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NEW YORK — With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, Walmart, Target, Aldi and other grocers are competing for a place on holiday tables with turkey dinner deals and other promotions to tempt Americans who haven't recovered from recent food price inflation . Walmart, the nation's largest food retailer, first bundled the makings of a traditional turkey feast into a meal deal three years ago. This year, the 29-item offer, which includes a frozen turkey and ingredients for side dishes, costs less than $55 and is intended to serve eight.
That calculates to less than $7 per person. Target's version for four people costs $20, $5 less than the company's 2023 Thanksgiving meal, and includes a frozen turkey, stuffing mix and canned green beans and canned jellied cranberry sauce. Aldi's offers a frozen Butterball turkey with gravy mix as well as pumpkin ingredients for pumpkin pie and ingredients for side dishes like sweet potato casserole.
The German-owned supermarket chain priced it for $47 and said that was less than it charged for the same items in 2019. Items to include in holiday dinners are displayed at a Walmart store in Secaucus, N.J.
, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anne D'Innocenzio) Anne D'Innocenzio Meijer, with more than 500 supercenters in the Midwest, jumped into the fray last week by offering a frozen turkey for 49 cents per pound or lower and a $37 Thanksgiving family meal for a group of four to six.
Comparing the respective menus to determine which represents the best value is difficult since recommended serving sizes and contents vary. But the promotions, introduced earlier than ever and at a time when many households remain put off by higher prices, underscore the importance of Thanksgiving to grocers, analysts said. While consumer perceptions of grocery prices is based on the cost of staples like eggs and milk, "the Thanksgiving meal has become essentially a new benchmark," Jason Goldberg, chief commerce strategy officer at Publicis Groupe, a global marketing and communications company.
It's the occasion for the second-largest holiday meal for retailers behind the feasts that accompany the winter holidays. Compared with an average, Thanksgiving meal shopping delivered a $2.4 billion sales lift during the week before and after the holiday last year, market research firm Circana said.
Shopping for Christmas, Hanukah and New Year's Day meals gave stores a $5.3 billion sales uplift compared with an average week, Circana said. Walmart launched its offer on Oct.
14, two weeks earlier than last year, and plans to make it available through Dec. 24. The two bundles the retailer offered last year contained different items, but Walmart said this year's selected products cost 3.
5% less. Joan Driggs, a Circana vice president, expects shoppers to buy items on sale for half of what they need to prepare Thanksgiving dinner meal. That's double the amount from 2022, when retailers pulled back on promotions due to limited supplies left over from the coronavirus pandemic.
Frozen turkey is displayed at a Walmart store in Secaucus, N.J., on Wednesday, Nov.
13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anne D'Innocenzio) Anne D'Innocenzio Consumers still aren't seeing discounts as deep as the ones grocers trotted out in pre-pandemic 2019, Driggs said. To attract customers, retailers therefore are creating strategies like meal bundles, which may "lessen the stress" for shoppers since they show the cost per person, she said.
Angel Rosario-Sanchez, 24, a New Jersey resident who was at a Walmart store in Secaucus on Wednesday, said he planned to have Thanksgiving with his friends but had not shopped for groceries yet. Seeing the big displays of Thanksgiving products in the store made him want to return to buy some. "I always count on Walmart for deals," said Rosario-Sanchez, who usually selects food from Walmart's lower-end, Great Value brand.
"Inflation is too much, and it needs to go back to where it originally was." For the past two years, Walmart, Target and others have seen price-conscious shoppers shift more of their purchases to store label brands. In response, retailers have improved their selections or created new food lines brands.
Walmart in April launched Bettergoods, its biggest store-label food brand in 20 years in terms of the breadth of items, to appeal to younger customers who aren't loyal to national brands and want chef-inspired foods that are more affordably priced. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts But store brands aren't necessarily cheaper. Frozen whole turkey breast is displayed at a Walmart store in Milford, Conn.
, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan) Peter Morgan Wells Fargo's Agri-Food Institute, a team of national industry advisors that provides economic insights and research, compared the costs of store brands and national name brands for a typical Thanksgiving dinner.
