8 places to order fully-prepared complete Thanksgiving dinner to go (2024)

Ready. Set. Cook.

The countdown is on for Thanksgiving —less than two weeks away.

Orshould you leave the cooking to someone else?

There’s no arguing that Thanksgiving is the biggest food holiday of the year with turkeys to roast, potatoes to mash and casseroles and desserts to whip up. Butis home cooking a traditional holiday meal waning as people optto order and pick up their Thanksgiving meals to go?

From aglance at areastores' sale papers and websites offering everything from traditional turkey to vegan meals for Thanksgiving, it appears so.

Mapping Thanksgiving: Study maps when to shop, drive for maximum efficiency

Across metro Detroit, atleast eightmarkets orchains are offering fully-prepared and cooked Thanksgiving meals this year to cater to families who need help pulling off the holiday.

“Consumers are busy and pressed for time, many barely have time to prepare routine meals themselves, so it stands to reason that they're looking to their neighborhood grocers for help with holiday and special occasion meals, as well,"saidJim Dudlicek, editorial director of Progressive Grocer, an industry trade magazine.

Supermarkets are becoming more of a destination spot offering trendy prepared entrée meals to-go or those ready-to-cook items— along with the ability to order online for pickup.

“The addition of online shopping and curbside pickup services have further expanded options for consumers, who can order a holiday meal from their computer or mobile device and schedule a convenient pickup time to fetch their items, hot and ready for their holiday table," Dudlicek said.

More: Get our Thanksgiving Day edition - stuffed with savings!

At Holiday Market in Royal Oak, there's so much demand every year for complete Thanksgiving mealsthat the store has to cut off orders in order to meet demand, saidTom Violante Jr. of the family-owned grocer.

Violantesaid demand has been high and grown each year. Themarketwill do about 500 prepped turkey dinners this Thanksgiving, he said.

Several years ago, to make it convenient for customers, the store set up a tent in the market's back parking lot. There, customers can drive up and pick up pre-ordered complete holiday turkey meals without leaving their cars.

"Whenit comes to the holiday times, it's not only theconveniencein having everything prepared for them but making it easy to pick up ....we get rave reviews," Violantesaid. "Itmakes Thanksgiving more special and they can focus on family and friends which is what it's about."

Here's a sampling of what marketsare offering around town. Better to order sooner than later, because cut-off times vary.

Busch's Fresh Food Market

What: Completely cooked and ready-to-reheat dinners featuring Plainville organic turkey or Dearborn spiral (6 ½ -8 pounds) sliced ham. The meal includes a10-12pound turkey, gravy, choice of three sides. Choose fromstuffing (sage brushor apple almond),mashed potatoes or whipped sweet potatoes, green-bean casserole, cranberry orange relish, roasted red skin potatoes, seasoned green beans orcheesy potato bake. It's $99.99.Busch's spiral sliced ham (8-9 pounds)meal is $89.99 and includes choice of sides. Anherb-rubbed roasted turkey breast (2-3 pounds) meal is $34.99.

For info: www.buschs.com

Holiday Market, Royal Oak

What: Meal includes 10-12 pound all-natural, free-range oven-ready turkey with aromatic herbs and butter, set ona bed of mirepoix (a mixof chopped carrots, onions and celery) in a foil pan. Sides includes 2 pounds each of maple-glazed yams, mashed potatoes and cornbread stuffing. There's 1 pint of scratch-made gravy, 1 1/2 pounds of green beans and 6 portions of Michigan cherry salad, brandied cranberry chutney and freshly baked European-style rolls with garlic chive butter. Includes choice of pumpkin or apple pie. Serve 4-6: $175; serve 10-12: $295.

For info:www.holiday-market.com

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market

What: Fully-cooked, ready-to-heat 10-12-pound turkey dinner with side dishes. Sidesinclude 2 pounds of stuffing, 2 pounds of mashed potatoes,1 ½ pounds green bean casserole (vegan), 24 ounces of turkey gravy, 16 ounces of cranberry sauce (vegan) and 12 fresh potato dinner rolls. It's $69.99 and serves 6-8.

New this year is an all-vegan plant-based option. The celebration holiday roast features hazelnut and cranberry infused plant-based stuffingwith vegan roast sausages paired with apples and savory seasoningswrapped in a plant-based puff pastry. The dinner comes with all-vegan sides of stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and rolls. It's $49.99.

For info:www.freshthyme.com

Kroger

What:Several dinner options are available and include turkey(regular, smoked and boneless), ham and prime rib. A turkey dinner includes a fully cooked 10-12-pound turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato souffle, 10-inch pumpkin pie and 12 count Hawaiian rolls. It’s $70. Bone-in ham dinner is $70 and prime rib dinner is $80 and includethe samesides, rolls and pie.

For info: www.kroger.com

Meijer

A deluxe turkey or ham dinner is $49.99 and feeds 6- 8people. Included is a 10-12-pound pre-baked Butterball turkey, stuffing, roasted turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and a dozen King’s Hawaiian dinner rolls. A deluxe ham dinner features 7-9-pound spiral ham and the same side dishes.

For info: www.meijer.com

Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market and Catering

What: Thanksgiving dinner package includes choice of an all-natural roasted turkey or Dearborn spiral-sliced ham. Also,choose salads and sides such as stuffing, potatoes (mashed Yukon or whipped sweet potatoes) and vegetables.All dinners come with house-baked rolls and butter, citrus spread cranberry relish, turkey gravy (gluten-free) and classic pumpkin pie.Dinners can be ordered hot or cold with re-heating instructions. It’s $29.99 per person with a 10-person minimum. Meals can be delivered for an extra charge.

For info: www.papajoesmarket.com/

Plum Market

What: A selection of catering options includes complete dinner packages with ready-to-cook items and side dishes. Thanksgiving dinner package includes an all-natural, pre-seasoned ready-to-cook-turkey stuffed with mirepoix and served with gravy andcranberry sauce.The meal also comes with achoice of three holiday side dishes such as Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and dried cherries, crème Fraîche mashed potatoes and chives and green bean casserole with crispy onions.The meal serves 8-10;it’s $225.

For info:www.plummarket.com

Whole Foods Market

What: There are several packages to choose from, with prices based on the items and number of servings. A fully cooked, ready-to-heat, roast turkey dinner includes the turkey, mashed potatoes, herb stuffing, cranberry orange sauce, turkey gravy and green beans with roasted shallots. It serves 8 for $129.99.

For info:www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Contact Susan Selasky at 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.