Thanksgiving is the most food-focused holiday of the year. It can take months of planning, days of shopping, and hours of preparation to create the magical meal we all know and love. Roasting a turkey is no easy feat and crafting dozens of sides, sauces, drinks, and desserts to go with it is a daunting task for even the most seasoned of home cooks. Although Thanksgiving is a very satisfying labor of love for many, there are some people for whom the work it takes to create a family feast can be too overwhelming. Even for the most experienced Thanksgiving host, there are certain years in which your lifes current situation may not lend itself to having the time or energy to prepare a holiday meal with all the trimmings.
If thats how you feel this year, theres absolutely no shame in looking for ways to ease the stress of planning and preparing the biggest meal of the holiday season. In fact, there are ways to offload the effort completely. Weve crafted a comprehensive list of restaurants, online retailers, and local grocery stores that offer pre-cooked Thanksgiving meals so you can enjoy the day without the hassle of cooking it all yourself. Whether you want a dinner with a luxury-style selection of unique sides or a traditional, homestyle turkey dinner, the list below offers everything you need to make the best (and easiest) decision for your Thanksgiving meal.
Though many grocery stores very well could have Thanksgiving options, Albertsons has full-fledged holiday meals at its disposal –– and these options will be available for pick-up on or after November 17. The best part about Albertsons Thanksgiving lineups? Customers have choices, from the smoked turkey holiday dinner (serves eight to 10 people) to the turkey breast holiday dinner (serves six to eight), and its spiral cut ham dinner (serves eight to 10) to its baked turkey holiday dinner (serves eight to 10). Yet Albertsons is also providing a side-dish option –– if you only need to purchase the fixings. The best part? Depending on your location, Albertsons turkey dinner lineups range from $29.99 (the fixing package) to $99.99 (for spare ribs, sides, dressings, and condiments).
Though Albertsons provides fully-precooked meals, its important to note that youll need to heat the food before serving –– because no one deserves a cold turkey meal. And although holiday meals will be available for pickup on or after November 17, holiday dinner orders will be accepted while supplies last starting on November 1 to November 22.
If youre serving six or fewer guests, look no further than Bob Evans to supply everything you need to celebrate the holiday with good food — and without cooking all day long. The restaurant is offering hot family meals complete with mains like slow-roasted turkey and hickory-smoked ham, as well as festive sides like house-made bread and celery dressing, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with ham, buttered corn, and a dozen freshly baked dinner rolls. And since no Thanksgiving is complete without it, the meal even features a whole pumpkin pie. The company even offers single platters of the hot meals so you can order as many as you need for you and your guests.
The company prides itself on being expert with turkey, noting that it has been slow-roasting turkey every year for three decades. You can log onto its website the day before Thanksgiving to pre-order your hot holiday meal and experience the Bob Evans touch for your holiday.
Boston Market is virtually a holiday feast on a seasonal basis, yet they take it up a notch during this time of year. Boston Market features three Thanksgiving options: heat and serve, catering, and à la carte –– and inside those choices, there are countless others. So you can serve a few people, an entire party, or fill out your own meal with à la carte options. Though Boston Market does the prepping and cooking, youll need to heat the food, unless you go the catering route.
The heat and serve option can serve six to 12 people, depending on which of the two meals you choose from. If you pick the smaller one, then youll receive a boneless roasted turkey breast, while the 12-person dinner consists of a whole roasted turkey meal. Yet, there are also ham and prime rib meals available, as well as a turkey-ham combo in the 12-serving option. The sides are included, just in case youre wondering.
The dinner catering features premium buffet, deluxe buffet, and create your own buffet options, with the price per person fluctuating depending on the buffet type. And, of course, the à la carte menu allows you to pick single items, whether you fancy entrées, sides, appetizers, or desserts.
Thanksgiving is coming up, and you’ve been put in charge of getting the turkey this year But you really don’t want to deal with thawing, prepping, cooking and carving a raw bird Your best bet? Finding a pre-cooked turkey you can just heat and serve. Here are tips on where to buy a fully cooked turkey for Thanksgiving near you.
Grocery Store Deli Sections
One of the easiest spots to find a pre-cooked turkey is the deli counter or prepared foods section at your local grocery store.
Many major chains like Safeway, Kroger, Publix and Whole Foods Market offer complete Thanksgiving meals or just cooked turkey breasts and whole birds this time of year.
