17 Party Hosting Essentials You Can Grab At Costco

There's a lot that goes into throwing a successful party. Of course, you need to get your house cleaned up and ready for your guests. However, you also have to make sure that there's plenty of tasty food and drinks to serve them. Moreover, they'll also need plates, cups, and silverware to eat and drink what you serve. Did you know that you can pick up practically everything you'll need for your next party from Costco? Beyond all the convenient kitchen cleaning supplies from Costco that will help you make sure your home is presentable for your guests, the warehouse also sells party platters, delicious appetizers, decadent desserts, disposable plates, and so much more.

From being a regular Costco shopper over the past several years, I knew I'd find a lot of different options that would be ideal for those planning a party. However, I wanted to gain a fuller understanding of just what these options were, so I could share them with readers. So, I scheduled some time to wander around my local warehouse to identify some of the best party hosting supplies available. As I decided which of these to feature, I tried to include options that would knock off the most major parts of hosting a party: beverages for the guests, appetizers, desserts, and other food options, and paper or plastic products that will keep dishes and post-party clean-up to a minimum.

What's a party without plates for your guests to eat off of? You can always pick up paper plates — including large quantities of them at Costco. However, sometimes you want something a little more formal, that doesn't involve pulling the fine china out from your cabinets. For those instances, these Kirkland Signature elegant plastic plates offer the ideal solution.

Despite being made from plastic, the plates offer a more upscale look and feel than many other disposable options. They are all white with small, raised dots around the edge. This combination gives them a formal touch to add to the overall ambiance of your party. Each pack includes 25 small, 7.5-inch plates, which could be perfect for appetizers or desserts, and 25 large, 10.25-inch plates for the main course.

If you're looking for disposable cups that will offer a more upgraded vibe than paper or classic red plastic cups, Costco can help you out there as well. Just grab a pack of the Chinet crystal cups. Despite being made from plastic, these mimic the look of fancier crystal glassware. Chinet even describes them as being sturdy with "cut crystal quality." Each pack includes 150 10-ounce cups, so you'll probably have enough leftover for future parties as well.

According to reviewers, these are a good buy. With feedback from hundreds of individuals on Costco's websites, the cups maintain a higher-than-average star rating. In their write-ups, reviewers praise the quality of the cups, sharing that they feel durable. Users are also happy with the classy touch these cups allow them to add to their events.

Don't let your plates and cups be the only elegant, yet disposable and easy to clean up additions to your dinner table. Pick up a pack of the Reflections plastic silverware to finish off your place settings in style. This set of cutlery is made from plastic, but at first glance, you wouldn't know based on the silver color that makes them look like real silverware. The set is made from heavy-duty plastic, making these a more durable option — which is less likely to snap as your guests eat — than other options.

One thing that you're likely to appreciate about this plastic silverware is that the total number of cutlery pieces isn't evenly divided between forks, spoons, and knives. If you've ever purchased a set that was evenly split, then you've likely run out of forks well before the spoons and knives. Well, this set won't leave you facing such a problem. It includes twice as many forks as it does knives or spoons (80 forks and 40 each of spoons and knives).

Keep your table or buffet classy with some simple white napkins. This pack of Vanity Fair everyday napkins will be the perfect addition for your next dinner party, luncheon, baby shower, or birthday party. The set includes six packages, each with 110 napkins — a total of 660 napkins. Once your party is over, you can save the extras for upcoming events or add them to your table for everyday use. 

I regularly purchase these from Costco. I find that the napkins are sturdy and don't tear as easily as some cheaper ones that I've tried. I also like that they have a smooth texture. In my opinion, this gives them more of a formal feel, even if they are labeled every day.

You can't host a party without enough food to keep your guests happy. Consider adding one or more of these party wing trays to your cart for your next event. Each tray includes several garlic-seasoned wings, along with ranch dressing for dipping. They can make an excellent addition to your appetizer table or even as part of the main meal for a more casual gathering.

Shortly before serving these, you'll want to heat them up. The package directions recommend warming them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Using the oven is the best way to reheat chicken wings if you want to ensure they come back out crispy, and not soggy as they would if you attempted to use the microwave.

You could spend a lot of time building a meat and cheese board for your party — carefully slicing a block of cheese, slicing salami, and washing fresh fruit to pair with everything. However, when you're getting ready to host a party, you generally don't have an abundance of time to attend to such meticulous tasks. And, fortunately, when you shop at Costco, it simply isn't necessary.

