & Parmesan Dip – It’s more processed than homemade dip but the nutrition facts aren’t do high for a cheesy dip (2.5g saturated fat, 0g added sugars, 240mg sodium).
La Terra Fina – Spinach Artichoke & Parmesan Dip & Spread – Same as above. Definitely ok if you want to try it (2.5g saturated fat, 0g added sugar, 110mg sodium)
Rojo’s Mexican Style Street Corn Dip – Again, still a processed dip. The saturated fat is low enough (2.5g) that it’s def reasonable and ok to try if you want to!
Bitchin’ sauce Chipotle – I’d say out of all the refrigerated sauces I saw at Costco this looked like the one of the better one’s nutritionally, if you like it! (saturated fat 1g, sodium 105mg, 0g added sugar).
Green Goddess Yogurt Dip – With yogurt as the main ingredient this could be a great option for a ranch like dip! This was probably the nutritionally best refrigerated dip option I found at Costco!
Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema – This sauce is lower in saturated fat (1.5g), moderate in sodium (200mg) and has no added sugars. Watch the portion size but it can be a good option if you don’t want to make homemade sauce.
Rojo’s Black Bean & Cojita Cheese Dip – If you like 6 layer dip and need a premade option, this is a good choice! Only 1.5g saturated fat, no added sugars and only 150mg sodium!
Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto – This has 5g saturated fat but 25g healthy fats (wow!) so i’m willing to overlook the higher saturated fat. It also has no added sugars and 6g protein. It’s definitely not low in calories but it can be a great addition to a meal!
Grillo’s Pickle’s – Nothing nutritionally superior about pickles but hey these are delicious! There also isn’t anything really concerning about them either so if you like them on sandwiches or burgers give these a try!
Santa Barbara Mango & Peach Salsa – I think salsa can be a great way to get some veggies in and give foods extra flavor without adding fat and sugar! As long as the sodium is lower, salsa is a great option!
Jack’s Cantina Salsa – another great salsa option!
Sauerkraut. -Sauerkraut is loaded with probiotics good for your GI system. If you like it, it’s a great addition to your diet!
Harry’s Organic Creamy Tomato Basil Soup – 4.5g Saturated fat, 3g added sugar, 620mg sodium, (eh the nutrition is just ok) but if you need a quick meal to feed a crowd or your big family i’d be ok with this every once in a while. Honestly all premade soups are usually higher in sodium.
Love Beets Cooked Beets – Just beets. If you like them enjoy them!
Naked Smoothie Pack – These smoothies have no added sugar and still taste really yummy! They are very concentrated with fruit (hence why it tastes so sweet with no added sugar) but I love that it is just fruit. It can be a great option if you have a kiddo looking to recover after a long, hot sports practice.
Naked Green Machine – If you like green smoothies, here is another flavor that also does not contain added sugar! Keep in mind it doesn’t have much protein or fat so it won’t be filling on it’s own.
Pom Pomegranate Juice – Pomegranate juice contain Punicalagins, a potent antioxidant, giving a high dose of antioxidant power! Pomegranate juice also has some anti-inflammatory properties great for over all health too. If you don’t like to drink straight pomegranate juice try adding a splash to smoothies!
Sambaz Acai juice – Any dark red or blue berry is going to be high in antioxidants, but one study found acai to have 3x more antioxidants than blueberries. Some research shows acai pulp yields more antioxidant benefits than acai juice, but this is still a great option, if you want to try it (or use it in smoothies).
Kirkland Signature White Cow’s Milk – Plain milk is a great inexpensive lean protein option! If you want to buy whole milk, that is fine by me 🙂 Essentially the same nutrition except a little more fat.
Kirkland Signature Soy Milk (unsweetened) – If you can’t (or don’t want to) drink cow’s milk, the next best option nutritionally is soy milk! Why? the short answer it is has the closest nutritional profile to cow’s milk. It also is fortified with calcium and Vitamin D!
Ripple Pea Milk (unsweetened) – Pea milk is another better option as an alternative to cow’s milk. This one has 8g protein, has 4.5g fat (mainly healthy fats), and is fortified with vitamin D and calcium.

