Authored by Mary Prenon via The Epoch Times,
With less than one month to go before Thanksgiving Day, Walmart has announced its 2026 Holiday Meal Basket that will serve 10 people for a total of $35, or $3.50 per person, the lowest price since the introduction of the program in 2022.
In its Oct. 28 announcement, the retail giant noted that this year’s basket will include 26 items – 18 percent more food than last year. Walmart also noted that the cost of those same items is 12 percent lower than last year.
The basket features a Butterball turkey at $0.97 per pound, Stove Top stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, both green bean and sweet potato casseroles, Jiffy corn muffin mix, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie with whipped topping, among other items.
Available through Dec. 24, the basket can be picked up at local stores or delivered. Walmart is also offering free Express Delivery on the meal basket through Nov. 30.
“The Holiday Meal Basket has become one of our favorite traditions at Walmart,” said David Guggina, Walmart U.S. president and CEO. “It brings our purpose to life in such a meaningful way by helping families make the holidays special without stretching their budgets.”
According to Walmart’s 2026 Holiday Trend Report, six in 10 customers said holiday costs determine their shopping mood, and 70 percent said lower prices would make holiday shopping easier.
The retailer also found that paying for the holidays is a top stressor for 43.8 percent of surveyed customers.
Food Costs Still Elevated
According to an Oct. 14 report from the Department of Labor, the consumer price index for all urban consumers increased 0.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in September. Annually, the all items index increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The report said the food index remained unchanged in September, after rising 0.1 percent in each of the preceding two months. The index for food at home decreased 0.1 percent over the month, and three of the six major grocery store food group indexes also declined in September.
However, an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, shows that cumulative food prices increased by approximately 30.27 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis between September 2020 and September 2026.
Walmart began offering its Holiday Meal Basket four years ago and said the program has saved customers more than $350 million since then.
Other Thanksgiving Meal Deals
Walmart competitor Target has also introduced a $30 Thanksgiving meal deal that serves six people. That meal includes a Butterball Premium whole young turkey up to 10 pounds, Good & Gather Russet potatoes, Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce, Stove Top stuffing, green beans, gravy, and baguettes, among other items.
Beginning in November, Target will also offer its Good & Gather frozen turkey at $0.79 per pound for the third consecutive year.
The Aldi discount supermarket chain also announced its Thanksgiving meal package, which will serve 10 people for under $39. That deal includes a 16-pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, cranberries, a variety of vegetables, and other items.
The German-based company said it has saved its consumers an average of 26 percent on a classic Thanksgiving meal over the past five years.
