Costco’s food court has a new item boasting the highest protein count on its menu, but a Florida dietitian says shoppers shouldn’t stop at that one number.
The Rotisserie Chicken Chef Salad, one of Costco’s newer food court additions this year, packs 59 grams of protein and 840 calories. Priced at $7.99, it includes rotisserie chicken, hard-boiled eggs, bacon bits and shredded cheddar cheese over romaine lettuce, topped with tomatoes and creamy peppercorn ranch dressing.
Jamie Lee McIntyre, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Florida, said protein content shouldn’t be the only thing shoppers weigh when choosing what to eat.
“That’s just a nutrition attribute,” McIntyre said. “A food can be high in protein, but it can also still be high in sodium, saturated fat or calories.”
On the chef salad specifically, McIntyre credited its ingredients while flagging the calorie count.
“The protein is coming from some good whole foods, chicken and eggs. There’s veggies in there. So those are some good building blocks of the meal. But I would say, for a lot of people, 840 calories might be a bit much for a light lunch,” she said.
Other food court items come close in protein content. The Chicken Caesar Salad has 58 grams, just one gram behind the chef salad, and the Chicken Bake carries 53 grams.
Shoppers themselves are split on the new salad. One Reddit user complained about the balance of ingredients: “Tons of toppings, not enough lettuce. Salty for a salad. I wouldn’t buy it again, the portions are just way off, and it was a whole thing to assemble.”
Another was won over, particularly by the dressing: “Someone bought me one, and I went back 2 days later to buy another. I am not a salad person, but I love this dressing. I wish I knew what company makes the Peppercorn Ranch dressing.”
Costco has not responded to a request for comment.
