Thanksgiving

ALDI Thanksgiving Dinner Price List

November 17, 2017 by Eric Samuelson 4 Comments

Today is going to be a first in the 8 plus year history of Eat Like No One Else. I am going to talk about ALDI. It’s probably about time, the store has been super trendy lately. The company continues to add more stores all the time. So I thought it was time to give ALDI the Eat Like No One Else treatment. What a perfect time to do it for Thanksgiving!

In this post I am going to show you how to shop for your entire Thanksgiving meal at ALDI.

Before we get into individual prices, let me list some of the classic Thanksgiving dishes. I will then show you have to you can get what you need for these dishes at ALDI.

Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Squash
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Gravy
Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie
Cranberry Sauce
Stuffing/Dressing

That is your basic Thanksgiving menu without being ultra fancy.

I am going to list what I would buy for my family of 5. I would definitely have leftovers with this meal. I include ingredients you need to buy, like milk for mashed potatoes. Keep in mind I would have leftovers of the milk as well as the other ingredients.

Your standard frozen Butterball turkey available at ALDI.

You can pick up an already cooked smoked turkey for your Thanksgiving feast.

What is the Price of a Turkey at ALDI?

Here is what a turkey will cost you at ALDI:

Turkey	Price
Butterball Frozen Turkey	99 cents/lb
Honeysuckle Frozen Bone-In Turkey Breast	$1.99/lb
Butterball Smoked Turkey	$1.99/lb
Kirkwood Boneless Turkey Breast	$8.99 for 48oz

Clearly you can get the star of the show at ALDI. The price of their Butterball turkey is pretty standard. Nothing special. The fresh Butterball turkey is going for that same price (99 cents/lb) at Costco. It is nice that they have a smoked turkey as an option.

ALDI did not have any fresh or organic turkeys at all.

Cost for my family: 12 pound turkey for $12

In case your wondering this is how I like to cook my turkeys.

Mashed Potatoes

Here is a list of prices on potatoes to buy for mashed potates

Type of Potato	Price
Red potatoes	$2.39 for 5 lbs
Yellow potatoes	$2.99 for 5 lbs
Russet potatoes	$1.99 for 5 lbs
Medley potatoes	$2.39 for 24oz bag

Bags of potatoes waiting to be made into mashed potatoes.

The cheapest potato is their Russets, a perfect choice for my No Peeling Necessary Baked Mashed Potatoes. For those potatoes you will need some butter ($2.69 for 4 sticks) and milk ($1.89 for gallon of whole milk).

Cost for my family: $6.57 (will have milk and butter leftover)

Sweet Potatoes

Your basic sweet potatoes are going for $1.89 for a 3 pound bag.

Cost for my family: $1.89

What is your squash choice: butternut or acorn?

Squash

Acorn or butternut squash were going for $1.19 each. Curious which to get? Check out my post on the differences between acorn and butternut squash.

As for how I would cook the squash, I like to combine them with sweet potatoes and do a sautee, like I did with this recipe.

Cost for my family: $1.19

I love me some roasted Brussels sprouts, especially at Thanksgiving time.

Brussels Sprouts

You have to have at least one green veggie to add to the meal, right? While a lot of people do green bean casserole, we opt an easier, lighter option. This time of year is when Brussels sprouts are at their peak of flavor. You can slice them in half and throw them in the oven when the turkey comes out.

Cost for my family: $2.29 for 1 lb bag

Gravy

I like to make gravy using a roux. I combine turkey stock, flour, and butter. The butter we already picked up and used for the mashed potatoes. You will need a stick here for 4 cups of gravy.

ALDI has turkey stock as a seasonal item. Since I am cooking a turkey why not use that instead chicken stock? The price is $1.49 for 32ounces. The all-purpose flour I will use to thicken the gravy as well as to make the crust of my pie is $1.19 for a 5 pound bag.

Cost for my family: $2.68 for the stock and the flour

Stuffing/Dressing

I never stuff my bird. It slows down the cooking for the turkey, which can lead to dry meat. That doesn’t mean I don’t serve stuffing (or as it is called outside the bird, dressing).

