As the holiday season kicks off, Target is serving up an affordable Thanksgiving meal geared toward consumers who continue to grapple with high food prices.
The retailer’s four-serving meal includes a 10-16 pound turkey and various sides for less than $5 each. The side options include a 5-pound bag of russet potatoes, Heinz turkey gravy, Stove Top turkey stuffing mix, Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, cut green beans and a 22-ounce can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup.
While the turkey, green beans and potatoes are from Target’s Good & Gather line, the other offerings are from name brands.
For an additional $10, shoppers can add crispy onion strings and seasoning — both from Good & Gather — along with sauteed mushrooms.
Additionally, Target has desserts, like apple crisp ice cream from its Favorite Day line, available for under $5 as well as alcoholic beverages that cost $5, including cabernet sauvignon red wine and chardonnay white wine.
For online shoppers, Target launched a “Thanksgiving Dinner for $25” webpage dedicated to the products needed for the meal. The retailer also shared cooking tips from Michelin-starred Chef Charlie Mitchell of Clover Hill in Brooklyn Heights, New York, in a Wednesday blog post.
Target’s meal offering comes at a time when retailers and grocers are looking to appeal to budget-conscious shoppers planning their holiday dinners.
"We know our guests are looking for incredible value and ease as they get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving with their loved ones," Rick Gomez, chief food and beverage officer at Target, said in the announcement.
Walmart announced last month two Thanksgiving meal options matching 2021 prices. One meal has ingredients for scratch cooking while the other one features ready-to-bake options. Aldi said it will offer price reductions of up to 50% on more than 70 seasonal staples such as side dish ingredients, charcuterie fixings and baking essentials from Nov. 1 until the end of 2023.
Last week, Dollar General said that in November it will offer recipe-centric Thanksgiving bundle deals that include discounts on select ingredients for green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie and then in December will offer markdowns on holiday-centric foods including buy one, get one 50% deals.
Along with the holiday meal deal, Target said it is selling for the first time a bellante prosecco and bellante prosecco rosé from British retailer Marks & Spencer. The retailers’ partnership includes more than half of this year's Marks & Spencer gourmet offerings priced under $10, with some costing less than $5, Target noted.
In its announcement, Target highlighted in the holiday meal announcement its same-day Drive Up and delivery options, noting the ease and time-savings of e-commerce. The retailer also spotlighted its food-related, family-friendly activities such as a Favorite Day sugar cookie kit or its mini village gingerbread kit.
