CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The countdown is on to Thanksgiving, and this week is the week to get all the ingredients necessary for the ultimate feast with friends or family.
Turkey prices are up from last year, but there are still plenty of good discounts you can find for your Thanksgiving dinner.
WCNC Charlotte did some digging through weekly circulars for the major grocery store chains in the Charlotte area to find the best turkey prices in the Queen City. We also found prices for other Thanksgiving staples, such as dressing (or stuffing; tomato, to-mah-to), pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce.
Some stores, like Food Lion, Harris Teeter and Lowe's Foods are offering turkeys for super cheap with additional purchases.
The best price for turkey in Charlotte can be found at Food Lion and Harris Teeter. Both stores are offering turkeys as low as 29 cents a pound, but there's a catch. At Food Lion you must spend an additional $35 with your MVP card, while Harris Teeter requires customers to spend an additional $40 with their VIC cards.
Lowe's Foods is offering frozen turkeys as low as 47 cents per pound with a $6 digital coupon and an additional $35 purchase.
If you are looking for just the turkey, Publix is your go-to. Publix is offering frozen turkeys 10-24 pounds for just 39 cents a pound. Purchases are limited to two per customer for the special price. The deal is good through Nov. 23.
Turkey prices in Charlotte (frozen turkey only, no additional discounts)
Aldi: $1.07 per pound (limit 2)
Compare Foods: 99 cents per pound
Food Lion: 99 cents per pound
Harris Teeter: 99 cents per pound (limit 1)
Lowe's Foods: $2.29 per pound
Publix: 39 cents per pound
Target: $1.19 per pound
Walmart: $1.19 per pound
Now, for the stuffing. If you like traditional Stove Top stuffing, we found it cheapest at Walmart for $1.98. It's $2 a box at Harris Teeter and Publix, while Food Lion's sale price is $2.49. If your preference is Pepperidge Farm stuffing, you can get that at Walmart for $2.48 and 2 for $5 at Food Lion.
We'll add a few more Thanksgiving fixings for comparison: Green beans, pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce. Most stores are competitive here, so it's probably not worth a special trip for just one item outside of the turkey itself.
Cranberry sauce will set you back anywhere from $1.49 to around $2. Publix has canned vegetables 10 for $10, Harris Teeter brand green beans are $1.25 and they're 5 for $5 at Food Lion.
And for dessert, nothing hits the spot like a slice of pumpkin pie. The Publix and Harris Teeter bakeries are offering pumpkin pies for $4.99. You can find various frozen pies for around $7 at most everywhere else.
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.
If you don't plan on cooking, there are take-out options. Here are a few pick-up Thanksgiving dinner options in Charlotte.
Cracker Barrel: Feed 4-6 people for $99.99 or 8-10 for $149.99
Lowe's Foods: $64.99 or $74.99, both include 2 sides, mashed potatoes & gravy
Publix: $64.99, feeds 7-10 people and includes turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and dessert.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.