12 Best Grab-And-Go Snacks At Costco

It's no secret that Costco has some of the best snacks out of any large retailer, especially when it comes to grab-and-go items. Even if you're new to the store, finally getting that coveted membership, you'll likely soon find out that the company does a great job at curating groceries. Sure, many go to Costco for flat screens and bulk packs of underwear, but from frozen food to affordable cookware, you can find a lot of weaponry for your kitchen arsenal here. While most things come in bulk packs, perhaps making it harder for single-dwellers and couples to justify, there are a ton of amazing snacks at Costco for a variety of tastes.

Here, we explore a wide range of snack foods that won't break the bank, skewing more towards foods that will fill you up and keep you going during busy days. We've avoided anything in the realm of candy or overtly sweet snacks, focusing more on sub-$40 snacks in bulk or individually wrapped. All of these foods are well reviewed, with a few almost having a cult-followings, and many may already be on your radar. A few are relatively new, and most should be available to you at Costco's from coast to coast. Grab a pen and paper, or make a new iPhone note and copy these down. Just don't make these mistakes during your next Costco run, and you'll be loving life.

These Valencia peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets — their technical name, if you will — are often referred to online as addictive, with some going so far as to say they should be outlawed (Yup, they're that good). They have thousands of positive online reviews behind them with a strong following in the snack cognoscenti. They come in a medium-sized 55-ounce clear plastic container showing bite-sized, golden brown, and salted pretzels — but you might already know what you're getting into here, as these have been a staple among Costco fans for a while now. They're crunchy and creamy with that smooth peanut butter filling, not too salty, and very satiating. It's the kind of snack you would dump into a bowl while having some pals over to watch the game, but equally prime for some solo snack time directly out of the jar — no judging.

For the health-conscious snackers out there, they're not the worst thing you could buy and are trans fat-free, with 130 calories per 28-gram serving. They contain six ingredients with no strange, chemical-sounding, super-long words listed. But of course, at the end of the day, they certainly are not a health food — that's what broccoli is for! Happy snacking.

It's hard to think of a better snack for grab-and-go situations than a granola bar, individually wrapped and easy to eat with enough calories to keep you going. Enter Nature Valley granola bars. These bars — particularly the peanut version — are highly praised as one of the best flavors in the line, having been a popular choice for years now. At $18.99 for a 48-count box of bar, you'll be stocked up for a while with these. Each individual granola bar is dipped in a peanut and almond butter coating, replete with peanut pieces, in a 34-gram serving.

There's nothing worse than a crumbly, overly soft granola bar, and these are not that. They have that perfect chew we all look for in a granola bar, holding together nicely. At only seven grams of sugar per serving, they're not overly sweet at all, yet the sweetness works well to balance against the salty and rich peanut flavor. With thousands of positive online reviews championing these Nature Valley peanut granola bars, combined with being so familiar with years of aisle presence, they're a sure bet for snackers.

When you think of a snack food, in its quintessence, trail mix probably comes to mind. It's synonymous with road trips, packed into school lunches, and maybe even served at 30,000 feet up on a flight. Trail mix seems to transcend age and demographics, universally loved by snackers of all stripes. Kirkland is no slouch when it comes to formulating a winning trail mix recipe here, with a mix of peanuts, raisins, almonds, cashews, milk chocolate pieces, and peanut M&Ms, for a classic take here. Kirkland really nails the ratio of sweet to salty, for a winning recipe.

The 28-count box comes with individually packed 2-oz servings, each with 160 calories and 10 grams total fat. With five grams of protein and 12 grams of total carbs, they are likely to fill you up in one snack session. The grab-and-go factor is high here, cherished by many online. Many say that the flavors of the nuts and sweet elements work really well together, while not being too salty. Lastly, they're quite affordable at $1.55 per serving. Hard to argue with that.

