Sumo wrestlers, $8 hams and big savings: This mom-and-pop grocery does Thanksgiving differently

TAMPA, Fla. — Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and for families watching every dollar, there is some good news at the grocery store this year. The traditional Thanksgiving meal for 10 people, including dessert, will cost $78.93, down 0.4% from last year, according to the Wells Fargo Thanksgiving Food Report. That works out to about $7.89 per person for food. Six of the 10 food items tracked by Wells Fargo cost less than they did last year. Turkey prices are down 0.5%, cranberries are down 6.6%and frozen vegetables are down 4.2%. Prepackaged salad prices are unchanged. The findings come as major grocery chains and independent retailers compete for Thanksgiving shoppers with discounted turkeys, complete meal packages and prepared dinners. At Winn-Dixie, District Director Keith Cowie said customers have options for both cooking at home and picking up a prepared holiday meal. “We’ve got two deals that are $40 and under to feed your family,” Cowie said. For customers who would rather stay out of the kitchen, Cowie said the grocery chain has another option. “If you're more like me and you're not a very good cook, we have in our deli we already have it made for you, so you can get a turkey or a ham over there. We've got four sides and King's Hawaiian rolls, and you get all of that for under $40,” Cowie said. Discount grocery shopping offers another way to save The savings hunt isn't limited to major grocery chains. At Smart Shopper Discount Grocery, shoppers don't necessarily know exactly what they'll find when they walk through the door. Owner Chris Hunt described the store as a “treasure chest.” “We always call it. It's a treasure chest. Every time a truck comes in, even on us, we'll sit here and go, ‘Look at that! I've never seen that before,’” Hunt said. Shopper Kathleen Nay said that's part of the appeal. “I love it here. It's a good idea to come in here and get some good prices, and feel like you can meet your budget,” Nay said. Nay was buying hams for her church. Every ham, regardless of weight, was selling for $8. Asked what she might pay at a traditional grocery store, Nay said considerably more. “20 bucks. Easily. Yeah. So yeah, you never know what they have in here. It's always a surprise,” Nay said. Hunt recommends that budget-conscious shoppers start at a discount grocery store and then head to a traditional supermarket for whatever they can't find. “Absolutely, I always tell everybody: come to us first to shop, save big, then turn around whatever we don't have. Then go to the other grocery stores and and look it over and and purchase what you have to,” Hunt said. What’s cheaper and what’s more expensive this Thanksgiving? While the overall cost of the food is down, some traditional Thanksgiving items cost more. Pumpkin pie prices are up 2.5%, gravy mix is up 2.2% and mashed potatoes are up 1.3%, according to the Wells Fargo Thanksgiving Food Report. The report found no double-digit price increases among the Thanksgiving foods it tracked. There may also be an opportunity to save at the dessert table. Although pumpkin pie prices are up 2.5%, Wells Fargo found a 58-ounce pie costs about 11 cents per ounce, compared with 26 cents per ounce for a 22-ounce pie. The bigger Thanksgiving expense could be what’s in your glass The Thanksgiving plate isn't necessarily where shoppers will feel the biggest price pressure this year. It's what's in the glass. For the first time, Wells Fargo expanded its Thanksgiving basket to include wine, beer and sparkling water. Adding those three beverages pushes the total cost of the celebration to $127.54 for 10 people, or $12.75 per person. The beverages alone account for $48.61 of the bill and are up 2.0% from last year. Wine prices are up 0.7%, beer is up 1.3% and sparkling water is up 6.4%, the largest price increase in the Thanksgiving basket. Beverages represent 38.1% of the expanded Thanksgiving basket. For families trying to stretch their Thanksgiving budgets further, asking guests to bring a dish or their own drinks could take some of the financial pressure off the host. Shopper Brandon Ward said Thanksgiving doesn't have to fall on one person. “So I think it's really important. No matter what the prices are in stores, it's important for everybody to get together. That way, you know we can all put something in, and it might not be so stressful for just one person. You know what I mean. So just coming together and be thankful for everything that you have,” Ward said. Where to find Thanksgiving meal deals For families who don't want to build the entire meal item by item, several major retailers are advertising Thanksgiving bundles. The biggest differences are price, how many people the meal feeds and how much cooking you want to do. Winn-Dixie: Cook it yourself or heat and serve Winn-Dixie has two options under $40. A $38.90 cook-at-home meal serves six and includes a 10- to 14-pound Butterball turkey, stuffing, turkey gravy mix, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, cut sweet potatoes, an 8-inch pumpkin pie and ingredients for green bean casserole. It is available through Nov. 25. For customers who want to skip most of the cooking, a $39.99 heat-and-serve meal feeds three to five people and includes a choice of Dietz & Watson Carvers ham or turkey, four Reser's sides and a 12-count package of King's Hawaiian rolls. The deli option is available through Dec. 29. Best for: Shoppers who want a choice between cooking at home and paying roughly the same total price for a smaller, heat-and-serve dinner. See Winn-Dixie's holiday meal options Walmart: $35 for 10 people Walmart is advertising a $35 cook-at-home meal for 10, or about $3.50 per person. The 26-item basket includes a 10- to 16-pound Butterball turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, green bean and sweet potato casserole ingredients, rolls, cranberries and ingredients for pumpkin pie with whipped topping. No Walmart+ membership is required. The offer runs through Dec. 24 while supplies last, with prices and availability potentially varying by location Best for: Larger families looking for a low advertised cost per person and a bundle that includes dessert ingredients. See Walmart's 2026 Holiday Meal Basket ALDI: Under $39 for 10 people ALDI is advertising a cook-at-home meal for 10 for less than $39, or under $4 per person. It includes a 16-pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, Hawaiian rolls, cranberries, vegetables and ingredients for pumpkin pie. No coupon, loyalty card, minimum purchase or membership is required. The participating items are available through Nov. 25, with prices potentially varying by location. Best for: A larger traditional Thanksgiving dinner without requiring a loyalty program or membership. Shop the ALDI Thanksgiving meal Target: $30 for six people Target has a $30 cook-at-home Thanksgiving meal for six, or $5 per person. The bundle includes a Butterball turkey weighing up to 10 pounds, potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole ingredients, stuffing, gravy and two take-and-bake baguettes. Dessert is not included. The deal runs from Nov. 8 through Nov. 29. Best for: Smaller families looking for the lowest total upfront price among these cook-at-home bundles. See Target's $30 Thanksgiving meal Publix: Heat-and-serve meals for convenience For shoppers who would rather let someone else handle most of the cooking, Publix is offering several prepared options. Its complete heat-and-serve turkey dinner for about eight is listed online at $76.99, or about $9.62 per person. A turkey-breast dinner serving eight is $87.99, while a larger complete turkey dinner serving about 15 is $153.99. Online prices can differ from in-store prices. Best for: Families willing to spend more for the convenience of a Thanksgiving meal that's already prepared and only needs to be heated. Browse the Publix Thanksgiving menu Whole Foods Market: Prepared meals with local pricing Whole Foods Market is al