CLEVELAND — It’s still October, but some Northeast Ohio shoppers already have their sights set on Thanksgiving and on saving.
Jim Beirne is planning for a crowd.
“A nice quiet Thanksgiving Day and a couple of football games to watch,” Beirne said.
Quiet might be wishful thinking. He’s serving 20 guests this year.
“It’s a couple of turkeys and maybe 20 pounds of potatoes. And all the fixings. It’ll be great,” he said.
Retailers are already helping shoppers carve out some savings ahead of the holiday rush. Walmart recently unveiled its Thanksgiving Basket deal, offering a full meal for 10 people for less than $4 a person, a lower price than last year.
“They’re starting to make plans for their meals. They’re even starting to shop early for their holiday gifts. So we know they are very much focused on their time, their convenience, and thinking about their wallet,” Mark Rickel, director of global communications for Walmart, said.
“We know that every dollar counts and our customers are super focused on costs right now.”
This year's meal includes:
- Butterball Turkey, 13.5 lb. ($0.97/lb. — lowest price since 2019)
- Kinder’s Fried Onions, 4.5 oz.
- Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, 10.5 oz. (1 can)
- Stove Top Turkey Stuffing, Twin Pack 2 x 6 oz.
- Great Value Dinner Rolls, 12 ct.
- Fresh Russet Potatoes, 5 lb.
- Fresh Cranberries, 12 oz.
- Great Value Baby Carrots, 2 lb.
- Great Value Corn, 15 oz. (3 cans)
- Great Value Green Beans, 14.5 oz. (3 cans)
- Great Value Artisan Macaroni & Cheese, 12 oz. (3 boxes)
- Great Value Brown Gravy Mix, 0.87 oz. (2)
- Great Value Pie Crusts
- Great Value Evaporated Milk, 12 fl. oz.
- Great Value 100% Pure Pumpkin, 15 oz.
Customers can pick up their meal basket in stores or have it delivered.
Aldi is offering a similar deal: $40 to feed 10.
This includes 21 total products and ingredients to dish out a 14-pound turkey, rolls, cranberry sauce, mac and cheese, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.
Giant Eagle is also giving shoppers something to be thankful for — a free turkey promotion.
Between now and Nov. 6, customers who spend $350 in store will receive a free frozen turkey, a savings worth up to $50 depending on size.
Each week, we’ll visit Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Heinen's and Dave's Market, checking prices on everyday essentials.
Those include: 2% milk, a loaf of wheat bread, chicken price per pound, ground beef tray or patty per pound (80% lean 20% fat), 12 dozen white eggs and toasted oats cereal.
If you're willing to shop around, you can snag even deeper discounts on meat, dairy, and pantry goods.
We’re also giving you a chance to see how your favorite stores stack up week to week. We’ll compare how grocery prices change at each store on a weekly basis.
Here's how prices compare across stores this week:
Meijer
Giant Eagle
Aldi
Walmart
Heinen’s
Dave's Market
From buy-one-get-one-free meat deals to cereal under $2, our Don’t Waste Your Money team will be keeping an eye on store shelves and sharing what we find.
Find a better deal? We want to hear from you! Submit your finds through the form below. If you beat our prices, we’ll feature them.
And if you’re a savvy shopper, always chasing the best deals, we may even join you on your next grocery run.
