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Don’t Wing It
Even though your local Costco may have festive winter wonderland displays ready for the gifting holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah, there are also amazing food and beverage buys ahead of Thanksgiving. If you’re just contributing classic side dishes to a group effort, the deals here — from desserts to festive bites — can be your recipe for success on this year’s turkey day.
Keep in mind that we play fast and loose with the term “side” here. After all, who hasn’t had a side of pumpkin pie with an extra-large helping of whipped cream?
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The in-store prices listed here reflect our in-person audit done at Costco in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 31. Prices that are “estimated” are based on last year’s figures, as Costco has yet to stock these items. Check back for additional updates.
Cheapism / Maxwell Shukuya
1. Organic Sweet Potatoes
Price: $9.99 per 6.5-pound bag
Swap out the pumpkin for sweet potato to make a memorable pie like the one you’ll find in our 22 Classic Pie Recipes. Alternatively, opt for a more colorful take on mashed potatoes with this savory recipe that uses sweet potatoes. Need more ideas? Check out our roundup of 52 sweet potato recipes.
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2. Costco’s Thanksgiving Meal Kit
Price: $199.99
Too lazy to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner this year? Consider Costco’s premade Thanksgiving dinner, which ships straight to your door and comes with plenty of sides. Although we find it to be overpriced, its still a decent solution for families who don’t have time to cook a full-on meal. Sadly, however, this meal kit won’t work for vegan Thanksgiving celebrations, as meat and dairy feature heavily.
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3. Kirkland Pumpkin Pie
Price: $5.99 per pie
Already made and ready to serve, this huge, deep-dish pumpkin pie will feed a crowd. It just needs some whipped cream or ice cream, and you’ll have dessert handled with very little effort.
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4. Apple Pie
Price: $12.99
Just like the famous pumpkin pies, these crowd-pleasing apple pies are huge — more than 4.5 pounds. If someone in your family doesn’t like pumpkin pie, they’re bound to love apple instead.
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5. Amylu Cranberry and Jalapeño Chicken Meatballs
Price: $14.79
The cranberry and jalapeño combination seems to be all the rage this year. Fry up these fully cooked refrigerated chicken meatballs and throw them into a slow cooker with barbecue sauce and cranberry sauce for a spin on cocktail meatballs.
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6. Celebrity Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese
Price: $7.99
This pound log of cranberry-coated soft goat cheese will last a long time on your cheese spread. The cranberries provide festive color and a sweet-tart flavor, and cinnamon gives it depth.
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7. Reser’s Main Street Bistro Mashed Potatoes
Price: $7.99
Think of all the time you’ll save on Thanksgiving just by buying these four pounds of mashed potatoes. Plus freeing up a spot on the stove to cook more complicated things.
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8. Kirkland Signature Elegant Plastic Plates
Price: $9.89 for 50
Big gatherings can go a lot smoother with fast cleanup solutions, and these nice-looking disposables are recyclable. Hurry, though — this price is unlikely to last past November.
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9. Kirkland Signature Crystal Clear Cutlery
Price: $14.99
If you’re going to be using plastic plates, you might as well use disposable cutlery. This box contains 180 forks, 120 spoons, and 60 knives, because somehow everyone runs out of forks first.
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10. Boudin Organic Sourdough Stuffing
Price: $8.99
You know Boudin stuffing has to be good because, well, the company is the West Coast’s sourdough expert. Discerning shoppers will be happy to hear that it’s organic, too.
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11. Kevin’s Turkey Gravy
Price: $8.99
Whip up a pot of well-seasoned gravy in minutes with Kevin’s pre-cooked pouches. All you have to do is heat and serve.
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12. Kirkland Signature Roasted Turkey Breast
Price: $4.79 per pound
If time, money, and oven space are concerns this Thanksgiving, skip the whole bird and go for this pre-cooked turkey breast. Heat ’em up, add a little seasoning, and you’re in business.
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13. Pumpkin Spice Loaf
Estimated Price: $9
Houseguests will love this pumpkin spice loaf with a thin layer of white chocolate frosting for a quick, no-fuss breakfast in the morning.
Cheapism / Maxwell Shukuya
14. Columbus Charcuterie Sampler
Estimated Price: $15
With six assortments of salami, the work is almost all done for you — and at a bargain price. Serve with crackers, fresh, sliced French bread, and a sparkling dry wine.
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15. Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider
Estimated Price: $10
Bubbles without the alcohol and a holiday table staple to have on hand, this four-pack of 25.4-ounce bottles can be used for drinking or in Martinelli’s easy-to-follow cocktail and mocktail recipes.
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16. Kirkland Signature Pecans
Estimated Price: $15
Stuff your pecan pie full of nuts with this 2-pound bag of pecan halves. At less than $8 a pound, this is a great deal on a bag that will last through all the holiday baking projects.
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17. Marie Callender’s Organic Cornbread Mix
Estimated Price: $7
Whether your family eats cornbread as a side or you put it into your dressing, this 4-pound mix from Marie Callender’s will last a long time. You only need to add eggs, milk, and oil.
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18. Fresh Gourmet Crispy Onions
Estimated Price: $5
It’s practically impossible to have Thanksgiving without green bean casserole. If you’re making it for a crowd, grab this bag of crispy fried onions that’ll cover many servings with more to spare.
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19. Kirkland Signature Praline Pecans
Estimated Price: $15
Before the big turkey dinner comes the snacking. Sweet praline pecans such as these are perfect for setting out in a little bowl for guests to help themselves all day long.
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20. Pecan Pie
Estimated Price: $17
There’s no getting away from the fact that pecans are expensive, especially in the wake of inflation. If you consider that a bag of pecans costs $15, then this huge, 4-pound pie starts seeming like a good deal.
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21. Husk Organic Cranberry Sauce
Estimated Price: $8
Whereas jellied and canned cranberry sauces come packed with ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, Costco’s offering contains just a few simple ingredients: organic fruit, sugar, salt, and sunflower oil. Plus, this large container will serve up to 20 people.
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22. Roli Roti Organic Turkey Bone Broth
Estimated Price: $9
You can make your own gravy at home without deconstructing a whole bird and making your own broth. Just pick up a bottle of Roli Roti’s bone broth, which you can mix with herbs, butter, flour, and onions to make a top-notch gravy.