Meal Kits/Entree’s

Costco Chicken Tacos – This meal is going to be high in salt (I know not surprising) but if you went lighter on the sauce it’s actually a pretty balanced meal!
Simply Fresh Ultimate BLT Salad with Chicken – Only 3g saturated fat but higher in sodium. Considering its a meal kit though, the sodium is actually probably still less than getting a fast food lunch.
Simply Fresh Santa Fe Style Salad with Chicken – Another ok salad option for a quick lunch or dinner! Saturated fat 4g, Added sugar 3g, high in protein. If you are a busy working professional or need a lunch you can take with you this is an ok option occasionally!
Kevin’s Natural Foods Lemongrass Chicken – 4g saturated fat, 460 mg sodium, 1g added sugar. If it tastes good to you the nutrition looks pretty good on this one!
Here are options! The nutrition looks pretty good on these options too.
Frankly Fresh Chicken Breast Burrito Bowl – 6g saturated fat and 720mg sodium (eh that’s a little high) but it has 7g of fiber and is meant to be a complete meal so I think it could be an ok choice every once in a while!
Del Real Pork in Red Sauce Tamales – 6g saturated fat and 630mg sodium (eh that’s a little high) but the ingredients list is full of whole foods and it does have 30g whole grain per serving. I’d be ok recommending these on occasion. Pair with some produce for a more well rounded meal.
Kirkland Signature Smoked Pulled Pork – 6g saturated fat, 480mg sodium. A little high but honestly not bad either. If you are in a pinch, this could be served with some roasted veggies or a salad and fruit!
Del Real Slow-cooked Pork Carnitas – 6g saturated fat, 330mg sodium (eh, a little high) but not bad for prepared meat. Go veggie heavy and make it a well rounded meal on tacos or a taco salad/burrito bowl!
Cuisine Solution Sliced Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin – This is pricier but also really tasty. It has great nutrition numbers for beef (low in saturated fat, moderated in sodium). Can easily pair with fresh produce and healthier sides to make a well rounded meal.
Sukhi’s Chicken Coconut Curry with Mango – It’s higher in sodium (600mg/serving) but if you try and eat less sodium during the day and need a quick dinner the rest of the nutrition looks good on this one (2g saturated fat; 3g added sugar).
Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka Masala – again higher in sodium (you catching a theme here?) (490mg/serving) but ok occasionally.
Don Miguel Chicken Chipotle Flautas – Higher in sodium (550mg) but lower in saturated fat (2.5g). Okay to eat occasionally!
Sabantino’s Smoked Mozzarella with Artichokes & Garlic Chicken Sausage – This is a healthier take on a traditional hotdog or polish dog. It has 3g saturated fat & no added sugars. It is high in sodium (590mg) but any sausage will be high in sodium.
Aidells Chicken & Apple Sausage – Another healthier take on the traditional hot dog/polish dog. This has 3.5g saturated fat and isn’t sweetened with sugar like the pineapple & bacon variety. Sodium is high (690mg) but again, it will always be high in sausage.
Tortilla land tortillas – I like these tortillas because they are fresh (I think they taste better), and they don’t contain some of the less healthy oils found in some premade tortillas.
Cheeseheads original string cheese – Nothing beats the convenience of string cheese! This is the full fat option so it can have benefits if you need a more filling option!
Darigold Low Fat Cottage Cheese – Cottage cheese has 13g of protein/serving and if you buy lower fat varieties it is a great lean protein option!

Meats

*I’d aim to buy leaner cuts of meats most of the time to limit your saturated fat intake. All the meat options below reflect leaner cuts of meat. You can obviously still enjoy fattier cuts of meat occasionally.

Great Range Premium Ground Bison 90% Lean 10% Fat
Beef Loin Top Sirloin
Fresh Whole Chickens (pass on or limit the skin)
Fresh Chicken Tenderloins
Fresh Chicken Breasts
Bill Bailey’s Carne Asada – With 3g saturated fat per serving and 3g added sugar I think this is an ok option to try out! It comes marinated and ready for the grill. The sodium is on the higher side but honestly for a preprepared meat its not that bad (450mg/serving or 19% of the sodium recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet).
Amylu Caramelized Onion & Aged White Cheddar Chicken Burgers – These have reasonable saturated fat and only 1g added sugar. The sodium is on the higher end (620mg) but sodium will almost always be high in premade foods like this. Not necessarily a bad thing if you aren’t eating mainly convenience foods every day
West End Cuisine Grilled Mediterranean Style Chicken Skewers – Hardly any saturated fat, 1g sugar, and the same as above – a little high in sodium but all premade meats will be higher in sodium. I think these can be a great option on a busy night.
Fresh Additions Fully Cooked Chicken Breast Bites – Low in saturated fat/added sugar. Higher in sodium but since it’s premade you could pair with some rice and veggies or a salad with lower sodium salad dressing.
Rotisserie Chicken – This is one of my favorite go-to’s for a quick dinner. We aren’t fans of the skin anyways, but skip or limit the skin to cut down on a lot of the fat.
Pulled Rotisserie Chicken – Another convenient way to have some prepared protein for busy nights! You could easily add to salads, soups, casseroles, stir fry’s, etc.
Kirkland Signature Oven Roasted Turkey Breast – This is one of the least processed lunch meats on the market. It is sliced from individual turkey breasts and browned in oil. It also is a very lean (98% fat free) protein option!
Here are some other lean protein options!
Lean ham can be a great choice for sandwiches or breakfast dishes!
Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Turkey Sausage – If you are looking for a healthier alternative to sausage, this turkey sausage has 70% less fat than regular sausage. It is still going to be high in sodium so i’d enjoy occasionally rather than weekly.
Kirkland Signature Low Sodium Bacon- Bacon is a high fat meat (in that sense no bacon is not one of my recommended meats to eat regularly) but, if you are going to buy bacon anyway, here is a lower sodium option! Traditional bacon is very high in sodium.
Kirkland Signature Fully Cooked Bacon – Personally I prefer the taste of cooking fresh bacon but, if you are in a pinch for time these can be nice for the convenience. (say quick mornings, a quick blt sandwich for lunch, a quick bacon crumble, etc.)
Jones Canadian Bacon – Another lean protein option. If you like them you can use them for pizzas or breakfast sandwiches!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.