The name-brand versions of cranberry sauce were less expensive than the store brands the team inventoried, while the name brand pumpkin pies versus store brand versions were the same price. Robin Wenzel, the head of the Wells Fargo institute, thinks the makers of some familiar brands realized they "overshot" with some of their post-pandemic price increases and are retrenching. The Agri-Food Institute's 10-person Thanksgiving menu includes turkey, stuffing, salad, cranberries, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie.
Using all name brands would cost $90 this year, 0.5% less than last year. Preparing the same meal with store-branded food would cost $73, or 2.
7% more than a year ago. That gives shoppers the option to mix and match, Wenzel said. The latest government snapshot on inflation showed grocery prices rose just 0.
1% from September to October and are up just 1.1% over the past year. That's providing some relief to consumers after food costs surged roughly 23% over the past three years.
For main Thanksgiving entrées and beverages, prices are easing, but given the increase in food prices in recent years, consumers may or may not feel it. Items to include in holiday dinners are displayed at a Walmart store in Secaucus, N.J.
, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anne D'Innocenzio) Anne D'Innocenzio A 15-item Thanksgiving meal costs an average of $65.
51 this year, down nearly 3% from last year but 42% higher overall than in 2019, market research firm Datasembly said. For example, a 12-ounce can of jellied cranberry sauce averaged $2.89, which is 1% lower than a year ago but still 90% higher compared with 2019.
A 10-pound frozen turkey averages $10.40 this year, a 19% decrease from 2023 but still 6% higher than in 2019, the data firm said. Prices for some Thanksgiving products are still going up: A 30-ounce box of pumpkin pie mix now costs an average of $5.
56, up 6% compared with a year ago and nearly 70% more than five years ago, according to Datasembly. Dressing or stuffing? No matter what you call it, these 3 recipes will be your new favorites 8 Thanksgiving mistakes: Frozen or overcooked turkey, too many sides and other common holiday miscues 7 recipes that will add a new twist to your Thanksgiving dinner Health expert shares burn safety tips ahead of Thanksgiving. News 12 The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage is slated from 8:30 a.
m. to 12 p.m.
EST Thursday, Nov. 28. This year's event will feature 28 clown crews, 26 floats, 16 giant balloons, 11 marching bands, five performance groups, three "baloonicles"—cold-air inflatables driven down the parade route, and numerous performers.
Stacker curated a selection of photographs from the past century of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to help illustrate the history of the iconic event. The parade in New York City, presented by department store chain Macy's, was first held in 1924 under the heading "Macy's Christmas Parade" to promote holiday sales and spotlight the newly expanded and, at the time, largest in the world Herald Square store in Manhattan. The success of the event led organizers to turn the spectacle into an annual tradition.
Each year, the parade ends outside the same Herald Square Macy's location. The event has been televised nationally since 1953 on NBC. The parade at first featured Central Park Zoo animals escorted by Macy's employees and professional entertainers for 6 miles from 145th Street in north Manhattan's Harlem to Macy's.
A quarter of a million onlookers lined the streets. Real animals were replaced with balloons in 1927; that same year, the name of the event was changed to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The longest-running parade float is the event's unofficial mascot, Tom Turkey.
Tom features moving wings, head, and eyes and usually functions as the lead float in the parade. Bringing up the caboose in virtually all the parades is Santa Claus who ushers in the holiday shopping season with his arrival at Macy's Herald Square. The parade offers a glimpse into pop culture of the time, from beloved children's entertainment to hit Broadway shows and musical acts.
The Radio City Rockettes, formed in 1925, have performed in the parade annually since 1957. In 1933, the outside temperature was 69 degrees F, the warmest it's been; 2018 was the coldest day in parade history at 19 degrees F. In 2022, for the first time, the event featured a trio of women hosts.
Today, more than 44 million people tune in to watch the parade. Keep reading to learn more about the parade's history and see some iconic shots of the event. You may also like: Game on: The booming growth of online gaming Eugene Gologursky // Getty Images for Macy's, Inc.
In Macy's first Thanksgiving parade, Santa Claus sat atop a float pulled by a team of horses down Broadway. That year floats, bands, and Central Park Zoo animals were featured in the procession. At the parade's end, Santa Claus was crowned "King of the Kiddies" on Macy's balcony at the 34th Street entrance.
