Where to Buy a Prepared Thanksgiving Turkey for Stress-Free Holidays

As the holidays approach, thoughts turn to festive gatherings with family and friends. But along with visions of cornbread stuffing and pumpkin pie often comes anxiety about tackling the cooking responsibilities. Preparing the perfect Thanksgiving turkey can be especially daunting. Wouldn’t it be nice to leave the hard work to the professionals and simply pick up a fully cooked bird? Luckily there are many excellent options to buy a prepared Thanksgiving turkey so you can focus on time with loved ones.

Grocery Store Prepared Turkeys

National supermarket chains make grabbing a complete holiday meal easy. Here are some of the best options:

• Whole Foods – Offering natural and organic cooked whole turkeys, turkey breasts, and complete meals. Order online for pickup or delivery.

• Publix – Takeout Turkey Feast includes sliced oven-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, gravy, and rolls. Serves 4-6 people.

• Wegmans – Complete Thanksgiving dinners include turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies, gravy, rolls and pie. Order 1-2 weeks ahead.

• Stop & Shop – Takeout Turkey Feast Bundle includes whole turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, gravy, cranberry sauce, and apple or pumpkin pie.

• Albertsons – Offers smoked, roasted, and Cajun turkey options plus classic sides through online ordering for convenient pickup.

• Hy-Vee – Complete meals serve 4-12 people. Options include turkey, ham, or prime rib entrées with traditional sides. Order 24-48 hours ahead.

• H-E-B – Thanksgiving offerings include smoked turkey fully cooked turkey breast, or whole brisket. Bundles with sides are also available.

• Trader Joe’s – Affordable a la carte options. Get a frozen whole turkey breast, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries, rolls and dessert.

Deli Prepared Turkeys

Stop by your local deli counter or specialty market for freshly prepared turkey:

• HoneyBaked Ham – Order a whole turkey online then simply pick up hot and ready to serve. Also offer deli sides like mac and cheese.

• DiCarlo Foods – An NYC institution offering roasted whole turkeys, turkey breasts, plus prepared traditional sides in stores.

• Zabar’s – Upper West Side market selling cooked whole turkeys from 13-18 pounds. Order other holiday meal components separately.

• Gene’s Sausage Shop – Chicago-area spot with house roasted turkeys and complete dinner packages. Order ahead then heat at home.

• Central Market – Texas gourmet market chain offers fully cooked turkeys, like Cajun fried, with optional sides.

• Weaver Street Market – North Carolina local market and co-op roasting turkeys with 48 hour notice. Online ordering available.

• Jungle Jim’s – Ohio specialty grocer carrying ready-to-serve turkeys from local farms, including free-range and organic.

Mail Order Turkeys

Get a perfectly cooked gourmet turkey delivered nationwide:

• Harry & David – Ships whole roasted turkeys plus elegant sides like garlic mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts.

• Goldbelly – Curated turkeys options shipped from top restaurants/bakeries like Zingerman’s in Michigan or Pat LaFrieda in NYC.

• Williams Sonoma – Roasts fresh turkeys in the Sonoma kitchen and rush ships them overnight across the country.

• Hickory Farms – Mail order service offers complete Thanksgiving feast packages with hickory smoked turkey breast.

• Cracker Barrel – The restaurant’s Heat n’ Serve Holiday Family Meal serves 10 with turkey, dressing, sides and pies.

• Omaha Steaks – Get a fully cooked basted turkey breast shipped chilled to reheat and serve on the big day.

• Newport Avenue Market – Bend, Oregon gourmet market overnight ships smoked Diestel turkeys nationwide.

• D’Artagnan – Ships organic and free-range whole turkeys from small farms overnight across America.

Local Restaurant Catering

Many family restaurants and chains accommodate Thanksgiving orders:

• Boston Market – Heat and serve whole rotisserie turkey or turkey breast meals with classic sides.

• Bob Evans – Farmhouse Feast options include slow-roasted turkey breast or whole turkey with sides, serves 4-6 or 8-10.

• Cracker Barrel – Heat n’ Serve Holiday Family Meal Bundle includes turkey, dressing, sides and pies.

• Lucille’s Smokehouse – Southern California chain offers pickup of smoked turkey feasts with all the fixings.

• Marie Callender’s – Roast turkey plated dinner or whole turkey meal kit with sides, gravy, cornbread and pie.

• Kenny & Ziggy’s – Houston Jewish deli selling complete traditional Thanksgiving dinners to reheat.

• Beau Jo’s – Colorado-based pizza chain preparing oven-roasted turkey meals with sides.

• Pappy’s Fine Foods – Austin, TX market roasts turkeys and makes old fashioned sides like giblet gravy.

The Bottom Line

With so many convenient options available, there’s no need to labor over a raw turkey this Thanksgiving. Let the professionals handle the cooking so you can simply relax and enjoy time with loved ones. Look to trusted grocery stores, specialty markets, mail order companies or local restaurants to find a perfectly prepared turkey for a gorgeous, fuss-free holiday meal.