I believe dressing should be a kind of a kitchen sink deal, where you throw whatever you have on hand. Dried cranberries, apples, carrots, celery, etc. Anything I need to use up in the fridge could be fair game.

Also add dried herbs you might have in your pantry. I usually clip some fresh sage from my herb garden to add to my stuffing (and the gravy as well). Let’s say you don’t have any, so I will add sage to the shopping list (it costs $1.69 for a container)

What I do want to buy my dressing is sausage. I could pick up a package of Italian sausage from ALDI for $2.99.

This is the bread I would buy from ALDI to make stuffing/dressing with.

For the bread, the best thing I found was a loaf of Italian bread. You can just cut it into cubes the night before and let it dry out. The bread costs $1.69.

I would also add the rest of the turkey stock that you need for the gravy.

Cost for my family: $6.37 for the sausage, bread, and sage

Would not be Thanksgiving without the cranberries.

Cranberry Sauce

One of my favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the cranberries. There is a reason why I have 3 different cranberry sauce recipes on the blog (my favorite being the mulled spice cranberry sauce)

Just for the basic sauce, you will need a bag of cranberries (89 cents), sugar, and water from your faucet. The sugar I recommend is Morena Pure Cane Sugar. It is less processed than normal table sugar. I feel it’s worth the cost. ALDI sells it for $1.95 for a 4 pound bag, which is a great deal. I will use the sugar for my pie as well.

Cost for my family: $2.84 for all the ingredients

Organic canned pumpkin is available at ALDI.

Pumpkin Pie

The final piece of the meal has to be the pumpkin pie. I am someone who opts for fresh pumpkin everytime. But if you are doing all your shopping at ALDI that isn’t an option. The second best choice would be to get organic canned pumpkin which costs $1.39 for a 15oz can.

I like to make a homemade crust. It’s not too difficult and cheaper than buying a pre-made crust, much tastier too. You already have the flour and the butter.

You’ve gotta add some spice to that pie. Organic cinnamon is going for $1.99 for 1.7oz container. ALDI does not have a big selection of spices. I would also get some ginger and/or nutmeg to go with the pie.

Cost for my family: $2.84 for canned pumpkin and spices

The Final Cost – $38.67

So when you add up all the items I mentioned above your total comes to $38.67. Yep for under $40 you got yourself a full Thanksgiving meal that would feed a family of 5 and probably have full leftovers for the next day and some leftovers for the following day. Not too bad at all.

Here are a few extra items you could add to the meal if you like.

Salt and peppers grinders are a nice bonus to have for your guests on each table.

Peppercorn/Salt grinders

Nice addition to have on the table for your guests would be a some fresh pepper and salt ( $1.79 for a grinder). Freshly cracked pepper is a thing of beauty. It’s always nice to have a little extra salt. Pick from either sea salt or the beautiful pink Himalayan salt.

Peanut Oil for Frying a Turkey

In case you want to deep fry your turkey you can get peanut oil at ALDI for $9.99 for 128 fl oz.. It’s a special seasonal item. That is a pretty good price too for that much peanut oil.

Not into pumpkin pie? Make a pie with these frozen berries instead.

Other Pie Options

If your not in the mood or like pumpkin pie, here are some other options to make pie fillings with:

Filling	Price
Frozen blueberries	$2.29 for 120z
Frozen medley berries	$2.09 for 12oz
Granny smith apples	$2.99 for 3 lbs
Honeycrisp apples	$1.99/lb

Pumpkin pie soda you say? Sounds weird. I have had it. It’s delicious!!!!

Pumpkin Pie Soda

If you do like pumpkin pie, why not try a pumpkin pie soda? Maine Root makes really delicious, high quality sodas. Their pumpkin pie soda is super tasty and not overly sweet for my tastes. It would be kind of a fun thing to have on the table, especially for the kids. A 4 pack goes for $4.99.

Do you plan to do your Thanksgiving shopping at ALDI? What did you or will you buy? Leave a comment below.

