Shopping for a Thanksgiving turkey? Here are prices and deals at 6 KC grocery stores

Joseph Hernandez
·5 min read
2

As Thanksgiving approaches, many Kansas Citians will be out shopping for a turkey.

But where can you get the best price?

Depending on the size, cut and type, prices at Kansas City area grocery stores and other sellers this week ranged from $1.49 to $13.50 per pound.

To help those last-minute shoppers, The Star checked with six major grocery store chains and a handful of local shops and farms.

Here is what we found:

Aldi

You can find turkeys for $1.27 per pound at Aldi locations in Kansas City. You can buy up to two Butterball turkeys for this price from Wednesday until Nov. 21.

Find your closest Aldi online with the store locator.

Hen House

Until Nov. 23, you can reserve oven-ready hens or tom turkeys for $2.49 per pound at local Hen House locations.

Butterball turkeys cost $2.39 per pound and honeysuckle turkeys cost $2.19 per pound.

You can pick up your turkeys at your closest Hen House store from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 21-22 and 8-11 a.m. on Nov. 23.

An employee who answered the phone Thursday at Hen House, 2724 W. 53rd St. in Fairway, said turkeys are the same price at every store, before taxes.

Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee stores around Kansas City have a deal for turkeys until Nov. 23: Buy a Hormel Cure 81 whole boneless ham at $5.99 per pound and get a free Honeysuckle white frozen turkey ranging from 10-14 pounds.

Bought separately, a Butterball frozen turkey costs $2.18 per pound and a Hy-Vee fresh turkey costs $2.28 per pound.

An employee who answered the phone Thursday at Hy-Vee, 6655 Martway St. in Mission, said prices may vary at different stores across the metro due to the stock and state taxes. But the prices listed in this week’s ad are the standard for each store.

Find your nearby Hy-Vee store using the store locator online.

Price Chopper

Price Chopper has a variety of turkeys for sale, and a few deals until Nov. 23.

The chain offers Butterball turkeys for $1.69 per pound, a boneless honeysuckle white turkey for $1.89 per pound and a bone-in honeysuckle white turkey for $3.49 per pound.

The Best Choice young turkey costs $1.49 per pound and Price Chopper rewards members can get one for free by redeeming 1,600 points — if the value does not exceed $25.

An employee who answered the phone Thursday at Price Chopper, 4950 Roe Boulevard in Roeland Park, said prices may vary at different Price Chopper locations.

Find your closest Price Chopper grocery story online using the “store locator” tab.

Sun Fresh

Sun Fresh stores in the metro offer Best Choice bone-in turkey breasts for $2.49 per pound and whole turkeys for $1.69 per pound through Nov. 21.

A 48-ounce Butterball frozen turkey costs $16.59.

Other turkeys at Sun Fresh stores cost:

  • Tom turkey: $2.69 per pound

  • Honeysuckle hen turkey: $2.79 per pound

  • Butterball hen turkey: $2.99 per pound

  • Lil Butterball turkey: $3.29 per pound

  • Honeysuckle tom turkey: $2.79 per pound

  • Butterball tom turkey: $2.99 per pound

The price advertised on a weekly ad online is the same at all Sun Fresh stores in the area.

The store locator on Sun Fresh’s website will show you the closest grocery store.

Whole Foods

Shoppers can reserve five kinds of turkeys at Whole Foods markets in Kansas City:

  • Organic whole turkey: $3.99 per pound

  • Whole turkey: $2.99 per pound

  • Organic heirloom whole turkey: $4.99 per pound

  • Regeneratively raised whole turkey: $5.99 per pound

  • Brined whole turkey: $2.99 per pound

An employee who answered the phone Thursday at Whole Foods, 11900 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park, said the prices above were for online orders.

Prices may differ at individual Whole Foods locations in the Kansas City area. Find your closest Whole Foods market using the store locator online.

Can I get turkeys from local markets in Kansas City?

Bauman’s Mobile Meat Market offers fresh and frozen turkeys from its family farm near Garnett, Kansas. The family raises, butchers and processes the birds in its USDA-inspected facility. A 12-14 pound turkey from the farm costs $70.

David’s Pasture is a regenerative farm in Concordia, Missouri, offering whole Thanksgiving turkeys for pickup or home delivery for $6.99 per pound.

Farrar Family Farm near Adrian, Missouri, offers turkey legs, breasts, and other cuts of meat from happy, healthy birds raised with no hormones, antibiotics or pesticide exposure.

Farmers Katie and Gabe Farrar offer meat pickups at 11 locations around the metro. Prices start at $3.75 per pound for a turkey leg $4 for a turkey liver, $5.75 for a turkey thigh and $13.50 for a turkey breast.

Local Pig is a butcher shop and deli located in the River Market at 20 E. Fifth Street. The shop is accepting $1 reservations for fresh Thanksgiving turkeys from Buttonwood Farm in California, Missouri, and Vesecky Family Farms in Baldwin City, Kansas. Broad-breasted half-turkeys cost:

  • $5.99 per pound for an 8-10 pounds

  • $5.25 per pound for a 12-15 pounds

  • $11.99 for 2-3 pounds

How do Thanksgiving prices compare to last year?

For many, Thanksgiving dinner will not be as expensive as it was in 2022 in Kansas City.

The average price of a Thanksgiving meal with 12 holiday staples for 10 people will cost $61.17, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. It is a 4.5% drop from last year’s average of $64.05.

Why is this year cheaper? The American Farm Bureau said it’s because turkey prices are falling.

A 16-pound turkey costs $27.35 on average, a 5.5% drop from last year, and the American Farm Bureau Federation said they expect prices to continue dropping.

The Star’s Natalie Wallington contributed to this report.