Last updated March 2026
Costco can be a great place to stock up on swallow safe meals and texture modified ingredients, but not every product fits neatly into a dysphagia diet. This guide breaks down practical options across IDDSI levels, along with simple adjustments to make them safer and easier to eat.
How to Use this List Safely
- Always test texture before serving, following your prescribed diet texture
- Temperature can change thickness
- Costco products can be different from the recipes by the same brands; do confirm it fits your diet texture
Liquidized (IDDSI Level LQ3)
Liquid Egg Whites: Since they are pasteurized, these cartons of egg whites can be enjoyed as an ingredient in a recipe or on their own for a quick protein option.
Columbia Heart Beet Smoothie blend: While there are still some fruits in the mix that will require a quick straining, these preportioned bags bring in some excellent fruit and veggie options, as well as turmeric, to offer some depth and variety to a liquidized diet.
Kirkland Chicken Bone Broth: A savory option that offers protein and aromatic flavors, this can always be thickened to level LQ3.
Pureed Foods (IDDSI Level PU4)
Hummus: These individual 2.5oz cups are a great quick option that can be enjoyed on their own, or combined with minced proteins or vegetables for higher levels.
Greek Yogurt: Whether you’re buying Kirkland’s plain Greek yogurt in the 48oz tub, which flexes easily into sauces, or opting for flavored with Noosa, Oikos Triple Zero or Chobani’s 20g protein no sugar added cups as snacks, this is an excellent protein source.
On the Go applesauce pouches: The naturally accessible pureed texture of these applesauce pouches with the fiber and hydration boost definitely sweeten the deal for me. My household also tends to burn through eggs between breakfasts and baking, so these pouches are a way to ensure I always have an egg substitute in my pantry.
Toom garlic dip: It may not be the move on a first date, but it brings serious value to the table for a long relationship thanks to it’s texture. Smooth and uniform, like whipped hummus, it is made from garlic cloves, oil, lemon juice and salt. I have successfully used this spread to pregel breadcrumbs to create a fantastic garlic bread.
Bitchin’ sauces: A line of vegan sauces, made from almonds, that are a great option for dysphagia diets. While I can’t speak to every flavor (particularly the spinach and artichoke), I have found that the one’s I’ve tried have a nice uniform texture, but is fairly thin and would benefit from mixing into a plain Greek yogurt or dairy free alternative, to help thicken to a IDDSI level 4 Pureed thickness. With almonds boasting high fiber content and some extra protein that rarely comes from sauces, I think this will be in my modified texture grocery rotation for a while.
Minced & Moist (IDDSI Level MM5) Foods
Amylu Sesame Ginger Chicken Crumbles: While you will need to thicken up the mandu sauce to make this a true MM5 food, this is an excellent leg up on a satisfying lunch or dinner, since these are fully cooked and will be a lot closer to minced level than other prepared chicken snacks.
Good Foods Avocado Mash: While guacamole has chunks of onion and tomato, this option just seasons the avocados with sea salt and black pepper. You should still monitor the sizes of the mash, but this is a great option to help hold together other ingredients like minced proteins or veggies to make a manageable bite.
Big T Seafood Dips: Whether with smoked salmon or crab, these cream cheese based dips are delicious and only need a quick mince to work for people that benefit from more help with wrangling a traditionally flaky food.
Tasty Bite’s Organic Madras Lentils: The mild version sold at Costco offers vegan protein, iron and fiber. Cooked in creamy tomato sauce with red beans, this dysphagia staple often comes right out of the pouch at an level 5 Minced and Moist, although temperature will affect how thin the sauce is, so always be sure to test at time of serving.
Cottage Cheese: Particularly at the 4% milkfat level, this snack tends to fit well with for macros and texture. A little higher calorie density, smaller curds formation, and extra creamy may make it possible to skip modification all together (watch out for too thin of whey, the liquid part of cottage cheese).
Dessert Italiano Tiramisu Cups: A classic dessert that effortlessly flows into dysphagia eating due to the fact that the cake (or cookies for the more traditional recipes) has been pregelled by being soaked and packaged in coffee and mascarpone cream. The only prep necessary to get this to level is mincing to ensure 4mm pieces, the moisture levels are already taken care of.
Soft & Bite-Sized (IDDSI Level SB6) Foods
Egglands Best Three Cheese Omelets: This was an item them came off the list before ultimately staying on because it really does come down to the cheese. In general the omelet had good fluffiness that gave way to the fork easily, but the main challenge will be the cheese. At high temperatures, I did get a little stringiness from the cheese filling, but due to the type of cheese used, slightly lower temperatures decreased the chewiness and stretchiness of the cheese significantly. In a pinch, cheese could be removed for a smaller layer. I just loved the convenience of a warm savory breakfast without breaking out the frying pan.