Costco Turkey Prices 2017

November 13, 2017 by Eric Samuelson 7 Comments

This post has been updated for Christmas 2017 with correct prices.

It’s once again that time to tell you how much a Costco Thanksgiving turkey will cost this year. Each year I head to Costco the week before Thanksgiving to see everything they have for the biggest meal of the year as well as to do research for my monthly Costco Food Finds post. We make it a family affair. I love to bring the kids along, have them pose with the turkeys, like my oldest did here:

My oldest daughter posing with the organic Butterball turkeys. This was the only photo I got them that was clear. Kids aren’t exactly great for posing still in the grocery store 🙂

They did enjoy seeing all the toys in the store as well a the giant stuffed animal bears.

Let’s get on to what brought you here today, the turkey prices. Here is your guide to begin planning your Costco Thanksgiving dinner. Please note that selection does vary per location.

The cheapest turkey option at Costco this year is the fresh Butterball turkeys going for 99 cents per pound.

Turkey	Price
Butterball Fresh Turkey	99 cents a pound
Organic Fresh Turkey (Butterball	Foster Farms	or other)	$2.99 a pound
Hickory Smoked Turkey	$2.99 a pound
Butterball Frozen Boneless Turkey Breast	$13.69 for 4.75 pounds

Before you head out to the story, make sure to download my Costco Thanksgiving Shopping Guide. It includes a list of what to buy along with my great recommendations.

Each year I gather the questions I received from last year’s Costco turkey post and turn into a Q&A session. If your question is not answered here, leave a comment below with your email and I will try to personally get back to you ASAP.

Should I buy a turkey at Costco?

Sure, why not? You have a membership there you as might as well pick one up. But don’t get a membership there just to get a turkey. The price isn’t that good to be worth it.

What is the cheapest turkey at Costco?

The fresh Butterball turkey going for 99 cents a pound. If you get the hen turkey, which is the smaller size, you can get them for between $12-$15 each.

What brand of turkey does Costco sell?

At the Ann Arbor, Michigan store, this year they sell Butterball exclusively with the exception of a smoked turkey from Stevisons. Other stores on the west coast I have heard have Foster Farms Organic instead of Butterball as well as some Diestel turkeys.

Does Costco sell fresh turkeys?

Yes they do. In fact all their whole turkeys are fresh.

You may notice the words may contain 5% water. This is because the turkeys are dipped into cold water to quickly chill them during processing.

Are Costco turkeys frozen?

The whole turkeys are fresh, never frozen. The only thing they have frozen is Butterball turkey boneless turkey breast. Do you prefer a fresh or frozen turkey?

How much does a Butterball turkey cost at Costco?

Fresh Butterball turkeys cost 99 cents a pound. The organic option goes for $2.99 a pound.

Does Costco carry Diestel turkeys?

I have heard of stores carrying the Diestel brand turkeys. So I checked with the company myself. They said they have their seasoned and brined turkeys in some Costco stores. These turkeys are mostly found in stores on the west coast.

How much does a cooked turkey cost at Costco?

I didn’t see anything about cooked turkeys when i visited the store. You could check with their prepared foods department. They do sell smoked turkeys which comes already cooked, just needs to be re-heated. Learn here how to reheat a smoked turkey.

Here is a Hickory Smoked Whole Turkey.

How much does an organic turkey cost at Costco?

Farm to Family turkeys are organic turkey by Butterball. They go for $2.99 a pound. Learn more about what it means for a turkey to be organic.

This year my Costco is carrying the Farm to Family Butterball turkeys that are certified organic.

Are Costco turkeys natural?

I dislike that word “natural”. The reason being is that it means nothing. The word “natural” is not regulated by the government, so one can slap that word onto any food product if they feel like it. You don’t need to be looking for that word when it comes shopping for a turkey.

How much does a turkey breast cost at Costco?

They only turkey breast Costco has are Butterball Frozen Boneless Turkey Breast. They go for $13.69 each for 4.75 pounds. Not very cost effective as you can get a whole turkey that weighs 13.69 pounds for the same price (minus a pocket of pennies).

