Turkey is the time-honored centerpiece of most Thanksgiving Day meals. And while the USDA says wholesale prices for frozen whole turkeys are down from the 2023 average, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look for deals. The good news is consumers have plenty of options when it comes to getting an inexpensive or even a free turkey.
We’ve rounded up some of the best deals in 2024 to make sure you have that delicious bird as the centerpiece at your Thanksgiving table.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning your holiday meals While the centerpiece is usually a juicy turkey, buying one can put a dent in your wallet With inflation driving up food costs, finding ways to save money on your Thanksgiving dinner is more important than ever.
Luckily, there are several places near you that offer free turkeys or cheap turkeys to help families in need I’ve rounded up the best options to get your hands on a delicious free or discounted turkey this Thanksgiving season.
Check Your Local Grocery Store
Many major grocery store chains offer free turkey promotions leading up to Thanksgiving to bring customers into the store. The most common deal is a free frozen turkey when you spend a certain amount, usually between $300 to $400.
Here are some of the major grocery stores running this promo:
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Acme – Get a free turkey when you spend $300 with your rewards card by 11/28.
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Foodtown – Spend $400 with your club card by Thanksgiving to get a free 10-20 lb turkey.
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Giant – Earn and redeem 400 reward points for a free up to 20 lb turkey by 11/28.
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Hy-Vee – Buy a select ham and get a free 10-14 lb Honeysuckle turkey.
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Price Chopper – Earn 1200 points on your rewards card for a free turkey up to $25 value.
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ShopRite – Spend $400 with your Price Plus card from 10/20 – 11/28 for a free turkey.
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Weis – Get a free turkey when you earn 400 points on your rewards card by 11/28.
The exact details vary by location, so check your local ad or call ahead to confirm availability. Planning your regular grocery trips during the qualifying period is the easiest way to hit the minimum spend organically.
Check Discount Retailers
Discount retailers like Aldi, Target and Walmart also offer budget-friendly turkeys to help you save:
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Aldi – Carry turkeys for as low as $0.69/lb as part of their Thanksgiving price reductions.
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Target – Sell Butterball turkeys for $0.99/lb and house brand turkeys for $0.79/lb.
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Walmart – Great everyday low prices like $0.88/lb for Butterball and $0.58/lb for store brand.
Watch for special Thanksgiving sales events at these retailers for even lower prices. Buying store brands over name brands can also yield big savings.
Get a Free Turkey from Your Community
If affording a turkey is difficult, look to local food banks, places of worship and charities for help:
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Food Banks – Many local food banks distribute free turkeys or food boxes before Thanksgiving. Use Feeding America’s zip code locator to find your local food bank.
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Churches – Call local churches and ministries to ask if they are handing out free turkeys or meals for Thanksgiving.
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Salvation Army – Offers free Thanksgiving meals and assistance. Check with your local Salvation Army chapter.
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Other Charities – Organizations like the United Way and local community charities often run turkey drives. Call to learn about assistance programs.
To find free Thanksgiving meals, check 211.org or call 211 to be connected with local social services agencies. Qualifications and availability vary, so call ahead to confirm details.
Use Coupons and Cash Back
stretch your dollar at the grocery store to score deals:
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Newspaper Coupons – Check Sunday circulars for turkey coupons.
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Grocery Coupon Apps – Download apps like Coupon Sherpa and Shopkick to find turkey e-coupons and cash back offers.
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Cash Back Apps – Earn cash back on your turkey when you buy from stores like Walmart, Target and more using apps like Ibotta and Fetch Rewards.
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Credit Card Rewards – Check your credit card rewards portal for bonus offers at grocery stores where you buy your turkey.
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Loyalty Programs – Grocery store rewards programs like Kroger and Safeway offer members extra turkey discounts.
Buy Direct from a Local Farm
Searching for “turkey farm near me” can uncover local farms selling pasture-raised and organic turkeys direct to consumers for competitive prices.
Buying local saves you money on shipping costs and supports your community. Check Facebook and Instagram for turkey promotions from farms in your county or state.
Check Your Company Perks
If your or your spouse’s employer offers an employee discount program, check for grocery and turkey deals. Common examples include:
- Kroger and subsidiaries (Ralphs, Harris Teeter)
- Target
- Walmart
- Military exchanges
Employee perks are an often overlooked way to save money on Thanksgiving essentials.
Hunt for Post-Thanksgiving Sales
If you have freezer space, look for deep discounts on frozen turkeys the week after Thanksgiving. Stock up on turkey leftovers at rock-bottom prices to enjoy into December.
Many grocery chains mark down remaining frozen turkeys by 50% or more. Buy a few to feed your family, donate or craft creative recipes like turkey pot pie, casseroles, turkey noodle soup and more.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
If your family received a free turkey but won’t use the whole thing, consider paying it forward. Reach out on social media and community boards to donate a portion of meat to a family in need.
