9 Costco Dupes That Are Better Than the Original, According to a Food Writer

When my husband first suggested that we get a Costco membership, I scoffed. There are only two of us at home, so I doubted that we would find savings on bulk items—and be able to use them up before their expiration dates. Within our first few shopping trips, though, I realized I had been proven wrong. 

Like other Costco shoppers, I almost instantly became a fan of the warehouse’s private-label Kirkland Signature products. Beyond just having a great price point, I found that these products delivered on the quality Costco promises—and I liked them better than the original products they’re emulating. Below, I’ve rounded up several Kirkland Signature products that have become staples in my kitchen. 

1. Organic Non-Dairy Oat Beverage

Dupe for: Oatly Barista Blend

While I’m not lactose-intolerant, I prefer to use oat milk in my morning coffee. I was an Oatly Barista Blend devotee for the longest time, but when the pandemic hit, it became impossible to get at the grocery store, so I gave Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand oat milk a try. I haven’t missed the Oatly one bit: I love that Costco’s version is shelf-stable, and at $11.99 for six boxes, it’s about half the price. It’s also smooth and creamy, and it never breaks in my coffee like some oat milks can.  

2. House Blend Whole Bean Coffee, Medium Roast

Dupe for: Starbucks Pike Place Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee

Speaking of coffee, Costco’s house brand whole bean coffee was long roasted by Starbucks, which it boasted straight on the bag. However, earlier this year, the Starbucks label was mysteriously removed, and many shoppers noticed a new one in its place: Enveritas. Enveritas is a nonprofit that works to provide sustainability assurance to coffee roasters by visiting more than 100,000 farms across the globe to assess their practices. This label ensures that the beans are grown sustainably. And the coffee is smooth and balanced—perfect for a morning cup.

3. Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil

Dupe for: Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is my go-to cooking oil, as well as the backbone of homemade salad dressings and sauces, so I often look for the best value I can find. To me, that’s Costco’s Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil—it’s a bargain, at $25 for 2 liters, but also a quality product. It’s a certified Italian product with a traceable chain of Italian origin, meaning that the olives are grown, pressed and bottled in Italy in accordance with the country’s authenticity standards. For olive oils that are even more authentic, keep an eye out for Kirkland Signature Toscano olive oil bottles labeled with PGI, or protected geological indication, as these will be sourced in Tuscany and indicate the harvest on the label.  

4. Italian Parmigiano Reggiano

Dupe for: BelGioioso Parmesan Cheese 

As an Italian American, I always keep Parmigiano-Reggiano in my fridge. And while one day, I hope I have a reason to drop nearly $1,000 on Costco’s famous 72-pound Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese wheel, I know I can get a much more reasonably sized cut right in the warehouse. Just like the giant wheel, these 1-pound slices are aged 24 months and made solely from milk produced by cows in Italy. Unlike the giant wheel, though, this one actually fits in my fridge (and budget).  

5. Egg Bites 

Dupe for: Starbucks Egg Bites

These protein-packed sous-vide egg bites are perfect for breakfast on-the-go and are a dead ringer for the ones you’ll find at your local Starbucks. (They’re even available in the same two flavors: egg white with roasted red pepper and bacon with Gruyère.) While these egg bites come refrigerated, I like to keep a box in the freezer, so after microwaving the bites for just a minute or two, I’ve got a healthy (and filling) breakfast ready. Plus, this isn’t the only Starbucks breakfast dupe you’ll find at Costco: mine also just began carrying spinach, feta and egg white wraps, which seem super similar to the wraps available at Starbucks.

6. Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks 

Dupe for: Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Bites

I may be a grown adult with no children, but my freezer is never without chicken nuggets. They can easily be tossed on top of a salad or into a wrap, or they can be eaten with a dipping sauce and some raw veggies. But being a grown-up, I tend to opt for the “healthiest” version I can find—meaning zero additives, ingredients I can understand, and a light breading. Costco’s house-brand version hits on all those points and comes in cheaper than the Just Bare nuggets that are also stocked at the warehouse.

7. Cauliflower Crust Supreme Pizza

Dupe for: Milton’s Cauliflower Crust Roasted Vegetable Pizza

When I need a weeknight dinner in a hurry and don’t want to splurge on takeout, I reach for these gluten-free pizzas. The cauliflower crust cuts back on carbs and gives me an extra serving of veggies, and it holds a slew of additional roasted vegetables and three different cheeses. Plus, Costco fans rave that these are comparable to other name-brand gluten-free pizzas but are about $2 cheaper than other available options at the warehouse.  

8. Kettle Brand Krinkle Cut Pink Salt Potato Chips

Dupe for: Kettle Brand Potato Chips

I don’t keep potato chips in my pantry all that often, as I know that, if left to my own devices, I can go through a whole bag by myself in just a sitting or two. When I do grab a bag though, it’s these kettle chips made exclusively for Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand. They are perfectly crisp, great for dipping and come in a giant 32-ounce bag for only about $6. That makes them ideal for a party, too.  

9. Salted Grass-Fed Butter

Dupe for: Kerrygold Salted Butter

I recently spent a month in Paris, which turned me into a butter snob. And while I would have loved to stuff my suitcase full of French butter, I unfortunately had to make room for wine, mustard and, well, my clothes. Since being back in the states, my go-to favorite butter for spreading on fresh bread is whatever I can find at my local farmers’ market, and when I can’t get that, I reach for this Kirkland Signature butter. Like Kerrygold, it’s grass-fed, but rather than being made from milk produced by Irish cows, it’s made from milk produced by New Zealand cows. I also like that the sodium content in the Kirkland Signature butter is about 25 mg less than that of the Kerrygold—so if I want to add a few pinches of flaky sea salt, the butter won’t become a total sodium bomb. Plus, it’s $5 cheaper at my local warehouse, which is a definite win.