> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Thanksgiving Meal Deals 2026: Walmart vs. Aldi vs. Target vs. Costco, Cost per Person and What You Still Have to Buy - URL: https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/thanksgiving-meal-deals-2026-walmart-aldi-target-costco-cost-per-person/ - Published: 2026-11-11T16:30:22.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-14T06:57:42.000Z - Description: Walmart's $35 basket, Aldi's under-$39 list, Target's $30 meal and Costco's $199.99 dinner, compared by cost per person, pounds of turkey per guest, deadlines and the groceries each one leaves out. Thanksgiving is November 26, 2026. - Author: BCL Staff - Tags: Food **The short version:** for a table of 10, Aldi and Walmart are the cheapest Thanksgiving meal deals of 2026, at under $4 a person. Aldi gives you the bigger turkey (16 pounds) and the deal ends November 25; Walmart's $35 basket has more side dishes and runs through December 24\. For six people, Target's $30 meal is simplest. Costco's $199.99 dinner is the only one where you don't cook the sides, but preorders closed **November 13, 2026**, per the Chronicle's report, so for most tables the real choice is now Aldi, Walmart or Target. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026\. All four chains are pitching a bundle, and the headline prices are not apples to apples: they feed different numbers of people, use different-size turkeys and leave out different groceries. Here's the math from each retailer's own announcement, plus the Aldi list we priced on Aldi.com on November 11, 2026. ## Thanksgiving meal deals 2026 compared | | Price | Feeds | Per person | Turkey | Turkey per guest | Deal window | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ | ------- | ---------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- | ---------------------------- | | [Walmart Holiday Meal Basket](https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2026/10/walmart-holiday-meal-basket?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com) | $35 | 10 | $3.50 | Frozen Butterball, priced at an estimated 13.5 lb | about 1.35 lb | Oct 28 to Dec 24, 2026 | | [Aldi Thanksgiving meal](https://corporate.aldi.us/newsroom/news/aldi-thanksgiving?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com) | under $39 ($38.12 when we priced it) | 10 | $3.81 | 16 lb Farmer's Choice | 1.6 lb | Oct 14 to Nov 25, 2026 | | [Target $30 meal](https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/target-30-dollar-thanksgiving-meal-2026-early-black-friday/) | $30 | 6 | $5.00 | Butterball, up to 10 lb | up to 1.67 lb | Nov 8 to Nov 29, 2026 | | Costco Complete Gourmet Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner | $199.99 | up to 8 | $25.00 | 5 lb turkey breast | 0.63 lb | preorder closed Nov 13, 2026 | The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says to [allow 1 pound of turkey per person](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/lets-talk-turkey-roasting?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com). By that rule, Walmart's estimated 13.5-pound bird covers about 13 people, Aldi's 16-pound bird covers 16, and Target's covers up to 10\. That's why the two 10-person baskets are the leftover-friendly picks. Costco's 5-pound breast is well under the rule for eight, so plan a second protein or a smaller table. ## Walmart's $35 basket: the most sides Walmart's [October 28, 2026 announcement](https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2026/10/walmart-holiday-meal-basket?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com) lists 26 items (17 different products) for 10 people: a frozen Butterball turkey at 97 cents a pound, two boxes of Stove Top, 5 pounds of russet potatoes, two packets of brown gravy mix, three cans of green beans with cream of mushroom soup and French fried onions, three sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows, three cans of corn with two boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix, fresh cranberries, brown-and-serve rolls, and pumpkin pie makings (canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, two frozen crusts and whipped topping). The fine print matters: - **The $35 is an estimate.