Apps like Olio connect you with neighbors who can use surplus food items. Spread holiday cheer through small acts of kindness in your community.
With some savvy shopping and a little luck, scoring a discounted or free turkey is possible. Take advantage of these deals from local grocery stores, farms, and community programs. If one option falls through, try another until you can check turkey off your Thanksgiving list.
How to Get a Free Turkey This Year
Luckily, there are a number of grocers that offer free turkey promotions to bring more hungry holiday shoppers into their stores and to help keep budgets in check.
In general, it’s not worth it to spend $300 on random items just to score a bird you could get for $20 to $30. But if you’re going to spend that money anyway, why not get the turkey on the house?
Think about some of the food you’ll be making for holiday celebrations and if you need to stock up on spices, dried herbs or other shelf-stable ingredients, you can buy those now. Stock, flour, sugar, canned goods and more will keep through the next cooking cycle. One word of warning on our list: All of these offers vary by store, so you’ll want to call ahead to make sure your favorite location is participating.
Here are stores that have announced their free turkey promos for 2024.
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This year, Aldi is offering Thanksgiving prices lower than 2019. Thanks to the low-priced Thanksgiving basket deal, you can feed 10 people for less than $47. The basket includes a Butterball turkey, pumpkin pie ingredients and favorite holiday side dishes.
Target announced the return of its Thanksgiving Meal basket for 2024, priced $5 cheaper than last year. The meal serves four people for $20, featuring a turkey, stuffing and five side dishes. Target is also selling individual whole turkeys at 79 cents per pound, 20% less per pound than last year.
Keep an eye out for even better deals throughout November. In the past, City Market, a Kroger store in the Rocky Mountains region, has offered deals for shoppers who met a minimum spend of $25.
Currently, Cub Food offers a range of whole turkeys for sale — including 12- to 15-pound Butterballs at $2.39 per pound and 35 cents per ounce.
But keep your eyes on the Cub Food weekly ads in the coming weeks. Turkeys have been discounted in the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving in past years. Good news for folks in Illinois and Minnesota, where the Cub Food stores are located.
Currently, you can get a Meijer frozen turkey for $2.29 per pound, a Butterball for $0.99 per pound or a Honeysuckle frozen turkey for $2.49 per pound at the Midwestern chain Meijer.
However, this is another store that tends to offer great promotional pricing during November, especially for the store’s mPerks members.
This large chain store also has a wide variety of whole frozen turkey options.
The brands range from Butterball and O Organics to Open Nature and Signature Farms. Depending on the brand, prices are typically offered between $1.99 to $3.99 per pound.
Shaw’s also has the usual brand name offerings like Butterball and O Organics, plus more, that sell for between $1.49 to $2.99 per pound.
In the past during the week of Thanksgiving, Shaw’s offered discounted turkeys to customers who made a $25 purchase. Look out for other possible deals like that to save you a lot of money at the Northeastern food chain.
Shaw’s also tends to price match during the holiday season, so if you see a lower price elsewhere, talk to your cashier.
Walmart offers some of the best deals on this list with incredible savings.
It has a 16- to 24-pound Butterball turkey for $1.04 per pound. You can also choose a 10- to 16-pound Butterball for $14.90, or a Honeysuckle frozen turkey for $17.60 or 88 cents per pound.
You can get a Wegmans Fresh Young Turkey for $2.69 per pound, as well as a Shady Brook brand whole turkey for $24.43 for a 7-pound bird.
In years past, the beloved Northeast food chain that’s now in some Mid-Atlantic states has offered turkey for a nice discount in the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. It also offers a price-match guarantee.
Get a Free Turkey: Spend & Save Big this Thanksgiving | ShopRite Grocery Stores
FAQ
Who gives away food for Thanksgiving?
Your local food pantry or soup kitchen may serve a free Thanksgiving lunch or dinner. They may serve this meal on Thanksgiving, the day before Thanksgiving, or the day after. Some locations may provide meals to-go rather than dine-in.
What is Cracker Barrel offering for Thanksgiving?
On Thanksgiving Day, you can enjoy a traditional Homestyle Turkey n’ Dressing Meal, complete with roasted turkey breast, cornbread dressing and gravy, country green beans, sweet potato casserole topped with pecans, cranberry relish and more.
What organization is giving out free turkeys?
- Food Banks. Food banks are hard at work hosting turkey drives and fundraising events to help put Thanksgiving meals on the tables of those in need. …
- United Way. …
- Meals on Wheels. …
- Salvation Army. …
- Churches and Charities.
How to get giant free turkey?
Giant’s reward members can get a free turkey when they earn 400 rewards points between Oct. 1 and Nov.