The Underrated Kirkland Signature Find That’s the Secret to Easy Meal Prep

Nilina Mason-Campbell
Nilina Mason-Campbell
Nilina currently splits her time between Los Angeles and her hometown of Portland, Oregon. Outside of writing, she owns and operates a line of illustrated souvenirs, an outlet that marries both her passion for crafting and penchant for adventure. Her current undertaking is renovating a 1968 Airstream Overlander that she hopes to eventually live in full-time. She'll be documenting her renovation progress via Instagram starting in the fall. In her spare time, she's learning to play the banjo.
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published Mar 4, 2021
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Credit: Alastair Wallace

With seemingly little I can control these days, I try to prepare for my weeks ahead as best as I can. One of the ways I do this is by making a list of all the meals I anticipate making and knocking out whatever cooking I can on Sunday nights. While not exactly revolutionary, this weekly meal prep ritual has become my saving grace.

The most important part of my Sunday prep routine is making my weekly pot of quinoa. My go-to is Costco’s Kirkland Signature Organic Quinoa, which comes pre-washed. I cannot emphasize enough how time-saving that tiny detail is. I love the fact that I can eliminate the annoying task of rinsing the tiny seeds and dirtying a strainer. With this, it’s a painless 15-minute endeavor. All I have to do is open up the resealable bag, pour out a few cups of quinoa, add double the amount of water, and make a large batch. I then parcel it out throughout the week as an accompaniment/base for a variety of meals.

Credit: Nilina Mason-Campbell

This pot of quinoa is infinitely adaptable. Often I’ll pair it with my favorite Tasty Bite Coconut Squash Dal, or serve it alongside quickie stir-fried veggies or takeout. Sometimes I’ll even treat it as a complete dish by making a big batch of seasoned quinoa, kale, and onions and eating it by the bowl. A major appeal of quinoa is that it’s a complete protein in its own right, so featuring it heavily in a week of meals makes me feel good about whatever I’m eating.

Credit: Nilina Mason-Campbell

I’ve tried other inexpensive brands of pre-washed quinoa but I’ve found that they get mushy no matter how little water I add during the cooking process. (It’s not a problem with more expensive brands, but then I’m buying more expensive brands!) Not only does the mushiness not happen with the Kirkland kind, it’s also the cheapest pre-washed quinoa I’ve found (which tends to be more expensive than unwashed). At $9.99 for 4.5 pounds, this bag even beats the price of unwashed quinoa from the bulk bins of my local grocery store.

Do you get anything from Costco’s Kirkland Signature line to help with meal prep? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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