Which NC grocer has the best deal on store-bought Thanksgiving meals? Compare prices
Preparing for Thanksgiving dinner can be a marathon for home cooks, but many North Carolina grocery stores are trying to lighten the load by selling premade meals.
Retailers are bundling Turkey Day favorites including turkey, ham, rolls, macaroni and cheese, pumpkin pie and potatoes, allowing shoppers to buy complete meals with all the sides, or order dishes a la carte.
With so many options out there, families may find it hard to determine which meal, if any, is right for them. We collected details on the store-bought Thanksgiving feasts so shoppers can make informed purchasing decisions this holiday season.
Some grocery stores, such as Food Lion and Trader Joe’s, do not offer complete holiday dinner packages, though they do sell traditional components of a Thanksgiving meal, such as turkey, pies, vegetables and more.
Prefer to order Thanksgiving meals from a local restaurant? Check out our guide.
We have another guide — our turkey guide — all about price-checking the bird at just about all of these grocery stores too.
Aldi Thanksgiving meal deal
The German grocer’s version feeds 10 people for less than $47, Aldi announced in a press release. That amounts to less than $4.70 per person and is the grocer’s lowest-priced Thanksgiving meal in five years.
The feast includes a Butterball turkey with spices, gravy, rolls, macaroni and cheese, stuffing and ingredients for traditional favorites such as cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole. Customers may buy individual items or the complete package.
To shop the deal, visit new.aldi.us/products/thanksgiving.
BJ’s Wholesale Club Thanksgiving deals
BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering a free Butterball turkey to select customers this Thanksgiving.
To get a free turkey, shoppers should spend $150 or more in a single transaction in store or online by Thursday, Nov. 14. Certain fees and purchases of items such as alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, gift cards, gas and propane do not count toward qualifying transactions.
The coupon for a free turkey will be available beginning on Saturday, Nov. 16, and must be redeemed by Wednesday, Nov. 27. Coupons may be clipped through the BJ’s mobile app or at BJs.com. They have a maximum value of $25, and organic turkeys are excluded from the promotion.
Supplies are limited, so shoppers are encouraged to shop early and claim their free turkey before Nov. 27.
Carlie C’s Thanksgiving meal deal
Carlie C’s is advertising three complete holiday dinners, which must be ordered ahead.
- Traditional ($62): 8-10-pound Butterball turkey or 7-8-pound spiral-sliced ham with dressing and gravy
- Classic ($80): 8-10-pound Butterball turkey or 7-8-pound spiral-sliced ham with dressing, gravy and three sides
- Deluxe ($105): 8-10-pound Butterball turkey and 7-8-pound spiral-sliced ham with dressing, gravy, three sides and sweet tea
Carlie C’s does not accept online orders, so contact your local store to purchase.
Costco’s Thanksgiving meal deal
The holiday meal from members-only warehouse club Costco can serve eight people.
Priced at $180, the Fortune Gourmet Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner includes all-natural Amish-raised turkey breast, eight sides and two desserts.
To shop the deal, visit costco.com
Food Lion’s Thanksgiving deals
While Food Lion is not serving any premade holiday meals, shoppers can save money at the store this month.
Through Nov. 26, customers who spend at least $50 on six separate trips can earn $20 in savings.
Shoppers should use their Food Lion MVP card during their shopping trips. A $20 coupon will appear at the bottom of the shopper’s receipt after the sixth qualifying visit, and it can be redeemed during the next trip within two weeks of the issue date.
Harris Teeter’s Thanksgiving meal deal
Harris Teeter is selling three meals this year for the holidays:
- Turkey dinner ($80, serves 8-10): 9-12-pound fully cooked Butterball turkey with six sides
- Ham dinner ($80, serves 8-10): 7-9-pound spiral sliced ham with five sides
- Prime rib dinner ($100, serves 6-8): 4 pounds of boneless prime rib with four sides
To shop the deals, visit harristeeter.com/order-ahead/holiday-meals.
Lidl Thanksgiving meal deal
German grocer Lidl is offering a meal for $45, claiming it can feed 10 people.
The meal includes a frozen whole young turkey, Hawaiian rolls, graham pie crust, boxed macaroni and cheese, stuffing mix, gravy mix and staple ingredients such as chicken broth, mini marshmallows and canned pumpkin.
To shop the deal, visit lidl.com/specials.
Lowes Foods Thanksgiving meal deal
Lowes Foods is offering several options with ham or turkey at the core. All meals include 2.5 pounds of mac and cheese, 2.5 pounds of mashed potatoes, 2 pounds of homestyle stuffing, 1.5 pounds of green beans and 2 pounds of homestyle turkey gravy.
- Gourmet Turkey Dinner ($100)
- Turkey Breast Dinner ($90)
- Spiral Ham Dinner ($80)
- Boar’s Head Sweet Slice Boneless Smoked Ham Dinner ($100)
- Boar’s Head Seasoned Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Dinner ($90)
To shop the deal, visit shop.lowesfoods.com.
Publix Thanksgiving meal deal
Florida-based Publix has options for holiday meals, offering different protein choices and enough food to feed different quantities of people.
Ten ham, turkey and pork dinners are available, and each comes with at least two sides and a dessert:
- Ham dinner for three ($50)
- Ham dinner for eight ($80)
- Boar’s Head Classic Turkey Roast Dinner for three ($56)
- Boar’s Head Carve and Serve Turkey Breast Dinner for seven ($80)
- Complete Turkey Breast Dinner for eight ($80)
- Complete Turkey Dinner for eight ($70)
- Turkey dinner with rice and plantains for eight ($70)
- Complete Turkey Dinner for 15 ($140)
- Turkey dinner with rice and plantains for 15 ($140)
- Mojo pork dinner with rice and plantains for eight ($70)
To shop the deals, visit publix.com/mc/order-ahead/order-holiday-meals.
