The $17 Costco Staple I’ve Been Buying for a Decade (I Use It at Least Once a Week)

The 6 o’clock panic is real, even for me, a recipe developer and food writer. Even though I spend both professional and personal time shopping for, cooking, and cleaning up after meals, there are some (OK, many) nights when I’m just like you. I’m staring into the pantry wondering, “What do people even eat for dinner?” Usually, I find the answer from my friends and colleagues here at The Kitchn (Kelli Foster’s Dinner Therapist column has saved me more than once.). 

Costco is also a major player in my meal prep philosophy. Rather than planning specific recipes in advance, I keep my kitchen stocked with basic ingredients, so I can cook on the fly. I shop at the warehouse to keep my fridge, freezer, and pantry filled with the dried pasta, jarred sauces, and more budget-friendly shortcuts that help me get dinner on the table. 

Macaroni and cheese is on a weekly rotation at my house, and while we love the homemade version, most weeks it comes from a box. Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese is one grocery that I always buy at Costco, so there’s no way I risk running out. 

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t turn down any bowl of mac and cheese, but Annie’s stands out from the competition. This brand captures the nostalgic flavor that many of us grew up with, but does it way better. The sauce has a rich and cheesy flavor no matter the variety, and the pasta is less flimsy with a more toothsome bite. 

It had been years since I read the back-of-the-box instructions on a box of mac and cheese. After decades of prep, I have them memorized: Cook the pasta, drain, return the pasta to the pot, stir in butter, milk, and cheese powder, mix until creamy. A few years ago, I noticed that Annie’s recommends a slightly different order of assembly and it is a game-changer: Make the cheese sauce while the pasta drains, then once it is smooth and creamy, the pasta is returned to the pot. No more broken or overcooked noodles on our plates!

Costco sells a variety pack of Annie’s, including Shells & White Cheddar, Macaroni & Classic Cheddar, and Shells & Real Aged Cheddar. They’re all so delicious, it’s hard to pick a favorite and because it costs just $1.46 per box at Costco, I don’t have to. 

Annie’s delivers a classically cheesy flavor right from the box, but what kind of recipe developer would I be if I didn’t play with my food? Tweaks can be simple, like adding a bit of Dijon mustard, a handful of shredded cheese, or swapping out the milk for heavy cream. I’ve also had fun leaving the sauce the same, and adding mix-ins like frozen peas, steamed broccoli, crumbled bacon, and shredded chicken. 

Tons of other clever cooks have found tasty ways to hack boxed mac, including actress Blake Lively, who transforms boxed macaroni and cheese into a decadently creamy side dish with a splash of milk, cream cheese, and shredded cheese. A technique I haven’t stopped thinking about since it made the rounds on TikTok in 2021 involves whisking the cheese powder into milk and pasta cooking water and cooking the noodles right in that cheesy broth. It’s a method that delivers super-cheesy noodles without boiling the noodles separately.

Find it in stores: Annie’s Organic Macaroni and Cheese, $17.49 for 12 (6-ounce) boxes 

What Costco groceries have you been buying for years and years? Tell us about it in the comments below.