Thanksgiving feasts for under $50? Here’s how grocers like Target and Aldi are making it possible
Hosting Thanksgiving dinner can be a stressful affair. You’re not only in charge of making dishes that will please everyone at the table, you’re often also solely responsible for footing the bill.
Depending on the size of your family or friend group, that can add up fast. While overall food prices have declined in 2024 and are expected to continue falling, food-at-home prices are expected to increase 1.2% this year, according to the USDA. A survey from Butterball found 98% of consumers expect inflation to impact their Thanksgiving plans, compared to the 79% in 2023.
Retailers, though, know the value in offering a bargain—and more than a few are offering Thanksgiving meal bundles this year, which makes the price per person quite manageable (assuming you’re expecting 10 people around the table).
Looking to arrange a feast on a budget? Here’s what several grocers are offering for 2024.
Aldi
The discount grocer is offering what it says is its lowest priced Thanksgiving meal in five years, a $47 spread that will feed 10 people. Included in the Thanksgiving basket are a 16 lb. Butterball turkey with spices, gravy, rolls, mac & cheese, stuffing – as well as the ingredients for cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.
Price per person: $4.70
Target
If you’re expecting a smaller group at your house, Target could be worth a look. The retailer is offering a Thanksgiving meal for four people for $20—a $5 discount from 2023’s price. For that, you’ll get a frozen Good & Gather brand turkey, a 5 lb. bag of potatoes, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, a can of cranberry sauce, Stove Top stuffing mix and a bottle of turkey gravy. You’re on your own for desert, though.
Price per person: $5
Customers in over 1,200 cities are eligible to get Amazon’s take on a Thanksgiving meal deal delivered to their door, though they’ll have to do the cooking themselves. The company is offering a meal bundle that will feed six people for less than $30. The selections include Butterball turkeys and a mix of Amazon store brands on instant mashed potatoes, gravy mix, stuffing mix, dinner rolls, cranberries, green beans and pie.
Price per person: roughly $5
Walmart
Walmart kicked off the Thanksgiving meal deal wars in mid-October, announcing a spread of 29 items that will serve eight people for just over $51. Among the items included in the bundle were a 10-17 lb. Honeysuckle whole turkey; mushroom soup, green beans and fried onions; sweet potatoes and mini-marshmallows; a 5 lb. bag of potatoes; canned cranberry sauce; Hawaiian rolls; Marie Callender’s Pecan Pie; gravy mix and more.
Price per person: $6.42
Sam’s Club
Members of Sam’s Club can save money and time with the Member’s Mark Thanksgiving meal, though they’ll lose some of the home-cooked appeal of the holiday. For $100, you’ll get a hickory-smoked turkey, dinner rolls, a tray of macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, sweet potato mash, a cranberry crunch salad, and a pumpkin pie.
All of that will be delivered pre-cooked and ready to be heated up, which will take about two hours.
Price per person: $10 (pre-cooked)
BJ’s Wholesale Club
BJ’s isn’t offering a meal deal, per se, but if you spend $150 or more at the warehouse store, you’ll qualify for a free Butterball turkey between now and Nov. 14. (You can pick that up between Nov. 16 and 27.)
Price per person: N/A
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