Is turkey cheaper this year? Deadlines to order a supermarket meal? What to know in Miami

Howard Cohen
·8 min read
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Falling turkey prices are one part of the thanks in Thanksgiving this year.

This may mean more demand for the traditional holiday main course. Several South Florida grocers have begun taking orders for prepared meals that provide all the fixings like turkey (or ham or pork), stuffing, veggies and pies —so that all you have to do is order, pick up and reheat.

Pass the bounty off as your own? Who’s to know? You may do it with a smile this year.

The Fresh Market holiday meal promotional shot for 2023.
The Fresh Market holiday meal promotional shot for 2023.

Falling turkey prices

Turkey prices during the 2022 holiday season made Thanksgiving feel more like Halloween for families — and the birds. The turkey problem was largely due to an outbreak of avian influenza that killed more than 49 million birds. Prices reached a record $1.72 per pound for an 8- to 16-pound, frozen, Grade A, whole young hen, 20% higher than 2021, according to Market Intel. This led to less supply and a drop in consumption.

As production rebounded in 2023 the average price for an 8- to 16-pound turkey was $1.27 per pound in August — 22% lower than the $1.63 in August 2022, Market Intel reported. Prices for boneless, skinless, tom turkey breasts have dropped by 61% from the near record $6.65 per pound last year to $2.59 per pound in August 2023. Demand is up by 6%, too, according to the September USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report that forecasts per capita demand for turkey to increase to 15.5 pounds per person in 2023 from 14.6 pounds in 2022.

According to Walmart, its Thanksgiving meal costs an average of $77 or around $8.50 per person for a basket of 30 from-scratch items, and an average of $70 or around $7.75 per person for a basket of 21 convenience items that serves 8 to 10 people. Walmart is advertising that this year its holiday prices will be lower than Thanksgiving 2022 — for under $1 per pound, a spokeswoman for Walmart told the Miami Herald in an email. The chain doesn’t market prepared meals but groups food items together for order that you have to prepare from scratch or heat like packages of stuffing and canned or frozen veggies.

Here are some South Florida grocery retailers offering prepared full holiday packages this season with details on how to order:

The Fresh Market

The Fresh Market’s Ultimate Holiday Meal serves 12-14 for $199.99 or $10 off for members during the 2023 Thanksgiving season.
The Fresh Market’s Ultimate Holiday Meal serves 12-14 for $199.99 or $10 off for members during the 2023 Thanksgiving season.

The Fresh Market has eight fully prepped meals options this year.

▪ The Ultimate Holiday Meal, for $199.99 ($189.99 for Fresh Market members), provides a fully cooked 10-12 pound turkey, a 3.5-pound boneless sliced ham, 4 pounds of Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, 3 pounds of traditional herb stuffing, 30 ounces of turkey gravy, 2 pounds of roasted butternut squash with pecans and cranberries, 2 pounds of seasoned green beans, a pound of cranberry relish with walnuts, 24 soft golden dinner rolls. This meal serves 12 to 14 people.

▪ The Traditional Holiday Meal, for $99.99, omits the boneless sliced ham (you can order an Essential Ham Meal if you want to focus on the ham) and the butternut squash dish, has 12 rather than 24 soft rolls, and serves 8 to 10 people.

How to order online or in store: Visit FreshMarket.com and click on holiday meal ordering. The site will show you the various meals that are available, including three varieties of a Holiday Brunch that includes a 24 ounce quiche, blueberry muffins and tropical fruits for $9.99 apiece. You can order all of these in a Fresh Market store, too, between Nov. 1 and 19.

Online order deadline: Ordering runs through 2 p.m. Nov. 21.

Pickup only Between Nov. 20 and 1 p.m. Nov. 23 (Thanksgiving Day). Deliveries not available.

Milam’s Market

Milam’s Market at Pinecrest Center, 11701 S Dixie Hwy., will be selling Thanksgiving family meals for pre-order online and in-store pickup in 2023.
Milam’s Market at Pinecrest Center, 11701 S Dixie Hwy., will be selling Thanksgiving family meals for pre-order online and in-store pickup in 2023.

Milam’s Market offers five holiday family meals for pickup available Nov. 21-23. These family dinners are sold chilled and require reheating at home. Reheating instructions are included.

▪ Turkey options: Whole Turkey Dinner at $119.99 serves 8 to 12 and features a whole Butterball cooked turkey (11-13 lbs), 4 pounds herb stuffing, 5 pounds mashed potatoes, 32 ounces turkey gravy, 16 ounces cranberry relish and an 8-inch pumpkin or apple pie. A Half Turkey Dinner is $69.99 and serves four to six and includes a half a Butterball cooked turkey (5-6 pounds). Milam’s Own Boneless Turkey Meal, at $69.99, serves four to six. Features 2-3 pounds of cooked boneless turkey breast.