Costco offers frozen turkey breast from Butterball that are boneless. But they are not a very good value.

Can I get a brined turkey breast at Costco?

Nope. Only the turkey breast is mentioned above.

Does Costco sell a 20 or 26 pound Butterball turkey?

Last year I had a reader ask if they could get a 20 or 26 pound Butterball turkey that weekend before Thanksgiving. I find that the largest turkeys and the smallest sizes are the ones that are most commonly left over. Finding a 20-pounder the weekend before Thanksgiving should not be a problem. I never saw any turkeys as big as 26. You are better off getting two 13-pounders instead of 26 as they could cook faster.

How long can I keep a Costco fresh turkey in the refrigerator?

To give you an example. I went to Costco on November 13th. The fresh turkey they had said sell by November 24th or 25th. Thanksgiving is on the 23rd. So you can buy those turkeys anytime now and it would be safe in your fridge. Generally I would say about 10-12 days.

How long does a Costco turkey cook?

It all depends on the size of the turkey. I recommend using a probe thermometer to know exactly when it will be done (learn more about probe thermometers). The turkey I cook every year is done in about 90 minutes using the butterfly technique.

Will Costco turkeys sell out?

Costco is pretty good at keeping them in stock. The last thing they want is to run out of turkeys on the eve of Thanksgiving. I would say though, that they could run out of certain size turkeys.

Does Costco sell Turducken?

Never seen Turducken at Costco.

For more great Thanksgiving recipes, tips, tricks, and all the fixings, check out my e-book “Do Thanksgiving Like No One Else“.

As a Thanksgiving bonus, I wanted to share with you my favorite tools that will make your Thanksgiving easier.

Probe thermometer – Stick the probe in your turkey and take the guess work out of when it’s done
Roasting Pan with Rack – For cooking the turkey in and finishing the gravy in
Electric Knife – For carving the turkey, also good to slice bread
Ricer – The secret to fluffy mashed potatoes
Heating Pad – Can be used to keep food warm, especially good to wrap rolls or bread in

If you are a HUGE Costco fan, make sure to check out my monthly Costco Food Finds series. Also sign up for my email list to get notified when those monthly emails go out as well as other great stuff from Eat Like No One Else.

How to Find a Non Self Basted Turkey

November 10, 2017 by Eric Samuelson Leave a Comment

Ladies and gentleman.
Boys and girls.
It’s time.
Time for some turkey talk.

This turkey talk is sponsored by one of my email subscribers. By the way, join my email list!!!!

Anyway, I got a question last week asking where one could find a non self basted turkey. What is such a thing? Are there turkeys that actually bast themselves? Are they returning as turkey ghosts ready to baste their former vessel? No. A non self basted turkey is a turkey that is not self basted. Alright there is your answer have a great day.

Ok fine.

Let’s answer this question first.

What is a Self Basted Turkey?

A self-basted turkey is a turkey that has an added solution to it. That can be water mixed with chicken or turkey broth, salt, sugar, or any kind of seasoning. It’s sort of like brining, just done really bad. This adds weight to the turkey so more money into the company that sells that turkey’s pockets. I don’t want to pay extra for water.

These turkeys are self basted.

The idea here is that the turkey is going to be more juicy so is bastes itself or no basting is need. (Actually basting is never needed, read more!)

However is this really the best turkey you can do? When I buy a turkey, I want to buy just a turkey. You know a turkey, turkey. Nothing else added. So in eseence a non self basted turkey.

How to Find a Non Self Basted Turkey

First thing to know is that a lot of turkeys are self basted turkeys. In fact the majority of them are. If you buy the cheapest frozen turkey your grocery store offers is it going to be a self basted turkey. It’s the way of the world. If you want to find one that isn’t self basted, here are some options that I have found for you.

Here is one I found at Kroger this season:

Simple Truth – a Kroger brand – has a non self basted frozen turkey going for $1.99 per pound.

This reminds me. I want to give a quick shout out to Kroger Does It Again on Instagram. Check out all the awesome stuff they are posting from Kroger stores.

