These Kirkland Wraps Are One Of The Unhealthiest Prepared Foods You Can Buy At Costco

One of the common mistakes customers make when shopping at Costco is not bundling that evening's dinner planning with your shopping. We actually love picking up prepared foods following a long, expensive Costco stock-up trip. After braving the Thunderdome that is the parking lot, narrowly avoiding cart collisions at the sample stands, and lugging bulk-sized cases of bottled water and TP around the warehouse, nothing sounds quite as nice as serving a pan of ready-made food that requires no prep and minimal (if any) cooking. It's cheaper than takeout, and feels slightly more virtuous. 

Kirkland southwest wraps sound, on paper, like something we might want to eat. They feature white-meat chicken, cheese, black beans, spinach, and mayo in a tortilla with a piquant buffalo cream sauce on the side. You get four wraps to a package, making this a grab-and-go entrée that's 100% effortless if you serve the wraps with a green salad and some potato chips.

Unfortunately, the nutritional facts behind these wraps brought our excitement to a screeching halt. Each serving — that's one wrap, not the entire container — packs 620 calories, 50 grams of carbs, and a whopping 1,560 milligrams of sodium. Depending on your dietary macros, that could be a whole day's helping of salt! Furthermore, and perhaps even more concerning, is the fact that the ingredients list on these wraps, which seem deceptively simple, numbers dozens upon dozens of components and includes potentially unwanted head-scratchers like added sugar, soybean oil, corn syrup, and food coloring.

What do Costco's Kirkland southwest wraps have in common with the unhealthiest Cheesecake Factory menu items? Like many chain restaurant red flag meals, the wraps are salt bombs. While healthy adults can handle up to 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, according to the American Heart Association, a smart goal for those aiming for healthier consumption is just 1,500 milligrams daily ... and that number could plummet if you have certain health conditions.

Many of Costco's prepared meals are packed with sodium, probably both to add flavor and preserve freshness. However, its chicken quesadillas, chicken tacos, and gyros are all comparable entrées with not only less salt, but also fewer calories or carbs and/or more protein. With that said, most of these are also loaded in "huh ... why?" ingredients as well. Perhaps a more balanced option might be to grab one of those famous Costco rotisserie chickens and some rolls from the bakery. Shred the chicken, add a slice of cheese and your favorite sauce, and voilà. It may not be health food, but you can keep a closer eye on the ingredients. As a side benefit, the "homemade" sandwiches will also be fresher, and won't take a ton more prep time if you work on them while another family member puts groceries away.

When a Foodie feature writer tasted a bunch of Costco prepared meals and ranked them worst to best, Kirkland southwest wraps weren't included in the bunch, but you may want to check out the recommendations if you've now sworn off this sodium-laden meal.