OK, fruit snacks are for kids, right? Wrong! These Welch's Fruit Snacks are likely going to offer a bit of nostalgia for us adults while also pleasing kids at the same time. They have been around for a while, as you've likely seen them in stores with the brand familiarity and quality that Welch's is known for. The company claims that these snacks are made with real fruit, in addition to being preservative-free, gluten-free, and an excellent source of vitamin A, C, and E. Sure, that sounds great, but how do they taste? Many say they're addictive, with a fruit sweetness that isn't saccharine or over the top across the flavors, in addition to a nice chew.

They come in 90-pack boxes with each individually packed snack portion providing 70 calories, including 8 grams of total sugar — not bad — with 17 grams of carbs. At $15.99 for a box, it equates to about $0.18 per serving, which is extremely cheap. This type of snack indulgence borders on candy, but at least the marketing team pushes hard that "fruit is the first ingredient." They're a great snack at the end of the day for the kid in you, or your kid and you.

Some snacks simply work better at different times of the day. Most of us don't eat popcorn — or popcorn-adjacent snacks like Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar Snack — in the morning, but no shade if you do! These renowned snacks are likely going to hit the spot later in the day, or maybe even into the evening while bingeing a show. Either way, they offer an airy and light texture and assertive, signature cheesy punch.

Pirate's Booty fans online say that these snacks are addictive — always a good sign — and that they are made with wholesome ingredients and relatively healthier than similar snacks in this category. They have a good crunch factor with a pronounced cheese flavor from the aged cheddar formulation. There are no hard-to-pronounce chemicals listed in the ingredients for a relatively clean profile, with 70 calories per serving and only nine grams of carbs. They come in 14-gram packages for a 40-count box at $15.99. For the cheesy popcorn lovers out there or for those who like a more savory and light snack, this is the one.

These Kirkland apple sauce pouches are unique to this list as the only pure fruit option, and the only organic one at that. If you're concerned about processed food, this couldn't be further from that type of snack. With only two ingredients — organic apples and ascorbic acid (to protect color) — you're basically eating a whole apple on the go, only in liquid form. With no weird chemical preservatives and a USDA organic designation, Kirkland will appeal to those who want a healthy grab-and-go snack option.

Reviewers online say that these apple sauces are an ideal travel or hiking snack and not strictly reserved for kids. Many appreciate that there's no sugar added, as well as the portability. They're not too sweet — containing only 70 calories and one gram of sugar per pouch — leading many children to enjoy them as a healthier alternative to the corn syrup-laden snacks out there. The spout allows for easy consumption without the need for a spoon when on the go. If you're health-conscious, really like apples, and you're quite active, these delicious apple sauces are a no-brainer.

Sometimes, you just crave that impossible-to-replicate meaty flavor and texture while on the go, turning to beef jerky to scratch that itch. A snack that has been around for ages, it provides a deep umami and salty kick, in addition to protein, perhaps satiating some for longer than more carb-forward snacks. When it comes to beef jerky, many appreciate that heavily seasoned and meaty depth of flavor you get, and it's no different here. Kirkland claims that these extra-thick cut steak strips are very tender, with complex flavors, replicating the texture and taste of a well-seasoned steak. At $13.99 for a relatively small bag, they're not the best deal in town, but jerky is known to be somewhat expensive. 

Kirkland offers these steak strips in 340-gram bags, with a 28-gram serving providing 9 grams of protein total. The ingredients list is relatively short, with top round beef being the first one, as it should be. They have a unanimous positive perception online, with some claiming to have never liked beef jerky before trying these. One reviewer even admitted — bravely so — to eating the majority of the bag on the way home from Costco. A solid endorsement.

The RXBAR protein bars are relatively new items at Costco, yet they have already won over the hearts of many shoppers as a solid grab-and-go snack. While the store already has a ton of great high protein snack options, these bars stand out. They are especially lauded and appreciated by those who consider things like "macros" and want to hit certain nutritional metrics each day, such as total grams of protein. Costco sells 14-count boxes of the bars, with each one containing seven chocolate sea salt bars and seven blueberry-flavored bars.