** Walmart's footnote says the price is based on a 13.5-pound turkey at $0.97 a pound and 3.2 pounds of sweet potatoes. The Butterball in the basket is listed as 10 to 16 pounds, so a bigger bird costs more. - **Not every state gets it.** The offer excludes Alaska, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico and Wisconsin. - **Delivery fees.** Pickup or delivery fees of $0 to $19.95 may apply. Walmart's code **THANKFUL** gives free Express Delivery through November 30, 2026, on a $35 minimum order that includes the Campbell's soup, Butterball turkey or Stove Top. **What you still have to buy:** butter and milk for the mashed potatoes, sugar for the cranberries, and the eggs, sugar and spices most pumpkin pie recipes call for, because the basket has plain 100% pumpkin, not pie filling. ## Aldi's under-$39 list: the most turkey Aldi's [October 14, 2026 release](https://corporate.aldi.us/newsroom/news/aldi-thanksgiving?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com) builds its meal around the same core dishes the American Farm Bureau Federation tracks in its yearly Thanksgiving cost survey: a 16-pound turkey, three boxes of stuffing mix, 3 pounds of sweet potatoes, Hawaiian sweet rolls, two bags of frozen peas, a carrot-and-celery veggie tray, fresh cranberries, pumpkin pie mix and crusts, whole milk and heavy whipping cream. No coupons or membership needed. We priced it on [Aldi's online Thanksgiving page](https://www.aldi.us/store/aldi/pages/thanksgiving-meal?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com) on November 11, 2026, using the quantities in Aldi's release: | Item | Price on Nov 11, 2026 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | | Farmer's Choice Brined Young Turkey, about 16 lb at $0.99/lb | $15.84 (estimated) | | Chef's Cupboard Stuffing Mix, 6 oz (x3) | $2.34 | | Baby peeled carrots, 16 oz | $0.89 | | Celery | $0.95 | | Sweet potatoes, 3 lb | $1.95 | | L'oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, 12 ct | $1.99 | | Season's Choice frozen peas, 12 oz (x2) | $1.90 | | Bake House Creations pie crusts, 2 ct | $1.88 | | Friendly Farms whole milk, 1 gal | $3.29 | | Friendly Farms heavy whipping cream, 32 oz | $4.35 | | Cranberries, 12 oz | $0.75 | | Baker's Corner Pumpkin Pie Mix, 30 oz | $1.99 | | **Total** | **$38.12** | That's $3.81 a person for 10\. Aldi notes prices vary by store and location, and the online page didn't tell us which store it was pricing, so treat $38.12 as a ballpark. Aldi's fine print says the turkey price started November 4 and the pumpkin pie mix price on November 11, and all of them end **November 25, 2026**. Delivery through DoorDash, Instacart or Uber Eats gets the same item prices, but delivery and service fees can apply. **What you still have to buy:** gravy (there's none on the list), butter, and sugar for the cranberries. There's no green bean casserole either, so the peas and veggie tray are your vegetables. ## Target's $30 meal: best for six Target's meal for six ($5 a person) runs November 8 through November 29, 2026, with a Butterball turkey up to 10 pounds, russet potatoes, jellied cranberry sauce, green bean casserole makings, Stove Top, Heinz turkey gravy and two take-and-bake baguettes. We broke down the full list and the fine print in [our Target $30 Thanksgiving meal guide](https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/target-30-dollar-thanksgiving-meal-2026-early-black-friday/). **What you still have to buy:** dessert, plus butter and milk for the potatoes. ## Costco's $199.99 dinner: the only one where the sides are done Costco's online-only Complete Gourmet Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner is $199.99, $70 off its regular $269.99, according to the [San Francisco Chronicle's October 28, 2026 report](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/costco-thanksgiving-dinner-2026-22499510.php?