Macy's quickly announced the parade would be an annual event. Bettmann // Getty Images The large balloons that replaced live zoo animals in 1927 were filled with regular air and had no release valves—they were simply let go to pop in the air following the parade. 1928 marked the first year of Macy's inflating balloons with helium to allow them to float.
They were also outfitted with valves so the helium could gradually escape rather than waiting for the balloon to inevitably pop, and featured a return address so anyone who found them could return them and receive a reward. In this photo from 1928, a 35-foot fish and 60-foot-long tiger were featured prominently in the parade. A $100 prize was offered for each balloon recovered after its release.
Underwood Archives // Getty Images The Thanksgiving parade enjoyed rapid growth throughout the 1930s, with more than 1 million revelors lining the parade route in 1933. In this 1931 photo, a giant hippopotamus balloon makes its way down Broadway. A blue hippo balloon—possibly this one—released after the parade was still at large several days later, thought to be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.
Bettmann // Getty Images Pinnochio, Tin Man, and Uncle Sam make their way along the parade route in 1939. Mickey Mouse made his debut five years earlier with a balloon designed in part by Walt Disney; Mickey's handlers were also dressed as mice. New iterations of Mickey appeared over the next 70 years as the character evolved.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was canceled from 1942-1944 because of supply shortages during World War II, namely helium and rubber. Festivities returned in 1945. The Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street" was released in 1947 and prominently features actual footage from the 1946 parade.
1948 marked the parade's first network television broadcast. You may also like: Legendary interior designers from every decade of the 20th century Camerique // Getty Images The 23rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held Nov. 24, 1949.
In this photo, a teddy bear makes its way through Times Square. This parade marked the second appearance for the bear. Other balloons made their debut: Freida the Dachshund, Howdy Doody on the Flying Trapeze, and Macy's Hobo Clown.
Bettmann // Getty Images Macy's original character The Giant Spaceman made his debut in 1952's parade, measuring 70 feet long and 40 feet wide and weighing 600 pounds. More than 25 gallons of paint went into painting the astronaut. An estimated 2.
25 million people lined the streets for the festivities that year. Bettmann // Getty Images Throngs of onlookers pack the sidewalks in Manhattan's Times Square during this 1955 parade. Mighty Mouse, an animated superhero created by Terrytoons, is seen in the back left of the photo.
Mighty Mouse made his debut in the Thanksgiving Day parade in 1951; he appeared in 80 short films between 1942-1961. Bettmann // Getty Images Teen performers appear in classic roller skates in this image from the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The sign above the skaters reads "Macy's presents A Fantasy of Christmas in New York.
" Archive Photos/Getty Images This 1961 photo shows shoulder-to-shoulder parade onlookers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The year marks the first balloon featuring Bullwinkle Moose and the first year for floats with Pinocchio, The Racetrack Grandstand, Cinderella, Peacock, Ferris Wheel, Brigadoon, Meet the Mets, and Santa's Sleigh. Several years later, in 1968, Macy's creative team figured out how to design floats up to 40 feet tall and 28 feet wide that could fold into 12.
5-by-8-foot boxes for strategic transportation from New Jersey to Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel. William Lovelace/Express // Getty Images A Bullwinkle Moose balloon floats down Broadway in this 1972 photograph of the parade. The 46th annual parade featured five firsts for floats: Alphabet Blocks, Snow Mountain, Windmill, Curious George, and Santa's Holiday Home.
Stan Wolfson/Newsday RM via Getty Images A giant inflatable balloon of Kermit the Frog makes its way down the 1982 parade route in this photo. The parade marked Kermit's sixth appearance. First-time balloons included Olive Oyl and Woody Woodpecker.
You may also like: Far from making their last calls, LGBTQ+ bars evolve to imagine a new world Bettmann // Getty Images Woody Woodpecker greets the crowd as he floats past One Times Square during the 63rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1989. In the coming years, safety concerns troubled '90s-era parades—namely the wind. Strong gusts in 1993 pushed a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon into a Columbus Circle lamppost that broke and hurt a child and off-duty police officer.