Whole Foods Market is another great place to go for a non self basted turkey. Check out a list of the turkeys that are offering this year.

Have you a good source for these types of turkeys? Let me know in the comment section below. I will keep adding any more that I find during the season.

How to Spot a Non Self Basted Turkey

How Do I Know a Turkey is Not Self Basted? Simple. Look for the ingredients. May be on a tag, may be on the turkey packaging itself. You should see nothing but turkey. Here is an example.

Look at the ingredients on the list – turkey. That’s all there is. No added stuff.

Am I a Horrible Person If I Buy a Self Basted Turkey?

Well you might be a horrible person but not for that reason. If the self basted turkey is all you can afford, then buy all means by it. Or if you don’t want to spend more per pound. Just so you know you can still brine a self basted turkey. How do I know? I have done it. Again the fact that I bought a self basted turkey does NOT make me a horrible person.

The reason you might still want to brine one is that the seasoning they add to the turkeys, really isn’t enough to really flavor the bird. I do think the texture of a turkey you brined that wasn’t a self basted turkey will be better, and might be worth the extra look to hunt one down.

Turkey talk is over…..for now….

Whole Foods Market Turkey Prices 2017

November 9, 2017 by Eric Samuelson Leave a Comment

Welcome to the 2017 edition of Whole Foods Market Turkey Prices! Each year I like to highlight the turkeys you can get at Whole Foods stores across the country. The biggest question this year for Whole Foods fans is how will Amazon’s takeover of the company effected the price of those turkeys? Let’s dig in and find out.

Organic Turkeys

There are people who I know have assumed that because it is at Whole Foods it must be organic. That is not even close to be true. Whole Foods does have more organic options than i believe other stores have. If you want an organic turkey, you must make sure it is an organic turkey. Check here to learn more about organic turkeys.

Selection Varies

As you will see in the list below, the selection at Whole Foods varies by what region you are in. Some regions have a lot of choices, especially if you live on the west coast. Some regions only have a few (like where I live in Michigan). To find out what region your store is in, check out this handy dandy map.

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to take a moment address some frequently asked questions from last year.

Are Whole Foods Turkey Frozen?

All the turkeys you find on the list below are fresh, not frozen. That being said in past years I have seen frozen turkeys in the store, usually going for $1.99/lb. The frozen turkeys don’t seem to make it on their pre-order lists, which everything I am going to be listing below does.

Can You Buy Fresh Turkey Breast

Yes you can. Each store will have at least a bone-in turkey breast option. Some stores do boneless as well. You are going to pay a lot more per pound for just turkey breast. The prices range from $4.99 to $8.99 a pound. I only recommend buy a turkey breast if you don’t want any dark meat. Don’t do so to save money by buying a small turkey. You would be better off getting a small whole turkey. Freeze the leftovers if you don’t want all that meat.

What is the Cost of Organic Free Range Turkeys

Most stores don’t have an organic free range option. I did see one that was $3.99. They do have plenty of organic turkeys and some stores have a free range that aren’t certified organic. Those turkeys are going for around $2.69/pound.

How Much Does a Non-GMO Turkey Cost?

For turkeys are non-GMO, which means the feed that turkey ate was non-GMO, you can expect to at least pay $2.69/pound. Any turkey that is organic has to also be non-GMO. A few of the turkeys on the list are non-GMO but not organic.

Has Amazon Had an Effect on Turkey Prices at Whole Foods?

At the first all the prices seem to be the same as in past years. Then Whole Foods announced some price reductions including a deal for those that have a Prime membership. Read more in the link below.

