Costco's 12 Best Ready-To-Eat Dishes To Bring To A Labor Day BBQ

Labor Day is quickly approaching, and so, too, is the intimidating question of what to bring to your holiday barbecue. Whether you are spending it with friends, loved ones, or work acquaintances, it can be hard to know what will please a crowd — and even harder to find time to prepare a dish that will feed one.

Luckily, Costco, with its massive trays of pre-made appetizers, side dishes, and desserts, can cut down your prep time to almost nothing. But with so many different dishes available in the wholesale chain's deli section, it is hard not to be overwhelmed by your options. So, if you're heading to the store and are looking for something that will stun and satisfy at the cookout, look no further than this guide to the 12 best ready-to-eat dishes to bring to a Labor Day BBQ, from convenient finger food and vibrant salads to hearty accompaniments for classic barbecue dishes.

Labor Day barbecues are already teeming with grilled meat. Why not provide the surf for all of that turf?

Shoppers love the Kirkland Signature Shrimp Cocktail with Cocktail Sauce & Lemon from Costco because of the large size and fresh flavor of its shrimp (that, according to reviews, have a great texture despite having been previously frozen) as well as its sweet, tasty cocktail sauce. Wedges of lemon freshen up the plate, and they can be squeezed over the fresh shrimp before the cookout or left on the platter for a self-serve experience. Plus, when it comes to a cookout-friendly dish, nothing is better than ready-to-eat finger food that can be served right out of the fridge. 

"You make a good cocktail sauce, Costco. And I'm very picky about that," one Instagram user said in a Reel. "The sauce is restaurant quality. The shrimp is excellent ... and also not overcooked."

It is no secret that, at a barbecue, guests can often get peckish before the main event. If you put a Kirkland Fruit Meat & Cheese Platter on the table, you can help curb the hunger of partygoers and, if needed, buy a bit more grilling time while you're at it.

On this ready-to-serve platter, you'll find a varied bounty; cubes of aged cheddar and Gouda cheeses, red and green grapes, Italian salami, and soppressata join forces for a massive, charcuterie-board-esque appetizer. People love the freshness of the offerings, as well as the vast assortment of different bites to graze on. Despite its large size, some customers report that their platters were polished clean by party guests, but if you are throwing a smaller cookout, there are still upsides to purchasing the large platter. "We snacked on the leftovers for [two] weeks," one Facebook user wrote in a comment.

There is sure to be an assortment of hot food offerings at your Labor Day barbecue. Bringing a salad will add some much-needed temperature and texture variety to the perfect end-of-summer cookout spread, and what salad is more classic than a Caesar?

The Kirkland Signature Caesar Salad with Caesar Dressing & Croutons comes with all of the classic Caesar salad fixings, including chopped romaine lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing, but it also comes with the wild cards of lemon wedges and garlic-and-cheese croutons. This is a hit with shoppers and food bloggers alike.

A post from Andi Anne Recipes refers to the salad as a "classic, restaurant-style" dish. "Because everything is packaged separately, the salad stays fresh and crisp until you're ready to mix it," she adds. "I really liked being able to control how much dressing went into the salad, which isn't always possible at restaurants." The review also notes that the dressing is not overly fishy — a win for the anchovy-averse (so, too, is the fact that you don't need anchovies for homemade Caesar salad dressing).

Macaroni and cheese is one of the most controversial barbecue side dishes in the American food canon. That said, the Kirkland Signature Mac and Cheese from Costco has impressed many shoppers and has a good chance of impressing the guests at your Labor Day cookout.

After baking, this tray of pasta, which is topped with grated cheddar cheese, is ready to transport as-is to the barbecue. Customers can't get enough of the dish's sauce, which still boasts an authentic cheese flavor in spite of its richness. If your fellow cookout guests don't finish the tray, fear not, because it also makes for good leftovers.

"What I love about Costco's Mac and Cheese is that it's real-tasting. This is butter and cream and real cheese," reads a review on Snarkle-Sauce on Wry. "It doesn't taste like questionable 'cheese sauce' or mushy noodles or corporate shortcuts. It doesn't reek of chemical disappointments. It taste[s] like real food."