Benefits of grabbing one here
Convenience – Just pop in and grab one
Wide availability – Most markets carry them.
Turkey expertise – Stores have lots of experience roasting turkeys.
Sides available – You can often get sides, salads and more.
Order ahead – Place an order a few days early to guarantee your bird.
House brands – Affordable prices on storebrands.
Check the deli case for whole cooked turkeys and boneless turkey breasts. You can also ask the butcher if they have pre-cooked turkeys available to order.
Grocery Store Butcher Shops
In addition to the deli, check with the butcher counter at grocery stores about ordering a cooked turkey.
Many full-service butcher shops roast turkeys to order ahead of the holidays. Benefits here include:
Turkey know-how – Butchers are skilled at roasting.
Guaranteed availability – Order ahead to reserve yours.
Exact size – Order a precise weight and size.
Skin on or off – Customize with skin on or off.
Flavor options – Some shops offer smoked or herb-roasted.
Sides available – Butcher shops often sell side dishes too.
Specialty turkeys – May have heritage breed or organic options.
So for a customized cooked turkey, head straight to the butcher counter and place your order early.
Restaurants and Meal Kits
Local restaurants and meal delivery kits can also be great sources for fully cooked Thanksgiving turkeys.
Look for:
Caterers like Jason’s Deli that sell holiday meals.
Meal kit companies like Home Chef that offer turkey dinner kits.
Local restaurants advertising Thanksgiving catering.
BBQ joints and smokehouses selling smoked turkeys.
Family-style restaurants with turkey on their holiday menu.
Benefits include convenience, sides included, and experienced chefs doing the cooking. Order early as these do sell out.
Specialty Food Stores
Don’t forget to check with local specialty food stores for pre-cooked turkey options.
Butcher shops and meat markets often cook turkeys to order.
Delis may have roasted or smoked turkey breasts ready to go.
Farmers markets and stands may sell locally raised smoked turkey.
Ethnic markets may have unique seasoned or marinated turkey.
Gourmet markets like Whole Foods offer quality cooked birds.
These are great for finding local, organic and unique turkeys. Talk to the store early about availability and custom orders.
Where Not to Buy a Pre-Cooked Turkey
A couple places you’ll want to avoid when shopping for a fully cooked Thanksgiving turkey:
Frozen turkey breasts or whole birds. These still require thawing and heating.
Deli counter at warehouse clubs. Quality may suffer.
Raw turkey sections. Will need seasoning and cooking.
Pre-sliced lunch meat turkey. Too thin and processed.
Canned or pouched turkey. Texture will be unpleasant.
Stick to fresh, never frozen pre-cooked whole turkeys and turkey breasts. Carefully check labels to ensure it’s fully cooked and not a frozen raw turkey.
How Much to Buy
When ordering your cooked turkey, allow for 1⁄2 to 1 pound of turkey meat per person.
For example, for 4 people:
4 lb turkey breast or 8 lb whole turkey for lighter eaters
6 lb turkey breast or 12 lb whole turkey for heartier appetites
Factor in if you want ample leftovers. Cooked turkey keeps well refrigerated for 4-5 days.
Reheating a Pre-Cooked Turkey
One of the biggest perks of buying a pre-cooked turkey is that reheating it is fast and easy.
Whole Turkey: Heat at 325°F for about 1 hour until steaming hot.
Turkey Breast: Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes until hot.
Sliced: Warm slices in broth or gravy on the stovetop or microwave.
Use a thermometer to confirm the internal temperature reaches 165°F when reheating. Now your work is done and you can relax and enjoy!
Gobble Up the Convenience
With so many excellent options for finding a fully cooked turkey at your local grocery store, butcher shop, restaurant or specialty market, there’s no reason to slave away roasting one yourself. Simply order ahead, pick up your piping hot polished-off turkey, and indulge in a stress-free Thanksgiving with more time to delight in the holiday surrounded by your loved ones.
The Cajun Turkey Co. (Via Nieman Marcus)
Do you have a craving for a Thanksgiving dinner that brings the spice, but dont have the time, energy, or desire to deep fry your own Cajun-style turkey? We have good news. The Cajun Turkey Co has partnered with Neiman Marcus to bring a southern-style Thanksgiving dinner directly to your door.