Each bar contains 12 grams of protein, sourced from three egg whites, six whole almonds, and four whole cashews. For sweetness, they contain two whole dates, blueberries, or chocolate and, according to company marketing, "no B.S." The RXBAR team is obviously targeting those who want to eat clean while getting some extra protein on the go. They have a chewy and fudgy texture, with fans appreciating how wholesome the ingredients are, providing energy during and after intense workouts. Like some of the other snacks in our list, these are people who read labels.

These muffin-style bites are quite the hit with Costco shoppers as a solid grab-and-go snack. They are studded with dried fruit (apricots and raisins), rolled oats, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and shredded coconut. For sweetness and for a healthier vibe, Aussie Bites use honey as a nice option over corn syrup or other highly processed sugars. They also score points for being trans fat-free, not having any weird preservatives, and showing a relatively clean ingredient list. Each 26 gram serving provides 130 calories with two grams of protein and seven grams of total fat, in addition to 14 grams of carbs and six grams of sugar.

More importantly is the taste and satiation, with Aussie Bites delivering on both in spades. People online say that the flavors are well-balanced and that it can be hard to resist eating multiple packs at once. One reviewer said they go well with a coffee in addition to not being overly crumbly.If you like muffin-style snacks but don't have time to bake yourself or hit the bakery, Aussie Bites offers a nice option here.

This is one for all the salty-over-sweet snackers of the world, the people who would rather eat savory bites instead of sugary morsels. At this point, you could call these pretzels a classic and a fixture in a typical snack spread, synonymous with football games and sports bars. These snack-sized options that Costco carries simply mean you can recreate that vibe anywhere, but could also use them in unconventional ways, like dipping into hummus or adding to soups instead of croutons.

At $13.99 for a 60-count pack, they come out to be about $0.23 per serving, which is pretty easy on the wallet. Each 26-gram serving makes for 100 calories, with two grams of protein and — notably — zero fat. They are crunchy and not overly salty, offering a great snack option for kids and salty food lovers on the good. Many fans of Snyder's say they remain fresh in their bags while the salt content is just right. This is a winning formula and for good reason. 

Whoever invented chocolate-covered almonds deserves a prize. They really hit the spot, and these Kirkland milk chocolate almonds are a high-water mark for this style of chocolate-covered snack. They also, in a way, always seem to come across as a classy snack — almonds are the fancier cousin to peanuts, which are often married to chocolate in various forms. Nuts and chocolate are a match made in heaven, after all. Some online customers claiming they could eat the whole jar in one snack session. It should also be noted that there is a large chocolate company behind the scenes here, contributing to the production and quality of Kirkland's milk chocolate almonds.

Unlike most of the other snack items in our list, these almonds are not individually packaged, leaving it up to the end user to portion out. Each serving is 140 calories, with 12 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar. Like some of the other snacks in our list, these are all about pure indulgence and looking the other way when it comes to the nutrition facts. Sometimes you just need a treat!

This list is definitely nut-forward, but let's be honest, nuts are truly one of the best snack foods out there. Mother Nature made these for snacking on the go in handfuls of chewy goodness, with modern snacking taking it to the next level via bite-sized cashew clusters. The Kirkland Signature brand has done well with these snacks, combining cashews, almonds, and pumpkin seeds with some rice syrup to bond them all together. They are chewy with a hint of sea salt to season and balance out the flavors, making them a satisfying snack experience.

They have thousands of positive reviews online with one person going so far as to claim that they are the best snack food available at Costco, and others saying they had to stop buying them because of overindulgence. They are right at home while at home, but also thrown into a ziplock bag and taken to the beach, on a hike, or in the car on the way to work. Each 28-gram serving contains five grams of protein, five grams of total sugar, and 11 grams of fat. With only seven total all-natural ingredients, these cashew clusters are clean as a whistle. Perhaps almost too good to be true? We think so.