Here's how much Thanksgiving turkeys cost at 14 major grocery chains (2024)

The countdown to Thanksgiving is underway, which means you only have about a week left to purchase the all-important main dish: the turkey.

While about one in five U.S. adults secretly hate turkey, Americans sure pack away quite a bit of it. Americans consume about 46 million turkeys each Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation (the organization is also responsible for raising the birds for the White House's tradition of pardoning a turkey).

To help you get the best deal on your turkey, CNBC Make It compiled a list of prices from 14 national and large regional grocery chains around the country, although keep in mind that individual store prices may vary. Additionally, some retailers are running promotions where you can get a free turkey if you spend a certain amount on your groceries or are part of the grocer's loyalty program.

Here's how they stack up.

Albertsons

Locations: operates as Albertsons and a number of other brands, including Acme, Safeway and Vons in 34 states and the District of Columbia

Turkey prices:

$0.89 per pound for Butterball frozen premium, all-natural turkeys

Aldi

Locations: 1,900 U.S. stores in 36 states

Turkey prices:

$0.59 per pound for Shady Brook frozen young turkeys
$0.87 per pound for Butterball frozen premium all-natural turkeys
$1.19 per pound for Honeysuckle fresh whole turkeys
$2.99 per pound for Simply Nature frozen organic free-range turkeys

Turkeys arrived at Aldi stores earlier this month. Prices for frozen turkeys start at 59 cents per pound, although prices and quantities may vary by store.

Megan Leonhardt | CNBC

Costco

Locations: 546 locations in 44 U.S. States and Puerto Rico

Food Lion

Locations: over 1,000 stores in Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia

Turkey prices:

$0.29 per pound for frozen turkeys (with minimum purchase of $35 and MVP card)
$0.99 per pound for Butterball frozen premium all natural turkeys

Giant Eagle

Locations: 410 locations across Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia

Turkey prices:

$0.69 per pound for Giant Eagle frozen turkey (with minimum purchase of $25)
$0.99 per pound for Honeysuckle frozen turkeys
$1.59 per pound for Butterball frozen premium turkeys

Kroger

Locations: Close to 2,800 stores in 35 states

Turkey prices:

$0.69 per pound for frozen turkeys (with membership card). Through Nov. 28, 2019, if you spend $125, you get a turkey for free (10 to 18 pounds).
$1.59 per pound for Butterball fresh turkey (with membership card)

Meijer

Locations: 245 stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin

Turkey prices:

$0.33 per found for Meijer frozen young turkeys
$0.99 per pound for Butterball frozen premium all-natural turkeys

Turkeys arrived at Costco stores over the weekend, with the lowest priced fresh birds starting at 99 cents per pound.

Source: The Krazy Coupon Lady

Publix

Locations: over 1,200 locations spread across seven states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Turkey prices:

$0.49 per pound for Publix frozen young turkeys

Sprouts Farmers Market

Locations: about 340 stores spread across 22 states

Turkey prices:

$1.49 per pound for fresh all-natural turkeys or no antibiotics ever turkeys
$2.99 per pound for fresh organic air-chilled turkeys or organic free-range turkeys

Target

Locations:1,800 stores nationwide

Turkey prices:

$0.89 per pound for Butterball frozen premium, all-natural young turkeys

Trader Joe's

Locations: over 450 stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia

Turkey prices:

$1.99 per pound for Trader Joe's fresh all-natural, brined fresh young turkeys
$2.99 per pound for Trader Joe's fresh Glatt Kosher turkeys
$3.49 per pound for Trader Joe's fresh organic free-range young turkeys

Turkeys arrived at Walmart stores earlier this month, with the lowest priced birds starting at 68 cents per pound.

Megan Leonhardt | CNBC

Walmart

Locations: over 4,700 stores nationwide

Turkey prices:

$0.68 per pound for Shady Brook and Honeysuckle brands of frozen young turkeys
$0.98 per pound for Butterball frozen premium, all-natural young turkey

Wegmans

Locations: 90 stores across Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia

Turkey prices:

$1.39 per pound for Wegmans fresh young turkeys
$2.49 per pound for Wegmans fresh premium holiday turkeys
$4.49 per pound for Wegmans organic fresh premium turkeys

Whole Foods

Locations: 488 in 42 U.S. states

Turkey prices:

$2.49 per pound for animal welfare certified turkeys ($1.99 for Amazon Prime members)
$3.49 per pound for organic animal welfare certified turkeys ($2.99 for Prime members)

Don't miss:

Here's the Thanksgiving dinner $50 buys you at Aldi, Costco, Walmart and more
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Here's how much Thanksgiving turkeys cost at 14 major grocery chains (2024)

FAQs

What is the average price of a Thanksgiving turkey? ›

FinanceBuzz, a finance informational website, estimated people can expect to pay $35.40 for a 15-pound turkey, or $2.36 per pound.