Instead of preparing your own charcuterie board, consider picking up one of the fruit, meat, and cheese platters from Kirkland Signature. Each platter includes aged cheddar and aged gouda cheeses, Italian dry salami and hot soppressata Italian dry salami, and fresh fruit. Based on the product label, it looks like the specific fruits included may vary based on availability. The platter I found had green and red grapes, but the ingredient label lists various types of grapes, "and/or strawberries and/or blueberries."

Whether you're looking for something crunchy to pair with your charcuterie board or need something for your guests to top with hummus or your delicious fig baked brie recipe, you'll want to pick up some crackers. Look no further than this collection from Kellogg's. It includes 13 stacks of crackers, with a total of four different options. You'll be able to offer a variety of crackers to your guests, satisfying their individual preferences.

The four types of crackers included in the set are Toasteds buttercrisp, Club original, Town House original, and Toasteds harvest wheat. Three of these four varieties even made our ranking of the popular cracker brands. Another nice thing about this assortment is that the crackers are not all the same shape, allowing you to add more visual interest to a charcuterie board. While the Toasteds are both circles, the Club crackers are a rectangle, and the Town House ones have an oval shape.

As you're planning, don't forget about the dinner party appetizer rule to make sure that you purchase enough apps so you don't run out and leave your guests hungry. You'll want to offer a few different options, not just to provide some variety, but also so that your guests with certain preferences or dietary restrictions will be able to find something they can eat. With its large boxes of frozen appetizers, Costco is a top shopping destination for this purpose. These boxes of El Monterey chicken and cheese taquitos are one that you might want to add to your cart.

Each box includes 30 ready-to-heat taquitos, each made with charbroiled chicken breast with rib meat and Monterey Jack cheese. All you'll need to do before your party is plop them on an oven-safe tray and bake them for about 13 minutes. If you run out and need to heat a second box quickly — or your oven is otherwise occupied — you can even cook these in the microwave.

Whether you're hosting a holiday party, a bridal shower, or even a summer pool party, you can't go wrong with a shrimp cocktail platter. Sure, you could buy some shrimp, cook them, and pick up some cocktail sauce from the grocery store. Or, you could simplify things and let Costco do most of the work for you by picking up a Kirkland Signature shrimp platter.

The shrimp are peeled (minus the section covering the tail) and cooked for you. The platter also comes with marinara sauce and lemons, so you literally just need to transfer everything to a serving platter, and it will be good to go. With each of these platters weighing just over 5 pounds, you'll be getting plenty of shrimp to lay out for your guests

When you think about classic appetizers that are a real crowd pleaser, mozzarella sticks probably come to mind. Well, if you want to offer these Petite Cuisine melty, cheesy, and crispy sticks to your guests, you're in luck. Our taste tester even ranked these as one of the best Costco freezer-aisle appetizers, so you really can't go wrong.

The package includes around 82 sticks, each made with real mozzarella string cheese with a crispy seasoned breading. They're even split between two bags — each of which is resealable — to help keep them fresh longer if you don't end up cooking all of the sticks for your party. If you're someone who loves using your air fryer whenever possible, then you'll also appreciate that the box describes these as "air fryer ready."

Sparkling water is a popular drink, and you'll find a few different Kirkland Signature sparkling water options at Costco. According to our taste tester, three of the four top flavors can be found in this pack of 35 cans. It comes with 15 cans of lime sparkling water, 10 cans of lemon sparkling water, and 10 cans of grapefruit.

Each flavor has no calories, no sodium, and no sweeteners. This means your guests will be able to enjoy them while still saving space for a sweet treat after dinner. If you're hosting an outdoor party, just make sure that you have a wheeled cooler ready to keep these at the right temperature for your guests to enjoy, and to save you from running in and out of the house to get to the fridge.

Prior to going gluten-free, these Stacy's organic pita chips were something I would pick up from Costco before just about every party I hosted. I found that they were the perfect complement to my crowd-pleasing spinach artichoke dip recipe. They offer the perfect crunch combined with a delicious taste that isn't overpowered by added seasonings or excess salt.