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com). It's about 30 pounds of frozen food for up to eight: a 5-pound pre-brined turkey breast you roast yourself, 3 pounds each of mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sweet corn, green bean casserole and cornbread stuffing, 2 pounds of candied yams, gravy, cranberry relish, 12 rolls, a pumpkin pie and an apple cobbler. Shipping is included. The Chronicle reported preorders would run **through November 13, 2026**, for delivery between November 4 and November 20. Costco.com blocked our attempt to recheck the listing on November 11, 2026, so confirm the price and delivery dates on Costco's site before you order. **What you still have to buy:** more turkey if you have big eaters. You'll also need freezer room for about 30 pounds of food until the holiday. ## When to start thawing Every bird above except Costco's breast is a whole turkey, and frozen ones take days. FSIS says to allow about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds: 1 to 3 days for a 4- to 12-pound turkey, and 3 to 4 days for 12 to 16 pounds. For a Thursday, November 26, 2026 dinner: - **Walmart's 10- to 16-pound Butterball:** move it to the fridge by **Sunday, November 22.** - **Target's Butterball (up to 10 pounds), if frozen:** by **Monday, November 23.** - **Aldi's 16-pound bird, if yours is frozen:** by **Sunday, November 22.** Short on fridge space for a thawing turkey? Our [fridge plan for Thanksgiving week](https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/fridge-tetris-thanksgiving-week/) helps. ## Which Thanksgiving meal deal should you buy? - **10 or more people, you're cooking anyway:** Aldi if you want the biggest turkey and can shop by November 25\. Walmart if you want the casseroles planned for you, or if you're shopping after November 25. - **Six people or Friendsgiving:** Target. It has gravy and cranberry sauce ready to go. Add a pie. - **You don't want to cook sides at all:** Costco's dinner was the pick here, but its preorder window closed November 13, 2026, per the Chronicle's report. - **Skip the bundles** if you're cooking from scratch or need gluten-free or dairy-free swaps. None of these announcements lists substitutions. - **Cooking for a small crowd who loves turkey?** Trader Joe's brined whole turkey at $2.49 a pound came out cheapest per guest in [our Trader Joe's turkey math](https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/trader-joes-thanksgiving-turkey-2026-per-guest-math/), though you'll buy the sides separately. ## Shop the post *Prices as listed by each retailer. Aldi prices checked on Aldi.com November 11, 2026\. We don't earn a commission on these links.* - [**Aldi Thanksgiving meal list**](https://www.aldi.us/store/aldi/pages/thanksgiving-meal?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com)**, $38.12** (checked Nov 11, 2026): the most turkey for 10, and you can add the whole list to your cart in one click. - [**Aldi Farmer's Choice Brined Young Turkey**](https://www.aldi.us/store/aldi/products/137298329-farmer-s-choice-turkey-1-each?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com)**, about $15.84 for 16 lb at $0.99/lb** (checked Nov 11, 2026): the bird on its own, if you already have your sides. - [**Walmart Holiday Meal Basket**](https://www.walmart.com/HolidaySavingsBasket?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com)**, $35** (Walmart's stated price, valid through Dec 24, 2026; Walmart.com blocked our Nov 11 check): the most side dishes for 10. - [**Target $30 Thanksgiving meal for six**](https://corporate.target.com/press/release/2026/10/target-brings-more-value-and-delight-to-thanksgiving-with-a-$30-meal-for-six-and-fresh-takes-on-holi?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com) (Target's stated price, Nov 8 to Nov 29, 2026): ready-made gravy and cranberry sauce for a small table. - [**Costco Complete Gourmet Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner**](https://www.costco.com/p/-/pre-order-complete-gourmet-thanksgiving-turkey-dinner-serves-8-30-lbs-total/4201035707?ref=beautifullychaoticlife.com)**, $199.99** (as reported Oct 28, 2026; preorder closed Nov 13, 2026): heat-and-serve sides and two desserts for up to eight. ## More from BCL - [Target's $30 Thanksgiving meal for six: what's in it and the dates](https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/target-30-dollar-thanksgiving-meal-2026-early-black-friday/) - [Trader Joe's Thanksgiving turkey 2026: the per-guest math](https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/trader-joes-thanksgiving-turkey-2026-per-guest-math/) - [Fridge Tetris for Thanksgiving week without losing the milk](https://www.beautifullychaoticlife.com/fridge-tetris-thanksgiving-week/)