2017 Whole Foods Market Turkey Price List by Region

Region 1 Pacific Northwest

Prices from a store in Seattle, Washington

Turkey	Price
Whole Raw Turkey	$2.69/lb
Organic Raw Turkey	$3.99/lb
Heritage Raw Turkey	$5.99/lb
Bone in Raw Turkey Breast	$7.99/lb

Region 2 Northern California

Prices from store in Sonora, California

Turkey	Price
Diestel NonGMO Turkey	$3.49lb
Diestel Organic Turkey	$3.99/ln
Heirloom Organic Turkey	$4.99/lb
Nature's Rancher Turkey	$1.89/lb
Mary's NonGMO Turkey	$2.69/lb
Brined Diestel Turkey-Origional	$4.99/lb
Diestel Brined Turkey-Lemon Herb	$4.99/lb
Diestel Brined Turkey-Mediterranean	$4.99/lb
Smoked Diestel Turkey (14lbs)	$99.99

Region 3 Southern Pacific

Prices from store in Laguna Niguel (Orange County), California

Turkey	Price
Diestel Smoked Turkey (12-14lbs)	$6.99/lb
Mary's Organic Whole Turkey	$3.99/lb
Diestel Organic Turkey	$3.99/lb
Organic DIestel Heirloom Turkey	$4.99/lb
Mary's Air Chilled Heritage Turkey	$5.99/lb
Diestel Turkey	$2.79/lb
Mary's NonGMO Whole Turkey	$2.69/lb
Mary's Brined Turkey	$4.49/lb
Mary's Organic Turkey Bone In Breast	$7.99/lb
Mary's Free-Range Bone-In Turkey Breast	$5.99/lb
Mary's Organic Boneless Turkey Breast	$8.99/lb
Mary's Boneless Turkey Breast	$6.99/lb
Diestel Organic Boneless Turkey Breast	$8.99/lb
Diestel Turkey Bone-In Breast	$5.99/lb
Diestel Boneless Turkey Breast	$6.99/lb

Region 4 Midwest

Prices from store in Ann Arbor, Michigan (this my store!)

Turkey	Price
Bone-In Turkey Breast	$4.99/lb
Heritage Turkey	$6.99/lb
Organic Turkey	$3.99/lb
Whole Turkey	$2.69/lb
Brined Turkey	$2.69/lb
Smoked Turkey	(6lb) $39.99

Region 5 Southwest

Prices from store in Austin, Texas (the flagship store)

Turkey	Price
Nature's Rancher Whole Turkey	$2.69/lb
Organic Bone-In Turkey Breast	$7.99/lb
Organic Boneless Turkey Breast	$8.99/lb
Diestel All Natural Turkey	$2.69/lb
Diestel Organic Turkey	$3.99/lb
Heirloom Turkey	$4.99/lb
Bone-In Turkey Breast	$5.99/lb
Diestel Smoked Turkey	$5.99/lb

Region 6 North Atlantic

Prices from store in Boston, MA

Turkey	Price
Free Range Turkey	$2.69/lb
Oven Ready Turkey	$3.99/lb
Brined Turkey	$2.99/lb
Organic Fresh Whole Turkey	$3.99/lb
Plainville Farms Turkey	$2.99/lb
Heirloom Turkey	$3.99/lb
Bone-In Split Turkey Breast	$5.99/lb
Boneless Turkey Breast	$6.99/lb

Region 7 South

Prices from store in Atlanta, Georgia

Turkey	Price
Smoked Turkey (10lbs)	$69.99
Antibiotic-Free Raw Turkey	$2.49/lb
Bone-In Turkey Breast	$4.99/lb
Brined Turkey	$2.99/lb
Heritage Turkey	$3.99/lb
Organic Turkey	$3.49/lb

Region 8 Florida

Prices from store in Miami, FL

Turkey	Price
Bone-In Turkey Breast	$6.99/lb
White Oak Heritage Turkey	$6.99/lb
Organic Whole Turkey	$3.99/lb
Whole Foods Organic Turkey	$3.99/lb
Nature's Rancher Whole Turkey	$2.69/lb

Region 9 Mid-Atlantic

Prices from store in Columbus, Ohio

Turkey	Price
Whole Organic Turkey	$3.99/lb
Antibiotic Free Turkey	$2.69/lb
Heirloom Bronze Turkey	$3.69/lb
Whole Kosher Turkey	$3.49/lb
Raw Bone-In Turkey	$4.99/lb