Sam’s Club’sThanksgiving meal deal
The Member’s Mark Thanksgiving meal from Sam’s Club can feed 10 people and costs less than $100. It is purchased pre-cooked, so shoppers can save time in the kitchen.
The meal includes smoked whole turkey, macaroni and cheese, cranberry crunch salad and sweet potato mash priced per pound, plus 24 dinner rolls, 64 ounces of mashed potatoes and a pumpkin pie. Shoppers may opt for the whole menu or individual products.
To shop the deal, visit samsclub.com.
Target’s Thanksgiving meal deal
Target’s meal, priced at $20, feeds four people with a frozen turkey (up to 10 pounds), potatoes, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, jellied cranberry sauce, stuffing mix and gravy.
To shop the deal, visit target.com.
The Fresh Market’s Thanksgiving meal deal
The Fresh Market is selling many meal options for the holidays:
- Ultimate Holiday Meal ($200, serves 12-14) includes both a 10-12 pound turkey and sliced ham with seven sides
- Traditional Holiday Meal ($100, serves 8-10) includes a 10-12 pound turkey with five sides
- Holiday Ham Meal ($100, serves 8-10) includes a 9-pound ham with five sides
- Essential Holiday Meal ($75, serves 3-5) includes 2.75 pounds of turkey breast with five sides
- Essential Ham Meal ($75, serves 3-5) includes 3.5 pounds of sliced ham with four sides
- Prime Rib Meal ($55, serves two) includes 1.5 pounds of cooked prime rib with three sides
- Holiday Turkey Market Meal Kit ($20, serves two) includes turkey medallions with one side
Customers may also purchase items such as turkey, ham, sides and desserts a la carte.
Online orders must be placed by Tuesday, Nov. 26. To shop the deals, visit thefreshmarket.com/our-products/holiday-meals.
Walmart Thanksgiving meal deal
Walmart unveiled its holiday meal in October and said the price was lower than last year’s.
The 2024 meal, available through Tuesday, Dec. 24, includes 29 items and feeds eight people for less than $7 per person.
The meal includes a whole frozen turkey (10-17 pounds), a pecan pie, a 12-count bag of Hawaiian rolls, corn muffin mix and other dinner Thanksgiving ingredients, like potatoes, carrots and gravy mix.
Shoppers may choose individual items or everything in the package. They may also gift a meal to friends or family anywhere in the U.S. or donate a meal to their local Salvation Army.
To shop the deal, visit walmart.com.
Weaver Street Market’s Thanksgiving meal deal
The North Carolina-based co-op has a few basic options for complete Thanksgiving meals:
- Complete sliced turkey breast dinner ($100, serves 2-4) includes 2 pounds of turkey breast with seven sides
- Complete turkey dinner ($155, serves 6-8) includes a 10-pound turkey with eight sides
- Complete turkey dinner ($190, serves 8-10) includes a 13-pound turkey with nine sides
- Complete vegetarian dinner ($100, serves 6-8) includes nine meatless sides
To shop the deals, visit shop.weaverstreetmarket.coop/holiday-offerings.
Wegmans’ Thanksgiving meal deal
Wegmans offers meals centered around ham and turkey:
- Classic Turkey Dinner ($179, serves 10) includes a 12-14 pound turkey with six sides
- Hand-carved Turkey Dinner ($179, serves six) includes a 5-pound turkey with five sides
- Hand-carved Turkey Dinner ($299, serves 12) includes a 10-pound turkey with four sides
- Choose your sides hand-carved turkey dinner: serves six or 12 people, price varies by side selection
- Choose your sides ham dinner: serves 10-12 people, price varies by side selection
To shop the deals, visit meals2go.com.
In addition to the catered meals, Wegmans has a Thanksgiving meal that serves 8 for less than $6 per serving. It includes a frozen 13-pound turkey, a pie, rolls and ingredients for sides including green bean casserole. Order it at shop.wegmans.com.
Whole Foods Market’s Thanksgiving meal deal
- Classic roast whole turkey meal for 12 ($240)
- Classic roast whole turkey meal for eight ($170)
- Regeneratively raised whole turkey meal for eight ($220)
- Beef Wellington meal for four ($170)
- Prime rib meal for eight ($260)
- Truffle-roasted chicken meal for four ($90)
- Surf and turf meal for four ($230)
- Vegan meal for two ($40)
- Organic heirloom roast whole turkey meal for eight ($250)
- Organic heirloom roast whole turkey meal for four ($150)
- Organic heirloom roast whole turkey meal for 12 ($350)
- Maple bourbon ham meal for eight ($160)
- Oven-ready turkey meal for eight ($170)
- Cider-brined smoked turkey breast meal for four ($120)
- Cider-brined smoked whole turkey meal for eight ($200)
- Thanksgiving Feast for 12 ($400)
- Classic roast turkey breast meal for four ($90)
- Classic roast whole turkey meal for four ($100)
- Champagne Dijon salmon meal for four ($90)
- Just-the-Sides Package for four ($55)
To shop the deals, visit wholefoodsmarket.com/shop/choose.
This story was originally published November 11, 2024 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Which NC grocer has the best deal on store-bought Thanksgiving meals? Compare prices."
