Tennessee football stars Chris, Colin Brazzell volunteer at food bank
The Brazzell family volunteered with Second Harvest Food Bank to distribute Thanksgiving food to families in need.
- The average cost of Thanksgiving dinner groceries in Tennessee is $128.50, UT data shows.
- See which restaurants and stores sell a “heat and serve” Thanksgiving option
To cook or not to cook? It’s the question of convenience vs. cost this Thanksgiving for many Tennesseans and families across the country.
Ordering Thanksgiving dinner to go is a growing trend in the United States, according to a 2024 Pop menu survey. The study found that a whopping 37% of consumers reported that they plan to order takeout or delivery from restaurants for their Thanksgiving dinner.
Many big-box grocery chains in Tennessee, like Sam’s Club and Publix, are advertising precooked holiday meal packages this year. Several chain restaurants are also serving up and selling all the classic Thanksgiving fixings.
In an economy where grocery costs continue to be on the rise, is it cheaper to cook Thanksgiving dinner at home or purchase the feast from a retailer in Tennessee?
Here’s a price breakdown.
How much could it cost to make Thanksgiving dinner at home in Tennessee?
Each year, the University of Tennessee Extension, led by UT Department of Family and Consumer Sciences’ Professor Ann Berry, releases a study about the price of Thanksgiving dinner. The research team looks at the meal costs to feed a group of 10 with a traditional turkey feast.
To find the cost, experts shop at 14 big-box and local grocery stores all around Tennessee. They shopped from Nov. 1 through Nov. 8 for the same 22 ingredients at each store, then averaged the total cost at all the stores.
This year, the cost of Thanksgiving dinner has crept up again to $128.50, data shows. Berry’s team found that a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to feed 10 people in 2024 costs $12.80 per person.
Where can you buy a prepared Thanksgiving meal in Tennessee?
Nowadays, most grocers offer some sort of Thanksgiving meal deal. To compare prices to a homemade Thanksgiving price, using 2025 UT Extension study data, to a more convenient alternative, only prepared heat-and-serve meal options are included on this list.
- Cracker Barrel
- Honey Baked Ham
- Amazon
- Publix
- Sam’s Club
Cracker Barrel Heat n’ Serve
Thanksgiving Heat & Serve Feast at Cracker Barrel feeds 8-10 people. This meal includes two oven-roasted turkey breasts, sweet potato casserole, green beans, mashed potatoes with cornbread dressing, gravy, cranberry relish and rolls, with pumpkin and pecan pies for dessert.
The meal package will run you around $164.99 to $184.99, but may vary depending on store location. This meal package is more expensive than a homemade meal, but it comes fully prepared and ready to warm up.
Honey Baked Ham
There is a litany of holiday meal options at Honey Baked Ham, the most comparable to competitors being the 3.5 lb Half Boneless Ham & Turkey Feast, which feeds up to 15 people, according to the restaurant. This meal includes a 3.5 lb boneless ham and a 2.95 lb turkey breast (either roasted or smoked). The meal also includes your choice of four of the frozen Heat & Serve Side Dishes.
This meal package costs around $137.99, but may vary depending on the store location. The meal package averages out to around $9.19 per person. This is compared to the average homemade grocery cost of $12.80 per guest.
Amazon $25 Thanksgiving meal deal
Amazon has launched its 2025 Thanksgiving meal deal, featuring a Butterball frozen turkey. From Nov. 12 to 27, families can pick up a ready-to-assemble holiday spread for just $25, averaging about $5 per person. The meal includes:
- Butterball frozen turkey ($0.69 per pound)
- Reser’s homestyle stuffing
- Mashed potatoes and gravy
- Green bean casserole
- Cranberry relish
- Amazon Grocery crescent rolls
- Holiday pie from select national brands
Note that cooking is required for the Amazon deal. To feed 10 people, this feast will cost $50, still less than half the cost of the average grocery bill for Thanksgiving in the Volunteer State.
Publix Complete Turkey Dinner
Another heat-and-serve option, Publix offers a complete turkey dinner that feeds seven-10 people. This meal includes some of the classic Thanksgiving sides, like stuffing and mashed potatoes, and costs around $76.99, depending on your store location.
Like other realtors, there are many meal packages available for purchase.
- Fully cooked 10-12 lb. turkey,
- 2.5 lbs of Publix Deli Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing
- 2.5 lbs of Publix Deli Homestyle Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- 16 oz of Publix Deli Cranberry Orange Relish
- 28 oz of Publix Deli Marshmallow Delight
- 32 oz of Publix Deli Homestyle Gravy
Sam’s Club Member’s Mark Thanksgiving Feast
The Sam’s Club 2025 Member’s Mark Thanksgiving Feast can be ready in two hours and feeds 10 people, according to the grocer. The nine-item meal deal, priced at $100, is available now online, in club, via Curbside Pickup or with $8 Express Delivery for Plus members. It includes:
- Member’s Mark Smoked Turkey
- Member’s Mark Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- Member’s Mark Macaroni and Cheese
- Member’s Mark Yeast Dinner Rolls
- Member’s Mark Pumpkin Pie
- Member’s Mark Green Beans with Cranberries and Sliced Almonds (new)
- Member’s Mark Garlic Herb Corn (new)
- Member’s Mark Harvest Salad (new)
- Member’s Mark Sweet Potato Mash (improved)
So, is it cheaper to buy or cook Thanksgiving dinner?
In 2025, price comparisons show that it’s cheaper to feed 10 people with a heat-and-serve meal kit, rather than shopping for all the Thanksgiving essentials at the grocery store.
This conclusion is in no way all-encompassing. Walmart, Aldi and Target all sell ingredient kits to make Thanksgiving happen on a tight budget. Plus, cooking at home may yield more food than a store-bought alternative.
So, will you cook or buy in 2025?
Allison Kiehl covers trending and breaking news from Knoxville for the Tennessee Connect Team. Email: allison.kiehl@knoxnews.com
Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