Four years later, intense winds caused a Cat in the Hat balloon to hit a lamppost, hurling debris into the air that fractured the skull of a spectator who spent 24 days in a coma. The incident, among others, led then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to form a task force. Bettmann // Getty Images The Soaring Spirit Canoe float, pictured here in 1995, made its debut in the parade in 1986.
Popular '90s balloons included Bart Simpson, Cat in the Hat, and The Rugrats. Evan Agostini/Liaison // Getty Images New York City first responders carry two American flags during the Nov. 22, 2001, 75th Anniversary of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was also held on the heels of 9/11.
They honored those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that year. New Yorkers crowded the streets to watch the parade, which featured 15 giant balloons and marching bands that all added an air of patriotism to the event.
STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images Dora the Explorer makes her balloon debut in this 2005 photo. That same year, the M&M 's chocolate candies balloon collided with a streetlight in Times Square, and debris from it injured two siblings. TIMOTHY A.
CLARY/AFP via Getty Images A woman dressed in an elf costume sprinkles spectators with confetti in Times Square during Macy's 85th Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 24, 2011. Sonic the Hedgehog and Julius the sock monkey, which was created by Paul Frank, made their balloon entrances that year.
You may also like: 5 tips for making your next event more affordable Michael Nagle // Getty Images Snoopy and Woodstock made their way along the 89th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route Nov. 26, 2015. To date, Snoopy boasts the most years flown as a character balloon in the event.
James Devaney/WireImage // Getty Images In this 2016 photo, spectators like this one recorded videos of the parade on their phones. More than 24 million people were estimated to have streamed the parade that year on TV. Noam Galai // Getty Images The Pikachu balloon floats down Central Park West for its fourth time during the 91st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2017.
That year's lineup featured 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, more than 1,000 clowns, 28 legacy balloons, 26 floats, 17 giant helium balloons, 12 marching bands, and six performance groups. Dia Dipasupil // Getty Images Performers in this photo prepare at the 94th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, 2020.
The event was one of few public occasions to be kept on schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit in a tempered manner. Much of the performances were pre-taped and the parade route was massively reduced. Participants wore masks and balloon handlers were cut by nearly 90%.
Eugene Gologursky // Getty Images for Macy's Inc. Santa Claus celebrates at the 97th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in this photo from Nov. 23, 2023.
First-time giant balloons included Beagle Scout Snoopy, Leo (Netflix), Monkey D. Luffy, Po from "Kung Fu Panda," and The Pillsbury Doughboy. Copy editing by Lois Hince.
You may also like: From the Roman Empire to your therapist's office: The history of the chaise lounge James Devaney // Getty Images In this image, the Felix the Cat balloon is led down Broadway by its four handlers tailed by Terrible Turk and Willie Red Bird. The original Felix the Cat character balloon made its parade debut in 1927, but was destroyed after its post-parade release by a high tension wire in 1931. The Terrible Turk also was destroyed the same year by an electric sign.
In 1932, Macy's Tom Cat balloon got stuck in the propeller of a plane when the aviator flying the plane tried recovering the balloon for a reward. While the plane eventually landed safely, that event marked the final year of releasing balloons after the parades and offering prizes for their return to Macy's. George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images Popeye makes his way through Times Square in the 1959 parade.
A year earlier, another helium shortage meant balloons were inflated with air and hung from construction cranes to make their way through the parade route. Also in 1958, the first celebrity performances were added with the Benny Goodman sextet. Live music proved a challenge technically and logistically.
The parade was transitioning to the now-familiar lip syncing by 1964. Bettmann // Getty Images The iconic peacock float makes its debut in this photo of the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That same year, Miss Teenage America Diane Lynn Cox appeared in princess attire sharing a float with "Prince Charming" actor Troy Donahue.
You may also like: Baltimore buried its urban streams—now an artist is bringing one back William Lovelace/Daily Express/Hulton Archive // Getty A solo tortoise float makes its way down the street near Columbus Circle in this 1974 parade photo. Not pictured is the accompanying hare. This marked the seventh appearance of the duo.
Bill Senft // Newsday RM via Getty Images.
