# How much are you paying for your Thanksgiving turkey? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385 "2013-11-20T23:14:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/1 "2013-11-20T23:14:02Z")
How much per pound are you paying for your Thanksgiving turkey? We bought two. One local supermarket charges 47 cents per pound if you buy $25 of other stuff. The other two local chains charge 59 cents per pound if you buy $25 of other stuff. You can only buy one per household at each store (you must use your affinity card to get the low prices). I realize the stores are using the turkeys as “loss leaders” to get people in the store to buy other things, but the price still seems awfully low. How can a turkey be raised, fed, killed, cleaned, packaged, frozen, shipped and sold for well under a dollar a pound? We paid under $10 for a turkey that can feed 8 to 15 people. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/2 "2013-11-20T23:27:19Z")
Reported for forum change. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/3 "2013-11-20T23:28:18Z")
$85 for a 12-15 lb bird. It’s from the farm we get the rest of our meat from. Had one for the first time last year. Best bird I’ve ever eaten. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/4 "2013-11-20T23:29:32Z")
My partner and I are getting the entire Thanksgiving meal free, at my cousin’s house. Guess you didn’t get an invitation. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/5 "2013-11-20T23:49:25Z")
Cafe Society is where we do food threads. Moved from General Questions. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/6 "2013-11-20T23:50:20Z")
We have our turkey on Christmas day. Well - most people do - we will have pheasant. I read in the paper that they are much more expensive this year. > [@](#): > > A large frozen supermarket turkey will cost around £20 this Christmas, an increase of £3 from last year. > > Research conducted last year by The Grocer Magazine found that the average price of a frozen turkey weighing 5-6kg (13lb) - enough to feed more than 10 people - cost £17. This year, supermarkets are charging around £20. > > Official figures from Smithfield meat market in London, popular with the wholesale trade, show the price of turkey is up 8pc. The British Turkey Association told the paper the rise was just 6pc. > > Fresh turkeys will also cost considerably more this Christmas. Waitrose is charging around £40 for its 4.3kg (10lb)-6.29kg (14lb) turkey, Tesco’s 6-7.99kg turkey costs around £43, and Morissons is charging around £38 for its 5.6kg-6.9kg turkey. So in Dollars - around $32 for a frozen bird and $65 for fresh Pair of pheasant = £10 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/7 "2013-11-20T23:54:31Z")
Due to family members who only will eat free range/Antibiotic free/hormone free– We have those cheap birds at our grocery here but the ones I need are $3.50/lb. consistently. I found a local Amish grocery who works cheap and paid $2.69/lb for free range, yadda yadda. Heritage breed, free range is about $4/lb here. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/8 "2013-11-21T00:37:50Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Heritage breed, free range is about $4/lb here. I’m thinking of trying one of these out. Are they that much tastier than your garden-variety turkey? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/9 "2013-11-21T01:08:45Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Heritage breed, free range is about $4/lb here. > [@teela\_brown](#): > > I’m thinking of trying one of these out. Are they that much tastier than your garden-variety turkey? Take this as just my opinion. Not enough difference for the money. My extended family have had turkeys of all stripes–perhaps 18 sources in 25 years …I can’t tell the difference. Now, my age and how much I drink might influence my taste. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/10 "2013-11-21T01:12:19Z")
Free. My grocery store has a deal that you can get a 16 lb or smaller bird for free if you buy $100 worth of other food. I feed 6 people daily (2 of them teens) and I can spend over $100 easily, so I usually get several free turkeys. I donate the extras to the Salvation Army and keep the fattest one for us for Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/11 "2013-11-21T01:19:45Z")
$3.49/pound for a [Mary’s](http://www.marysturkeys.com/) fresh free-range bird. So a 20 pounder will be about $70. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/12 "2013-11-21T01:33:33Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > $3.49/pound for a [Mary’s](http://www.marysturkeys.com/) fresh free-range bird. So a 20 pounder will be about $70. Had it before? Better than the frozen butterball? ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/13 "2013-11-21T02:07:15Z")
Same as **Palo Verde**. We live far enough from my favorite grocer though that I only get one free per season. Which makes me sad, because I really like canning a turkey and this time a year is a great time to get cheap turkeys. I like having three turkeys in my freezer because that will give me about a year’s worth of canned turkey and about four months worth of broth. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/14 "2013-11-21T02:35:13Z")
I got mine for 99 cents a lb, just about 16 lbs so just under 16 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/15 "2013-11-21T03:46:52Z")
I will also be getting mine free in exchange for having spent $400 in our local supermarket during the last month. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/16 "2013-11-21T03:51:01Z")
Zero. We have duck. Duck is better. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/17 "2013-11-21T07:08:21Z")
I’m going to dress up in my grubbiest clothes and crash the party at the homeless shelter. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/18 "2013-11-21T11:16:47Z")
Seven dollars and some odd cents, at fifty nine cents a pound, no minimum purchase at Publix. I can’t fit a turkey much larger than 13 lbs in my roasting pan and put the lid on, and that pan—given to me by my MIL—is magic. Takes maybe two and a half hours at 325 degrees and it’s moist with crispy brown skin. We don’t try Butterball anymore, too fatty or something but it just doesn’t brown right. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/19 "2013-11-21T14:05:35Z")
$2.49/lb from the turkey farm. I won’t say that the difference between it and the Butterball my wife got free from work (which was then donated) is transcendent but it’s enough to order and pick up a fresh bird. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385/20 "2013-11-22T02:47:49Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Had it before? Better than the frozen butterball? Nope, first time, but they’re very highly rated. I actually don’t mind a Butterball, but the wife doesn’t like the injected material notion. I tried a fresh bird from [Diestel Farms](http://www.diestelturkey.com/) a couple of years ago and didn’t think much of it. If this one doesn’t work out, I’ll likely go back to frozen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-you-paying-for-your-thanksgiving-turkey/674385.md?page=2)