Costco's Ready-To-Eat Meals Are The Picnic Hack You Need To Try This Spring

Warmer weather means it's time to spend more days outside, and dining al fresco is one of the seasonal perks that comes with it. Whether it's a picnic under the stars or a meal to keep you satiated in between catching waves and building sandcastles at the beach, Costco, that fan-favorite members-only retailer, has you covered. Its ready-to-eat items and dishes are just right for a no-fuss meal that will easily feed a family of four and allow you to enjoy some carefree time in the open air. 

Costco's ready-to-eat provisions offer both variety and ease. Walking through the refrigerated section is like getting a stamp in your culinary passport. Whether your stomach is calling for traditional foods like potato salad, deli-style pinwheel wrap sandwiches, and skewers of chicken, or you are craving some Latin American, Mediterranean, Asian, or even rustic French grub, you can find an international buffet of options in those aisles to fill your picnic basket. Most of these offerings are packaged in disposable plastic containers that are stackable and have reusable lids, so you can easily transport them straight from the store to the picnic site. 

Plus, in true Costco-bulk fashion, these ready-to-eat items typically come with several servings in them — perfect for picnics with four or more people. Best of all, the sheer variety of products at Costco makes it easy to grab pastries, sweets, and beverages while you're picking out your ready-to-eat meals. Here are some of the many picnic-friendly options that might be available in your favorite retail warehouse.

You can't go wrong with Costco's all-inclusive tempura shrimp or chicken taco kits. The chicken taco kit contains cooked chicken, cabbage slaw, cheese, lime sauce, salsa, and tortillas, while the tempura shrimp kit comes with similar fixings. If you're headed home before embarking on your picnic, heat the proteins and wrap them in foil so they stay warm. We'd recommend that particularly for tempura, which can be less palatable eaten cold. Otherwise, just eat them as-is; after all, it's a picnic. 

If you're in the mood for fish, Costco also offers wasabi salmon sushi rolls. With raw salmon and avocado, these are at their best when kept cool, so place the plastic container in an insulated thermal bag to keep its temp low until you're ready to eat. 

Don't forget to grab one of Costco's bakery items, which may not be made from scratch, but no one will care or know the difference. A baguette would be perfect on a picnic paired with one of those glorious Costco rotisserie chickens, which are easy to tear up on the fly. Enjoy this with a tub of the retailer's ready-to-eat Greek penne pasta feta salad. And don't overlook all of those finger foods, like Costco's pre-packaged Busetto charcuterie, which includes cheeses, meats, olives, chocolate almonds, and hot honey arranged on a plastic tray with a storage cover that can be reused to keep insects away from your food when you're done grazing. Pair it with a bottle of a Costco bargain wine, and share it while asking each other to find images in the clouds for a picnic to remember.