Kevin’s Natural Foods Entrees: From Korean BBQ Beef, to Cilantro Lime or roasted garlic Chicken, these entrees just need a quick zap and then measuring bites to 15mm to fit the bill. The preservatives and sauces help keep the meats tender enough to pass the fork pressure test.
Kirkland Signature Spinach and Cheese Ravioli: While leafy greens can be difficult for some, cooking and blending spinach into a filling can be enough for some. Paired with a non-stretching cheese, these ravioli can quickly be adjusted to SB6 when cut down to 15mm pieces.
Kirkland Organic Feta: Feta is definitely a crumbling cheese, which means easy to bite through. While you may find it precrumbled from other brands, Costco has some bricks that allow you to serve larger pieces while still knowing they pass the soft qualifications.
Kirkland Signature Shredded Chicken: While their whole rotisserie chickens have a true cult following, fewer know Costco also offers other ready to grab options, including shredded chicken breast meat. This is a way to still enjoy whatever eau de chicken they use to ensure their chickens hold moisture so well, without the need to remove skin, cartilage and bone (although if you do have those to spare, I highly recommend making your own fortified sipping broth!). As breast meat is leaner on chickens, it will be a lower fat option that can flex with whatever flavor profile you’re craving. They also offer a chicken salad that could be cut toward the minced and moist level, but their use of celery may be a challenge, due to the strong fibrous strings.
Summers Peak Sheet Pan Vegetables: This blend of zucchini, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes can be found in the freezer section and is a decent option for getting more fiber and micronutrients without additional prep. Baking on sheet pans may lead to some drier fibers, particularly with the red onions, so do consider a wet cooking method like steaming or pressure cooking. Otherwise, the Normandy Style vegetable blend can be an even better option when fully cooked.
Veggies Made Great Broccoli cheddar potato bakes: The only tweak I make to fit this level, beyond a quick dice into 15mm pieces, is using wet methods like steaming to heat these bakes, to avoid crispy edges.
Easy to Chew (IDDSI Level EC7) Foods
Honey Smoked Salmon: Simple to flake, the skins on this salmon may be the only adjustment needed for some eating at this level. They have a couple of flavors like the traditional and the chipotle and lime if you like a little heat; this can easily stand alone or be made into a poke bowl.
Jones Frozen Sausage Links: A quickly portioned meat that just requires reheating, making it a great option for dysphagia folks with chronic fatigue. Coming in both pork and chicken sausage links, these are easy to flex for whatever macronutrient profile you’re eating. Their recipes doesn’t add a ton of extra sugar and it doesn’t have a casing you need to remove. On top of this, their sizing has been quite consistent in staying within the 15mm size of IDDSI SB6 so you just need to measure in one direction to achieve the correct bite size. I have also noticed that reheating with a wet cooking method like steam or braising is going to help avoid any tougher, chewier textures.
Kirkland Stuffed Bell Peppers: Another staple of the Costco deli, these ground beef and rice stuffed peppers can be enjoyed with little to no extra steps (cheese topping was the only item that stretched the level a bit.
Kirkland Tofu: An excellent plant based protein, tofus can come in several different firmness levels. The level I have seen most in the warehouse is extra firm, which I am going to rank at this easy to chew level in general, but cooking methods are going to be the final decision maker for where this tofu lands in IDDSI levels.
Kirkland Sous Vide egg bites: While their bacon and gouda version would not pass if fatigue or sufficient teeth are factors in your dysphagia, the cheese and red pepper version was a great option that uses egg whites to keep fats in check while not skipping on flavor. There are a Veggies Made Great version as well, but I did notice a lot more spinach throughout, which may become challenging to people that have trouble clearing their mouth of leafy greens and thin skins of peppers and tomatoes.
Transitional Foods
Amara Yogurt Smoothie Melts: Dairy free with no added sugars, these shelf snacks offer a poppable fruit snack that doesn’t require chewing to break down.
Calbee Harvest Snaps Pea Snacks: Baked to an airy crunch that dissolves with saliva and light pressure, these snacks help practice chewing with low stakes if challenges arrive.
Hippeas Trippin Cheddar baked chickpea puffs: Similar to Cheetos puffs, these snacks break down with just moisture and the pressure of the tongue. With lower fat content than other popular snacks and higher amounts of protein per serving, these may be a new favorite.
180 Snacks Korean sweet and spicy puffs: Similar to the Hippeas above, this more complex flavor profile can appeal to some more thanks to the balance between spiciness and sweetness.
Safety and Availability Disclaimer:
Costco inventory changes frequently, and products may vary by location. I will be coming back through and updating this article throughout the year, so be sure to bookmark this if you’re a Costco member. Always check textures and test foods before serving to ensure they meet individual swallowing needs.
Looking for some more IDDSI Info?
When you’re on the go, it can be tough to pack a dysphagia friendly meal. Here’s a soft fast food roundup that breaks down options from popular chains by IDDSI level and common modifications. Or get the playbook for how to make any meal dysphagia friendly.
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