The meal includes a Cajun fried turkey. If youve never had deep-fried turkey, its a great spin on the Thanksgiving classic, complete with crunchy and flavorful skin and moist meat inside. The bundle also includes four pounds of cornbread dressing, four pounds of sweet potato casserole, four pounds of seasoned mashed potatoes, four pounds of gourmet cheesy squash casserole, and two and a half pounds of bread pudding for dessert. Thats enough food to feed 10 to 12 guests!
Reviews from past years praise this meal for having moist turkey and scrumptious sides. For $360 plus $20 in shipping costs, you can bring this Cajun dinner home and experience it for yourself.
If you live in Texas, youre likely familiar with Central Market, an H-E-B brand gourmet grocery store specializing in delicious groceries, specialty foods, and delectable made-in-house meals and sides. When it comes to doing the work so you dont have to, the holidays are no exceptions at Central Market. The boutique-style grocery chain, with locations sprinkled throughout Texas, offers an array of pre-cooked holiday meals featuring entrees like roasted turkey, smoked ham, herb-encrusted beef tenderloin, and vegetarian lasagna, all complete with a curated selection of festive sides. For those looking for a classic turkey day option, Central Market has its All-Natural Oven-Roasted Turkey Meal available for $149.99.
The meal features all the classics youd expect for a Thanksgiving table, including an all-natural, oven-roasted turkey, savory cornbread dressing, green beans with toasted almonds, whipped Yukon mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, and cranberry sauce. For an added charge, you can add the chains signature pull-apart rolls, macaroni and cheese, or additional servings of gravy or cranberry sauce. The meal is sized to serve six to eight people, making it perfect for mid-size gatherings.
All thats needed to enjoy this complete holiday meal is a bit of reheating, for which Central Market includes a roasting pan and bag so your turkey stays nice and moist without messing up your pan at home.
The Capital Grille is a great location to celebrate the holidays in the style. And for those who want to have a luxurious, stress-free Thanksgiving meal in their own homes, the steakhouse is offering its take on holiday meal sides for $135. Although this meal does not include turkey or dessert, it can serve as a big help by easing the burden of hosting the holiday. When you let the Capital Grille take care of all of the sides, you can focus all of your attention on the turkey and dessert.
In true Capital Grille style, the bundle of sides includes elegant takes on Thanksgiving classics like brioche stuffing, French green beans, cranberry-pear chutney, Sams mashed potatoes, pecan-crusted sweet potatoes with hot honey, seeded rolls, and, of course, housemade gravy.
Pickup for the Thanksgiving sides at Capital Grille must be pre-ordered by November 21 with a pickup time scheduled for either Wednesday, November 22 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., or Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Brio Italian Grille
Brio Italian Grille has a similar *chefs kiss* pre-cooked Thanksgiving feast to Bravo Italian Kitchen. Like Bravo, Brio is accepting pre-orders for curbside, pick-up, and delivery, as well as offering cold and heat and hot and ready-to-serve options.
Brio is also preparing four Thanksgiving orders: two to-go options and two catering. Likewise, the small portion serves three people at $105 total, the large option feeds six at $160 total, the half pan option serves 10 at $250, and the full pan option serves 20 at $450 total. That said, the menu is a bit different. Brio is serving roasted sliced white meat turkey thats topped with herbed pan gravy, pancetta stuffing, pan-seared broccolini, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, orange cranberry sauce, and pumpkin-spiced bread pudding for dessert.
Depending on your location and food preferences, Bravo or Brio might make more sense, yet you cant go wrong with either restaurants feast.
How to Get Free Thanksgiving Meal
FAQ
Does Costco sell cooked Thanksgiving turkeys?
Kirkland Signature Whole Smoked Turkey, Fully Cooked, 13 lb avg wt | Costco.
Does Trader Joe’s have Thanksgiving turkeys?
All our Turkeys are 100% fresh, meaning they are never frozen, and depending on which one you choose, they come with a variety of additional attributes. For instance, our All Natural Antibiotic Free Brined Fresh Young Turkeys (12-16 lbs. or 17-22 lbs.) are soaked in a sweet-savory brine that really amps up the flavor.
Can you buy turkeys for Thanksgiving?
Plan to order a turkey for Thanksgiving well before the feast to ensure enough time for delivery. Fortunately, turkeys are fairly easy birds to ship, store and prep. Many brands even ship frozen turkeys that can survive in your freezer for months until Thanksgiving.
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- What Temperature Should Turkey Sausage Be Cooked To For Safety and Optimal Texture?
- What’s Inside a Turkey? A Closer Look at the Anatomy of This Iconic Bird
