Aldi’s Thanksgiving Basket Can Feed 10 People for Just $47

The average American shopper might be feeling a little financially stretched this holiday season, whether it’s because the expired Farm Bill is impacting dairy prices or because the job market is unpredictable and crowded. Heck, even fast food prices remain high. 

But if there’s one brand that has been consistently conscious of consumers’ wallets, it’s budget grocer Aldi, which has just announced that its Thanksgiving staples will be priced lower in 2024 than they were in 2019. 

This year, Aldi will offer a Thanksgiving Basket with all the staples for a classic holiday meal to feed 10 people for just $47 (or $4.70 per person) — a promotion that Aldi hopes is a “welcome relief” from high grocery prices. The meal includes a Butterball turkey, gravy, rolls, cornbread stuffing, and mac and cheese — along with ingredients to make cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie. 

“We worked hard this Thanksgiving to deliver the best value and quality products so everyone can enjoy a traditional meal with family and friends without having to scale back,” said CEO Jason Hart in a press release. 

For those who aren’t planning to host a full-scale Thanksgiving meal or who don’t require everything included in the spread, Aldi is also offering $10 bundles that include a few key elements of any good gathering that make ideal contributions to a potluck. One includes a bottle of wine and some crackers, grapes, and dip, while another includes Pinot Noir with cheese, crackers, and grapes. The most Thanksgiving-themed bundle of the bunch pairs wine with a whole pumpkin pie. 

These offerings all rival the recent announcement of Walmart’s Thanksgiving bundle, which similarly aims to keep prices low for a crowd at a cost of about $7 per person, assuming 10 guests. Additionally, framing discounted items as a “basket” or “bundle” can increase the appeal to consumers who might find it daunting to buy all the Thanksgiving meal ingredients in a more piecemeal way. 

Aldi’s announcement also makes a point of noting that the $47 Thanksgiving basket is priced as such “without the sales, coupons, minimum purchase requirements, loyalty cards and other hoops required to save at traditional grocers.” Aldi is able to ensure those everyday savings for customers using a number of clever tactics that save the company money on the business end so that prices can be kept lower on the customer’s end. These tactics include music-free stores (because music involves hefty licensing fees), keeping store footprints small (thus saving on real estate and utilities), and displaying products in the packaging they were shipped in (simplifying the stocking process and requiring less labor). 

Plus, of course, the chain makes tons of money each year from its “Aisle of Shame.” Maybe all grocery stores should have one of those.