For a more protein-packed accompaniment to a spread of barbecued entrées, reviewers recommend the Kirkland Signature Chicken Salad Made with Rotisserie Chicken. Made with the same claim-to-fame chicken that the store turns out on its rotisseries (which has since become a meal-prep secret weapon for Costco fans across the country), this dish is sure to be a favorite at the cookout.

Costco's chicken salad receives raves for its tender, juicy chicken, as well as its bounty of fresh mix-ins and creamy texture. While many sing its praises on wraps, sandwiches, and crackers, the salad, when served as-is, consistently earns high marks.

"If there was such a thing as the Goldilocks of chicken salad, this Kirkland Signature Chicken Salad would be it," reads a write-up from Mashed, in which the dish was ranked first in a list of store-bought chicken salads. "It not only had just the right amount of chicken to mayonnaise ratio, but the mix-ins of celery and onions added a nice, crisp flavor to the chicken salad without overpowering the chicken taste."

Since pasta salad is a barbecue staple, it is only fitting one from Costco makes this list. The Kirkland Signature Tortellini Pasta Salad with Mozzarella Pearls and Dressing comes chock-full of colorful filled pasta and mix-ins, making it a vibrant side dish for your Labor Day cookout.

In this massive tub of salad, there's five-cheese tortellini and mozzarella pearls, along with pieces of salami, olives, and grape tomatoes, all tossed in Costco's Tuscan Italian Dressing. The internet loves the salad's generous portion of mix-ins, as well as the gentle heat of its dressing. And it doesn't hurt that the tortellini are packed with plenty of savory and nutty cheese flavor (it's no wonder that this pasta salad noodle guarantees a flavor-packed bite every time).

"I really like this. It's the perfect summer salad," said two TikTok users as they tasted the dish in a video. "It's very colorful ... [and] it's got a lot of stuff in it."

Many of the salads on this list consist of proteins and starches slathered in creamy dressing — and, hey, we would never complain about a delicious lettuce-free salad. That said, if you are looking for a salad that actually contains the color green, people say that the Kirkland Signature Grain & Celery Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette fits the bill. 

This hearty salad contains something for everyone, with ingredients including chickpeas, quinoa, bulgur wheat, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, fresh celery, onion, kale, cabbage, and carrots in apple cider vinaigrette. Many fans emphasize the sweetness of the dressing, which is sure to make for an apt contrast with all of the savory options at a Labor Day barbecue. Although serving it chilled will emphasize its fresh, crunchy texture, some other users also recommend heating the salad to let all of its whole grains shine.

"The salad has a nice crunch from the celery, cabbage, and carrots," reads one write-up on Costcuisine. "The dressing is fairly sweet, so when combined with the dried cranberries, it gives the salad an overall sweet flavor — which I enjoy."

Just like chicken salad, shrimp salad is a frequent hero of summer barbecue spreads. Labor Day is no exception, and according to the internet, Costco might have just the right salad for the job.

Kirkland Signature Shrimp Salad starts with a generous helping of the Kirkland Signature Tail-Off Shrimp, which is mixed with chopped fresh celery and a creamy dressing. Shoppers say that it makes for a refreshing option on a hot day (a ringing endorsement for shrimp salad, which can oftentimes be heavy and overly rich due to its mayonnaise-based dressing). Other fans say that Costco's shrimp salad is perfect for serving over lettuce or on a party platter with some crackers. 

One Instagram user described the salad as "delicious" and "not too salty at all" in a Reel. This balanced flavor is only accentuated by its mix-ins, such as celery, which gives it "a lot of crunch," she added.

For another oven-ready side that is easy to transport to a Labor Day cookout, the Kirkland Signature Organic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes are a popular choice. Made with organic Yukon Gold potatoes and huge pads of Kirkland Signature butter, they are sure to satisfy alongside a roster of classic barbecue dishes. 