While I loved pairing these with dip, there are so many other creative ways to use pita chips, many of which might be a perfect choice for your next party. You could crush them up to use as a salad topper, make some loaded Mediterranean nachos to serve as an appetizer, or even crush them up to use in place of breadcrumbs when you're preparing homemade meatballs or other recipes to serve to your guests. While you can probably find Stacy's chips at your local grocery store, you most likely won't find a bag as big as what you can get at Costco. Each bag offers a 28-ounce capacity, which means that it holds nearly 2 pounds of delicious pita chips.

If you're hosting a luncheon, an outdoor picnic, or another more casual gathering, then you might want to consider adding one or more of these artisan sandwich platters from Kirkland Signature to your shopping cart. It includes up to 20 little sandwiches with either chicken, roast beef, or salami. The sandwiches are also topped with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, making for a quick and delicious meal. If your mouth isn't watering already, it might start now. A tub of delicious garlic herb aioli is also included with each platter to help your guests give their sandwiches an instant upgrade.

This platter costs $49.99 at my local Costco. And, while that may sound a bit expensive, when you break things down, it's actually a pretty good deal. It means you're paying around $2.50 for each sandwich. Where else could you get a fully assembled sandwich, let alone more than a dozen of them, for such little money?

Whether you're looking for an alcohol-free alternative to offer alongside the champagne you're serving or just know your guests will appreciate the slightly sweet and bubbly taste of sparkling cider, you'll once again find what you need at Costco. The warehouse sells this four-pack of Martinelli's Gold Medal sparkling cider. The cider is made from 100% apple juice and is completely alcohol-free. 

In addition to serving this straight from the bottle, you can also try using it when preparing mixed drinks for your guests — like as a quick fall cocktail base. Consider mixing up something special by adding between one and two ounces of a favorite liquor. You could even add some other flavors by incorporating orange peels, wedges of citrus fruit, and more to your creation.

Cake makes everything better. It can be the literal sweet ending to your party, sending your guests off with a smile and a happy belly. However, what you don't want to do is serve something plain and boring — or even worse, a cake with an off texture or flavor. If you pick up one of these Kirkland Signature tuxedo chocolate mousse cakes, you can set these and any other worries aside. After taste-testing six popular cakes at Costco, this was our writer's absolute favorite — who went as far as saying that it "takes home the gold when it comes to the bakery section offerings."

This cake doesn't just taste incredible. It also looks incredible too with its tuxedo layers, decorative chocolate frosting, and rolled white chocolate sticks. I bought this cake a few times before we transitioned to only eating gluten-free foods, and I have to say that I completely agree with our taste tester's assessment. This is a truly delectable treat. The chocolate mousse was one of my favorite parts; it's just so incredibly smooth and flavorful.

If you're looking for a simple appetizer to put out for your guests, you shouldn't overlook some chips and dips. These organic tortilla chips from Kirkland Signature will pair beautifully with a range of dips, including guacamole, salsa, spinach artichoke, queso, crab and cheese, ranch, and hummus.

Costco does practically everything bigger, and this bag of chips is no exception. If you're tired of opening a bag of chips from the grocery store, pouring a few into a bowl, and then it feels like the bag is already half empty, you won't have to worry about that with this bag. It holds 40 ounces of tortilla chips, which is the equivalent of 2 pounds, 8 ounces. I tried these recently for the first time, and they instantly became one of my favorite tortilla chips. They offer such a balanced flavor with just the right amount of salt. The front of the bag describes them as "restaurant style," and I think that is an accurate description. I'd be happy being served these at a restaurant, and I'm sure your guests will be pleased to get to snack on them at your party.

Pick up some salsa to serve with your tortilla chips while you're at Costco, eliminating the need to make your own or to hit up another grocery store before your party. The Kirkland Signature organic salsa is sold as a twin pack, so you'll receive two 38-ounce jars. This should be more than enough for your party, and you'll likely have some leftover to snack on later or to use when making quick and easy Instant Pot salsa chicken.

This salsa is described as having medium heat. Even if you prefer spicier variations, it is probably a better choice when you're hosting others — not everyone will have the same heat tolerances. You could even experiment with some different ways to add more flavor to this store-bought salsa to make it a more unique offering to share with your guests.

I took a trip to my local Costco to assess the various party hosting essentials that were available. As I decided which products to feature in this roundup, I tried to include options that would help hosts cover key party needs, including food options for various courses, drinks to quench the thirst of their guests, and the paper/plastic products they would need to actually be able to eat or drink everything that was being served.