▪ Non-turkey options: Cuban Style Roasted Pork Meal that serves 12-14, includes 6 pounds of boneless roasted pork, 5 pounds congri (black beans and rice) and 4 pounds yuca for $79.99. Deluxe Spiral Ham Meal serves 12-14 and features 6-8 pounds of spiral ham, 5 pounds roasted vegetables, 5 pounds mashed potatoes and 16 ounces brown gravy for $99.99.

How to order and deadline: Online at order.milamsmarkets.com by 11:59 p.m. two days in advance and pick up in store. You can also order entrées and sides individually.

Publix

You can order prepared holiday meals at Publix and pick them up in store. Publix has also added self-checkout lanes to many of its stores, part of a trend among retailers as in this file photo from 2022.
You can order prepared holiday meals at Publix and pick them up in store. Publix has also added self-checkout lanes to many of its stores, part of a trend among retailers as in this file photo from 2022.

The regular $69.99 turkey dinner is one of Publix’s more popular holiday offerings, spokeswoman Lindsey Willis said. You have to heat and serve. The complete turkey dinner serves seven to 10 and includes:

What you can get: a 10-12 pound fully cooked turkey, 2.5 pounds mashed potatoes, 2.5 pounds stuffing, 32 ounces Publix homestyle gravy, 16 ounces cranberry-orange relish and 28 ounces Marshmallow Delight. You can order the same dinner but larger, to serve 14-18, for $139.99. The turkey is 16 to 18 pounds. There are also ham dinners and mojo pork dinners and other prepared plates you heat and serve at various price points.

How to order: Visit Thanksgiving/Publix.com. Deadline is two days before you need it.

Deadline: Customers can order in store, by phone, or online. Online orders must be placed by Monday night, Nov. 20. The holiday is Thursday, Nov. 23. After this time customers will need to order by phone or in-person. Dinners can be ordered/delivered through Instacart, but advance notice is required.

Whole Foods

Amazon Prime members or users of the Whole Foods app can get discounts at Whole Foods Market.
Amazon Prime members or users of the Whole Foods app can get discounts at Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods offers nearly 20 prepared Thanksgiving meals that are fully cooked, delivered cold, and require reheating so allow for reheating prep time. The estimated prep time for the Thanksgiving Extravaganza option is 330-340 minutes, according to Whole Foods.

How to order and deadline: Holiday meals, turkeys, sides, appetizers, platters and desserts can be ordered online at shop.wfm.com, and pick your store in the menu. Or call 844-936-2428. Or go to the store. Your order must be placed at least 48 hours ahead of your desired pickup day and time. The last day to place your order for in-store pickup is Nov. 21. Whole Foods stores may be open on Thanksgiving Day with modified hours, so check your store for hours.

How much does a prepared meal cost? Turkey meals vary in price. A classic whole roast turkey meal for four costs $99.99, while an organic whole roast turkey meal for four costs $139.99. The most expensive meal is the Thanksgiving Extravaganza meal for 12 at $539.99 and includes a classic roast whole turkey and maple bourbon ham and platters that include shrimp and antipasti. A vegan meal for two at $39.99 includes a mushroom and root vegetable en croûte with mushroom gravy, sea salt and clracked black pepper green beans, roasted butternut squash with cranberries and sage, roasted fingerlings with garlic and parsley and pumpkin curry soup.

Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más

Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Mas plan to sell prepared Thanksgiving meals in 2023.
Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Mas plan to sell prepared Thanksgiving meals in 2023.

What’s available: Southeastern Grocers’ Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más once again offer its fully prepared holiday dinners for Thanksgiving and Christmas and at the same price as 2022 — $79.99.

Turkey option: The dinners include a 10-12 pound Butterball turkey with sides including two bakery baguettes and Reser’s homestyle gravy (24 ounce), cornbread stuffing (28 ounce), mashed sweet potatoes (24 ounce), green bean casserole (22 ounce), two 8-inch pies from the bakery, and one 2 liter bottle of Coke products. The dinner feeds six to eight people.

Spiral ham option: The same combination is available but instead of turkey you can choose a 9-10 pound Smithfield spiral ham. You can also substitute other sides on the turkey or ham meal options. Maybe you prefer mac and cheese or sweet potato casserole.

How to order: Order on the Winn-Dixie website winndixie.com or Fresco y Más website at frescoymas.com at least 48 hours in advance because the feasts arrive pre-made and frozen. You need to thaw for 48 hours prior to cooking and heating time before serving is about two hours.

Download the order form and take it with you to your store’s deli department. You will be told when it’s ready for pickup. No deliveries on prepared holiday dinners.

The stores are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.