Region 10 Northeast

Prices from store in New York City, NY

Turkey	Price
Heirloom Bronze Turkey	$3.99/lb
Organic Turkey	$3.99/lb
Kosher Valley Turkey	$3.49/lb
Oven Ready Turkey	$3.99/lb
Plainville Turkey	$2.99/lb
Whole Foods Market Free-Range Turkey	$2.69/lb
Whole Foods Organic Free-Range Turkey	$3.99/lb
Whole Foods Free-Range Brined Turkey	$2.99/lb
Bone-In Turkey Breast	$5.99/lb
Plainville Farms Boneless Turkey Breast	$6.99/lb
Plaineville Farms Bone-In Turkey Brined Breast	$6.99/lb
Plainville Farms Boneless Turkey Breast Brined	$7.00/lb

Region 11 Rocky Mountain

Prices from store in Denver, Colorado

Turkey	Price
Organic Bone-In Turkey Breast	$7.99/lb
Whole Pasture-Raised NonGMO Turkey	$5.99/lb
Whole Organic Turkey	$3.69/lb
Whole Turkey	$2.69/lb
Bone-In Turkey Breast	$5.99/lb
Diestel Smoked Turkey	From $49.99

As a Thanksgiving bonus, I wanted to share with you my favorite tools that will make your Thanksgiving easier.

Probe thermometer – Stick the probe in your turkey and take the guess work out of when it’s done
Roasting Pan with Rack – For cooking the turkey in and finishing the gravy in
Electric Knife – For carving the turkey, also good to slice bread
Ricer – The secret to fluffy mashed potatoes
Heating Pad – Can be used to keep food warm, especially good to wrap rolls or bread in

Costco Turkey Prices 2016

November 15, 2016 by Eric Samuelson 16 Comments

Fresh Butterball Turkeys at Costco are going for 99 cents a pound

*Hey everyone! Thanks for coming to check out the Costco turkey prices in 2016. If you are looking for the 2017 Costco Turkey prices, just head on over here**.

The leaves are falling off the trees here in southeastern Michigan. That must mean one thing: it’s Thanksgiving season and its time to talk turkey. Welcome all to the 2016 edition of Costco Turkey Prices! This has become one of the most popular features on the blog each Thanksgiving. I am glad to provide you with the information again this year.

Before you head out to the story, make sure to download my Costco Thanksgiving Shopping Guide. It includes a list of what to buy along with my great recommendations.

As I did in my post last year, I have gone through my most frequently asked questions about Costco turkeys and provided the answers below. If you have any additional questions, feel free to pose them in comments section below.

My daughter excited about the Butterball Fresh Turkeys at Costco

What is the Cost of a turkey at Costco?
The prices for a whole turkey this year range from 99 cents a pound to $2.99 a pound.

Does Costco sell Butterball turkeys?
Yes they do. They are the cheapest option at 99 cents a pound.

Does Costco sell Fresh and/or Frozen turkeys?
For whole turkeys, Costco only has fresh turkeys. They do have frozen turkey breast. It is a Butterball Boneless Turkey Breast Roast that goes for $13.99 for 4.75 pounds of meat. That works out to $2.95 a pound. Do you prefer a fresh or frozen turkey?

Butterball Boneless Turkey Breast Roast for $13.99 for 4.75 lbs of turkey ($2.95/lb)

Why Do the Fresh Turkeys Feel Hard?
You may notice that the fresh turkey fells really cold and hard. Does that mean it got frozen? If a fresh turkey still feels hard to the touch is that a turkey can be considered fresh even if it’s temperature is as low as 26 degrees. Turkey meat doesn’t freeze at the same temperature as water, so a 26 degree turkey is still not considered frozen.

Does Costco sell Organic turkeys?
Yes. Foster Farms organic fresh turkeys are $2.99 a pound. Click here to see what makes a turkey organic.

Foster Farms Organic Turkeys are $2.99 a pound at Costco

Does Costco sell Brined turkeys?
The Butterball fresh turkeys “Contains up to 4% of a solution of Water, Salt, and Spices to enhance tenderness and juiciness.” I am not really a big fan of that. I would rather brine it myself and not have to pay extra money for added water weight. I am sure their brine is not as flavorful as one I can make myself.

