Where You Can Still Find a Thanksgiving Turkey Without Overpaying

My mom cooked a turkey every Thanksgiving. It never seemed like something she enjoyed doing, though. I remember a lot of choice words being said as she fumbled to fit a 20-pound turkey into an absurdly small roasting pan. Then there was the basting, which happened religiously every 30 minutes. It all gives me a bit of anxiety to think about now, but fortunately, I have a culinary degree and the internet to help me roast this bird. Besides, I love the tradition—and the leftovers.

Most of us only roast a turkey once or twice a year, so it's hard to know what constitutes a "good" price for a whole frozen turkey. Fortunately, I enjoy a good deal nearly as much as I enjoy a perfectly roasted turkey. I have many core memories of helping my mom clip coupons from the Sunday newspaper circular. These days, I’m always checking my grocery store’s app for that week’s sales. To find the store with the best price on turkey for 2025, I did some armchair research, then went to each store to confirm the prices.

The Cost of Turkey at 6 Stores, Ranked Best To Worst

I live in Chicago, so the prices below reflect what’s available in my area. There’s a good chance prices look similar across the country, but depending on where you live, the cost per pound may vary. Use the internet to double-check before heading out to grab your bird. Note that I researched costs for frozen turkeys.

Kroger

Kroger stores have the best deal by far. You'll need a loyalty card and a separate $25 purchase to score the $0.59/pound Jennie-O turkey. I found this deal at a Mariano's in Chicago, and I would expect to see similar prices at other Kroger stores, like Fred Meyer, Ralphs, and others.

• Jennie-O Whole Frozen Turkey: $0.59/pound
• Butterball Premium Whole Frozen Turkey: $1.99/lb

If you live near a Kroger store and have a decent amount of freezer space, think about picking up your turkey now. It’ll keep in the freezer until you’re ready to roast. With Jennie-O turkeys at $0.59 per pound, a 16-pound turkey costs less than $10 (without tax).

Target 

Target's Good & Gather house brand is a close second to the Kroger sale price. If you don't have a Kroger loyalty card, this is the second-best option.

• Good & Gather Basted Young Turkey: $0.79/pound
• Butterball Premium All-Natural Young Turkey: $0.99/pound
  

Walmart  

Walmart's Butterball turkey is the same price as the Butterball at Aldi (listed below); however, it also has a Jennie-O turkey at only $0.84/pound, only slightly more than the Good & Gather turkey at Target.

• Jennie-O Premium Frozen Turkey: $0.84/pound
• Butterball Premium Whole Frozen Turkey: $0.97/pound

Aldi

I was surprised to see that Aldi didn't have more competitive prices, but then again, most stores have a smaller footprint than other grocers. Not enough room for a surplus of frozen turkey!

• Butterball Premium Whole Frozen Turkey: $0.97/pound

Whole Foods 

Whole Foods' house brand sells an organic turkey for $3.49/pound, but Prime members only pay $2.99/pound.

• 365 Brand Frozen Organic Whole Turkey: $3.49/pound

Trader Joe’s 

Trader Joe's is the only store on the list that sells fresh, not frozen, turkeys. However, the high prices reflect that. If a fresh turkey is important to you, head to TJ's—but for an organic turkey, I recommend Whole Foods.

• All-Natural Antibiotic-Free Brined Fresh Young Turkeys: $2.49/pound
• All-Natural Kosher Fresh Young Turkeys: $3.49/pound
• Organic Young Turkey: $3.99/pound

4 Expert Tips for Buying a Turkey 

Now that you know how much a Thanksgiving turkey costs, it's important to consider other factors. I reached out to Matt Moore, turkey enthusiast and host of Serial Griller, for tips on choosing the right turkey. Here’s what he shared.

1. How much turkey do I need? The rule of thumb is one pound per person, but estimate more if you want leftovers. Moore caps his turkey size to 16 pounds because the smaller, younger turkeys tend to be more tender. For a larger crowd, buy two smaller turkeys (or one whole turkey and turkey breasts).
2. When should I buy a frozen turkey? The price of frozen turkey will likely rise to its highest point a week before Thanksgiving, Moore says, so the earlier, the better. Pay attention to the circulars advertising pricing per pound, mailed store and manufacturer coupons, and also digital coupons. Often, you can combine these savings offers.
3. What should I look for when buying a frozen turkey? Inspect the frozen turkey to make sure the package is tightly vacuum-sealed and there is no damage. If there are indentations, it's a sign the turkey could have been refrozen or potentially damaged during packing—best to avoid that one.
4. Do I need a brand-name turkey? Brand-name turkeys often advertise to court your interest, Moore says. Some will offer up proprietary brining or other techniques to tout their superiority, but store-brand turkeys can be equally as good. He says your cooking method will dictate the deliciousness of the bird more than a brand name!