Many posts say that these mashed potatoes are akin to homemade and offer plenty of comforting flavor. Although this ready-to-eat dish is most popular among the fall and winter holidays, it is available this summer. And thank goodness it is, because few things go better with grilled meat than a heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes.

One Instagram user described Costco's mash as "perfect for anyone who wants homemade flavor without the prep," which makes them all the more fitting as a last-minute addition to a Labor Day barbecue. "They're creamy, rich, and ready-to-heat," the post adds. 

Once paper plates have been cleared and the barbecue has been put out for the night, it can be hard to find the right post-cookout dessert. Luckily, the Kirkland Signature Cupcakes from Costco, which come in both chocolate cake and white cake varieties and are topped with buttercream frosting, are delightfully bite-sized and easily shareable among a crowd. 

These Costco cupcakes receive high praise for their light and fluffy texture, high-quality and non-greasy frosting, and their miraculously balanced and not-too-sweet flavor, despite being piled high with buttercream frosting and confetti-colored sprinkles. In spite of there being a fair amount of discourse as to whether the chocolate or white cake flavor is superior, there is a general consensus that these cupcakes are worth the buy. In a recent comment thread, one Reddit user referred to the cupcakes as "freaking phenomenal." "Head and shoulders above most grocery store cupcakes," they added. "I just wish they had a half chocolate/half vanilla."

As it turns out, the Kirkland Signature Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake has some of the most consistently glowing reviews of any of the options on this list. Why not share this popular dessert with the guests at your Labor Day barbecue?

Between layers of chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, white chocolate and chocolate mousses, brownie chunks, and shaved chocolate decorations, this sweet treat is definitely one for chocolate lovers. Customers say that the dessert is exceedingly fudgy with velvety mousses, and, in spite of its richness, it isn't overly cloying or headache-inducingly sweet. 

After a full Labor Day barbecue, a balanced (but deeply chocolaty) bite is sure to be a welcome ending. Better yet, fans say that this cake still tastes great after refrigeration; pop it in there overnight before your barbecue, and you can be sure that it will hold up in the Labor Day sun.

"This bar of wonder is possibly one of the best grocery store desserts I've tried. Possibly one of the best desserts I've EVER had, period," reads a review on Snarkle-Sauce on Wry. "It is actually as good as the hype."

Two of the hallmarks of a barbecue-friendly dessert are its portability and shareability. The Mini Beignet Filled with Chocolate Hazelnut from Costco checks both of these boxes. 

Many gooey chocolate desserts run the risk of melting out in the sun. Thankfully, the chocolate-hazelnut filling in these treats is encased by puffy, sugar-dusted beignets — a great way to ensure that they will hold up against whatever kind of heat Labor Day will bring. 

Shoppers say that these treats do not exactly resemble the classic sugar-coated beignets you might find in New Orleans' French Quarter, but instead have the texture and finish of a powdered donut, complete with a gooey, chocolaty center with a hazelnut flavor that is not too overpowering. If you are bringing a tray (or two) of these to the cookout, just don't expect to bring home leftovers; countless fans report having finished a box, solo, in a single sitting. "They are fluffy, chewy, and delicious," reads one Reddit review. "Very worth trying."

To curate a list of Costco's best ready-to-eat dishes to bring to a Labor Day BBQ, it was first important to determine what makes something a barbecue-friendly dish. All of the options on this list are large in size, easy to share with a group, and not overly sensitive to the elements (especially the heat). Dishes were also selected based on how well they would complement a typical Labor Day barbecue spread of grilled meats and vegetables. Dishes were defined as "ready-to-eat" if they did not require any other ingredients to prepare and were only included if the extent of their preparation was refrigerate, reheat, or toss in dressing.

With those criteria in mind, the popularity and quality of each selected dish were corroborated by reviews from food publications, social media channels, and Costco fan blogs, as well as by my personal experience as a local and national food reporter. The goal of this list is to provide a series of ready-to-eat dishes that would be convenient, tasty, and able to feed a moderate crowd at a Labor Day BBQ.

Static Media owns and operates Chowhound and Mashed.