Skip Expensive Takeout: Grab This Restaurant Copycat Dinner From Costco Instead

Takeout is exceedingly tempting after a long day when no one feels like cooking and you need a quick meal that you can reasonably call dinner. However, restaurant prices aren't cheap — feeding even two people might feel like a credit card-worthy expense, while a family of four might require a second mortgage. When you're craving something from the fast-casual chain Panda Express, though, there are actually some decent frozen grocery store dupes. One of these is Crazy Cuizine Mandarin Orange Chicken, which touts itself as "restaurant quality at home" and can be found at Costco for around $17 to $18, depending on your location.

A copycat of Panda Express' Original Orange Chicken, the Crazy Cuizine version — which includes over 4 pounds of food — is sold in the freezer aisle, but the chicken is already fully cooked, so you don't have to worry about raw meat if you bite into a cold piece. And just like Panda Express's version, the Costco-sold dupe (which can also be found in other grocery stores, though in a much smaller box) includes battered chunks of chicken and a savory-sweet, fruit-forward sauce.

Some customers absolutely love the stuff, with one commenter on Reddit saying, "This stuff is so delicious I have [four] boxes in my freezer. Easily restaurant quality." Another longtime fan called the product "a [go-to] in our household for at least a decade."

We get it: You don't want to make a lot of trips to gather what you need for dinner. So if you're heading to Costco for the Crazy Cuizine Mandarin Orange Chicken, you'll likely want to stick to that store if at all possible. Now, the warehouse chain does often rotate its stock, but it doesn't hurt to look for any of the following products. To start with, you'll want something to serve the orange chicken over, and you could choose from brown or white rice, fried rice, or even chow mein (the latter three of which are also options at Panda Express).

While you're perusing the frozen section looking for the orange chicken, if you see any boxes of Ling Ling potstickers, which are perfect when cooked in the air fryer, you ought to give them a try as well, as they would make a fantastic appetizer or side. But really, any Asian-style dumpling will do, and Costco typically carries a small but nice selection of Japanese and Korean dumplings as well. If you can find egg or spring rolls, too, those would add a delightfully crunchy element to your meal.

Finally, if you'd like a nutritious element that will make your dinner a well-rounded feast, check out Costco's produce department for fresh broccoli florets that can be steamed until fork-tender. Or pick up green beans and recreate another iconic Chinese-American dish, Din Tai Fung's garlicky green beans, which require ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge.