Walmart wants your Thanksgiving table loaded and your wallet left alone. The retailer has announced a holiday meal basket that feeds 10 people for $35, which works out to $3.50 a head.
That is a step down from last year, when Walmart’s Thanksgiving basket for 10 people cost $39.92. This year’s version holds 26 different items, according to TODAY.
Walmart Says The $35 Basket Has 18% More Food And Costs 12% Less Than The Same Items Did Last Year
In a press release, Walmart pointed out that this year’s basket carries 18% more items than the last one. It also says those items cost 12% less than they did a year ago.
In plain terms, last year’s basket was the smaller one, and it cost more. This year you get a bigger box for less money, and that is the kind of math a lot of us like to hear before the holidays.
New to the lineup are sweet potatoes, mini marshmallows and corn muffin mix, along with other staples. If you grew up with a marshmallow-topped sweet potato dish on the table, that one is practically a family heirloom.
“I’d Put The Value Of This Basket Up Against Anything In The Market,” Says Walmart’s U.S. CEO
Walmart U.S. CEO and president David Guggina talked up the deal in an interview with TODAY that aired Oct. 28. “We are focused on everyday low prices for our customers and members, 365 days a year,” he said.
He also described how shoppers are behaving right now. “I would say that the American consumer right now is resilient, but they’re being very intentional with their money, and they’re looking for value,” he said.
Guggina took over as Walmart’s U.S. chief in February with an eye on keeping prices low, at a time when groceries and fuel prices have gone up. He told TODAY that 40% of Walmart’s rollbacks focus on groceries, “because groceries are the items that our customers purchase most frequently.”
The company calls the Holiday Meal Basket “one of our favorite traditions” and says it helps families make the holidays special “without stretching their budgets.” The release adds that this year’s basket makes it easier for customers to plan, shop and celebrate in ways that work for them.
Aldi Fires Back With A $39 Dinner For 10 And A Promise Of “No Hoops”
Walmart is not the only chain pitching a bargain bird. Aldi’s meal also feeds 10 people and costs $39. It comes with a 16-pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, cranberries, peas, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie ingredients, milk and whipping cream.
Aldi CEO Atty McGrath had a line ready. “Thanksgiving shouldn’t require a calculator or a coupon strategy,” he said. “At ALDI, shoppers can put a 16-pound turkey and the Thanksgiving classics on the table for 10 people, all for under $39. No hoops. Just a really good meal at a really good price.”
Target has joined in as well, with a meal for six people. The turkey in that bundle costs $30, or 79 cents a pound.
The Target deal also includes russet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, stuffing, gravy and two baguettes. That green bean casserole combination will look familiar to plenty of home cooks.
John Conlin, Target’s senior vice president of merchandising, food and beverage, said the company is “helping busy families celebrate the season with the fresh finds and value they count on from Target.”
Compare The Three Deals Before You Commit
Here is how the numbers line up. Walmart is $35 for 10 people, Aldi is $39 for 10 people, and Target is a six-person meal with a $30 turkey. The Walmart basket works out to $3.50 per person.
Do not stop at the price tag, though. Look at what is actually in each box and ask yourself which items your family would eat. A cheap basket stops being cheap if half of it ends up in the back of the pantry.
How To Stretch Any Holiday Basket Even Further
A bundle is a starting point, not the whole plan. These are general money-savers that work no matter which store you choose.
- Check your pantry first. If you already own butter, spices or canned goods, you may be able to skip the extras and spend the savings on pie.
- Count heads honestly. A basket sized for 10 will leave you with a lot of food if only six people are coming, so match the meal to the guest list.
- Plan the leftovers. Turkey sandwiches, soup and casseroles for the next few days stretch a $35 meal into several dinners.
- Share the work. Ask a guest to bring a dessert or a side so the cost does not land on one person.
- Shop early. Staples are easier to find before the last-minute rush, and you will have time to compare options.
With grocery prices on everyone’s mind, a full Thanksgiving dinner at $3.50 a person is a headline worth reading twice. Whether you take the Walmart basket, the Aldi bundle or the Target meal, doing a little math first is what keeps the holiday budget in check.
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