Target announces Thanksgiving dinner deal priced under $20

(NEXSTAR) – Competition for the best affordable Thanksgiving dinner deal is heating up with Target announcing their annual pricing Wednesday morning, joining others like Amazon, Walmart and Aldi.

The meal, which Target says is “priced under $20” before tax, will feed four, according to the retail giant. Nexstar reached out to confirm the exact pre-tax price but did not immediately receive a reply.

Much of the meal is made up of items from Target’s own brand, Good & Gather, including the turkey. In a twist, Target says it is selling the bird at 2024 prices – 79 cents per pound.

Thanks in part to avian flu outbreaks and a drop in supply, analysts expect turkey to be more expensive this Thanksgiving.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published in September projected frozen turkey to be around $1.32 per pound in 2025. For just the month of November, researchers with the Purdue University College of Agriculture projected that number to be $2.05 per pound.

The meal, which Target calls its “most affordable yet,” contains:

• Good & Gather Premium Basted Young Turkey (Frozen, up to 10 lb.)
• Good & Gather Russet Potatoes (5 lb. bag)
• Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce (14 oz.)
• Stove Top Stuffing Mix (6 oz.)
• Heinz Home Style Roasted Turkey Gravy (12 oz.)
• Favorite Day Soft French

Between Nov. 16 and Nov. 29, the Minneapolis-based company will also offer the following items for $4.99 each: Favorite Day apple and pumpkin pie; Good & Gather sides including Harvest Squash Empanadas, Chicken Pot Pie Empanadas, Mashed Sweet Potato with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar and Vegetables with Parmesan Cheese.

The company is also rolling out deals on table decor, apparel and decorative greenery and flowers.

Target says the meal deal will be available via same day delivery, drive up and order pickup. Next-day delivery or 2-day shipping are free with orders above $35.

SNAP recipients receive partial benefits

For some Americans, discounted meal kits will be especially vital this Thanksgiving.

For over 40 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), November has been a tough month, with benefits going unpaid thanks to the ongoing government shutdown.

On Monday, the Trump administration announced it would partially fund food assistance in the wake of two judges’ rulings mandating that the government keep the program running.

It wasn’t immediately clear, however, when SNAP participants would actually receive funds, which will only be half of normal monthly payments.