Which supermarket has the best value turkeys? ›

With a price tag of $11.88 for a whole bird, the grocery chain has Aldi beat on turkey prices in 2023. Kroger's prices for a Thanksgiving meal that can feed eight people aren't too shabby either. The grand total for turkey and all of the other Thanksgiving essentials came out to $34.44 in the study.

Show Me More ›

How much is a 15 lb turkey? ›

Cost of a 15-pound turkey in the United States in 2023, by state. In 2023, the average cost of a 15-pound turkey was 41.85 U.S. dollars in California. Other populous U.S. states saw lower turkey prices. Among the ten most populous U.S. states, Texas had the lowest turkey prices at 30.8 U.S. dollars in 2023.

Learn More ›

How much does a 9lb turkey cost? ›

White barn-reared turkey crown sizes and prices

People	Turkey crown	Price
3 – 5	3.0Kg / 7lb	£66.00
5 – 7	4.0Kg / 9lb	£76.25
7 – 9	5.0Kg / 11lb	£85.50
9 – 11	6.0Kg / 13lb	£89.50

Learn More ›

What price are turkeys this year? ›

2023 Price List

Weight (kg) White Turkey
6	£82.50
7	£95.00
8	£107.00
9	£119.70

12 more rows

What is the most expensive Thanksgiving turkey? ›

The edible part of the package is a dinner for 12. Of course it includes turkey, in this case, two, 20-pound free-range turkeys that cost $5,800 ($145-per-pound). Each turkey is covered in $2,000 edible gold flakes, and they are seasoned with imported saffron and other spices from the Middle East that cost $4,000.

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What company sells the most turkeys for Thanksgiving? ›

Butterball

Headquartered in Garner, North Carolina, Butterball is the largest turkey company in the U.S. It slaughtered 1.304 billion pounds in 2019, a year-over-year decrease of 2.03%. The company – owned by Seaboard Corp. and Goldsboro Milling Co.

Explore More ›

What is cheaper than turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

Swap your turkey for a rotisserie chicken

They're delicious, less expensive than a turkey, and pre-cooked! You can find them in most deli sections of your local grocery store and they don't require any calling in ahead of time.

How many people will a 15lb turkey feed? ›

You'll want to plan on about 1.25 pounds of turkey per person. That means if you're expecting 12 guests, plan for a 15-pound bird. To make things simple, we've created a guide to help you pick the perfect-sized turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner menu.

How much meat do you get off of a 14 lb turkey? ›

You can assume about 40% to 50% of every turkey is bone or parts that won't be eaten. That means for every pound of turkey, guests will get about eight to nine ounces of meat.

Is a 20 pound turkey enough for 14 people? ›

While 1 pound per person could feel like too little, and 1 1/2 pounds for each guest might be over-doing it, 1 1/4 pounds of turkey per mouth is the perfect balance. At that rate, feeding a large party of 15 or more people requires 20+ pounds of turkey.

Are Butterball turkeys expensive? ›

Turkey prices:

$0.87 per pound for Butterball frozen premium all-natural turkeys. $1.19 per pound for Honeysuckle fresh whole turkeys.

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Is a 10 lb turkey enough for 6 adults? ›

The general rule of thumb is 1–1½ pounds turkey per person. If that seems like a lot, remember that a whole turkey comes with a lot of parts that don't end up getting eaten.

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How many hours do you cook a 9lb turkey? ›

How Long to Roast a Turkey?

Turkey Weight	Cooking Time	Doneness Temperature
6-8 lb. breast	2 hrs 15 mins–3 hrs 15 mins	165°F
8-12 lbs.	2 hrs 45 mins–3 hrs	170-175°F
12-14 lbs.	3 hrs–3 hrs 45 mins	170-175°F
14-18 lbs.	3 hrs 45 mins–4 hrs 15 mins	170-175°F

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Nov 21, 2022

Get More Info Here ›

How much does a full grown live turkey cost? ›

For a 20 pound bird, you can expect to pay around $28. Why then are pasture raised birds so much more expensive at $5 to even $7 per pound? That puts the average price for ONE bird at $100, minimum. Some people will stop right there and not pass go.

Discover More Details ›

Why are turkeys so expensive this year? ›

In early 2022, what would become the largest bird flu outbreak in U.S. history started infecting wild and commercial flocks. Since then, it's killed more than 60 million birds, and those shrinking supplies drove sharp increases in poultry and egg prices.

Get More Info Here ›

Is it cheaper to buy a turkey before or after Thanksgiving? ›

Is it cheaper to buy a turkey before or after Thanksgiving? Some stores have the best turkey prices right before the Thanksgiving holiday. Others may drop prices right after the holiday.