Target unveils $30 Thanksgiving dinner deal as retailers battle to offer lowest prices

Target is joining the Thanksgiving meal-deal race with a pitch that pairs budget-friendly staples with fresh twists on holiday favorites.

The Minneapolis-based retailer’s $30 offer is about $10 more than last year’s meal, which served four people, but Target says this year’s version serves six, keeping the cost at about $5 per person.

The deal includes nine grocery items: a Butterball turkey weighing up to 10 pounds, a 3-pound bag of russet potatoes, cranberry sauce, two cans of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, turkey stuffing mix, turkey gravy and two take-and-bake baguettes, according to a release shared with Fox News Digital.

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“Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving are such joyful moments for our guests, and Target is making it easy and budget-friendly for them to plan meals that include plenty of familiar favorites plus some of the latest food trends,” John Conlin, senior vice president of merchandising for food and beverage at Target, said in a statement.

The offering includes the ingredients to make a green bean casserole, and shoppers should expect to prepare and cook the rest of the meal themselves.

Target is also promoting an expanded selection of $5 sides, pies, appetizers and wine, including new flavors and products.

The deal is valid Nov. 8 through Nov. 29, before tax.

It is not available in Alaska or Hawaii, according to Target.

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A separate deal for a 79-cent-per-pound Good & Gather frozen turkey — not the Butterball turkey included in the meal deal — will begin in November.

Reactions to the $30 deal online were mixed.

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In a Twin Cities Reddit discussion, shoppers focused on the change in quantities, with some debating whether this year’s offering had fewer potatoes and more green beans.

Others still saw value, especially as grocery prices in the U.S. remain high. 

“Sounds like a good deal for a meal anyhow,” one person wrote.

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Another said grocery stores near them were “significantly more expensive” for the holiday items they needed.

In a Facebook post by consumer journalist Jeff Rossen, one woman commented that a 10-pound turkey “doesn’t feed six people at my house.”

Another commenter said, “What, no dessert?” noting that the deal doesn’t include one.

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Target’s announcement comes as other retailers promote their own Thanksgiving meal deals.

Aldi says its meal can feed 10 for less than $39, while Sam’s Club has an 11-item feast for 16 people priced at about $160, according to reports. 

Costco, for its part, is offering an online-only bundle for $199.99 that it says serves eight and includes 12 items, including a turkey breast, sides and desserts.

Walmart’s $35 meal basket is advertised to feed 10.

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Prices and serving claims vary, and the offers include different foods and levels of preparation. 

Target’s list focuses on ingredients shoppers can use to cook a traditional meal, while Costco’s bundle includes prepared sides and desserts.