To tell you the truth I have brined turkeys that were enhanced with solution in the past. I didn’t find them to be too salty, but it’s possibly you might. If you buy one of those turkeys and often they end up being on the cheaper side, so many will, then you may want to watch the salt in your brine. Or you can do what I do and try Alton Brown’s Dry Brinded turkey. It’s a great way to add tons of flavor to the bird, yet still get that crisp skin.

Does Costco ship turkeys?
No. I looked on their website and did not see any turkeys. You could order a Turducken! I will stick to just one animal, thank you.

Can your order a turkey from Costco?
You should apply to order a pre-cooked turkey, but that is no fun. They have plenty of raw turkeys I don’t think you should have to reserve one. You can always call your local store if you are concerned.

Does Costco price match turkeys?
No. Costco doesn’t have a price match policy. Sorry. However, it will be hard to beat 99 cents a pound for a fresh turkey anyway, so a price match isn’t going to help you even if they did offer that.

Does Costco sell natural turkeys?
The term “natural” really has no meaning. There is no official government regulated meaning for that term, so anyone can use it. It only means whatever the producer wants it to mean. It has no use at all, so just ignore it. You are better off looking for terms that mean something like organic or pasture raised.

What Day/When Does Costco Carry Turkeys?
I went on Monday, November 14th. That is 10 days before Thanksgiving. I believe they must have come in stock a couple days before. Usually the weekend before the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Does Costco carry a turkey that is 14 pounds or less?
Yes. I found Butterball Fresh Turkeys that were between 12 to 13 pounds (“hen turkey”) and the Foster Organic turkeys that were between 10.75 to 12 pounds. Of course they have turkeys on the larger size as well. The larger Butterball turkeys were about 18 to 19 pounds (“tom turkey”) and the Foster were 20 to 22 pounds. There were not any options in the 13 to 18 pound range. I prefer a turkey that is 12 to 13 pounds. The larger ones take longer to cook and have a tendency to dry out for that reason. If you need more met meat do a turkey and a turkey breast or two small turkeys.

Does Costco sell heritage turkeys?
No. Just the options I mentioned. For a heritage breed you need to check with a local producer or some of the more upscale grocery stores like Whole Foods Market.

As a Thanksgiving bonus, I wanted to share with you my favorite tools that will make your Thanksgiving easier.

Probe thermometer – Stick the probe in your turkey and take the guess work out of when it’s done
Roasting Pan with Rack – For cooking the turkey in and finishing the gravy in
Electric Knife – For carving the turkey, also good to slice bread
Ricer – The secret to fluffy mashed potatoes
Heating Pad – Can be used to keep food warm, especially good to wrap rolls or bread in

For all the answers to your turkey questions, check out my new e-book “Do Thanksgiving [Like No One Else|” ON SALE NOW

Have you found any other types of turkeys at Costco this year? Share your experiences in the comment section below?

For your enjoyment here are some of my favorite turkey recipes that I have features on the blog – Alton Brown’s Dry Brined | Cranberry Orange Glazed | Herb Turkey Breast

Whole Foods Market Turkey Prices 2016

November 5, 2016 by Eric Samuelson 1 Comment

Whole Foods Laguna Beach (California)

Come check out the 2017 Whole Foods Market Turkey Price guide. Just click here.

Turkey talk. Time to begin all the turkey talk. As a food blogger this is a very exciting and very busy time of year. I am going to be presenting as much information as I can to you to help get you ready for the most important meal of the year. We are going to kick it off this year with talking turkey from Whole Foods Market. Now is the time to order your turkey from Whole Foods if that is your game plan. Let this post be your guide to choosing which turkey you want or don’t want for your dinner table.

Whole Foods Huntington Beach (California)

Whole Foods Turkey Standards

Here are the standards that Whole Foods says that their turkeys must meet

1. No antibiotics — ever
2. No animal byproducts in feed
3. No supplemental growth hormones*
4. Appropriate litter provided for comfort and to satisfy natural foraging instincts

Whole Foods Market Salt Lake City (Utah)