One would think that with Aldi, Walmart, Target, and now Lidl all throwing their hat in the discounted Thanksgiving deals, that all is well in Thanksgiving Dinnerland. But all is well for now, and not guaranteed if you decide to go shopping the weekend before Turkey Day 2023, suggests Datasembly.
New data from the grocery price tracking company indicates that Thanksgiving dinner will cost American consumers even more this year. For instance, the cost of turkey is up 8.3% this November compared to 2022, with no signs of slowing down.
Datasembly researchers told ConsumerAffairs that, year over year (YOY), frozen whole turkey prices from the first until the last week of October went up 11.3%, similar to what happened from 2021 to 2022. “It also appears that promotions kicked-in earlier last year as prices started to drop on 10-22 in 2022 but in 2023, we have yet to see lowering of prices,” a spokesperson for Datasembly said.
If turkey is a must, Datasembly says the window on good deals will close around November 15 and, then, start rising again.
Frozen turkeys are also going to be priced lower than fresh ones and fresh bird prices are expected to continue at a higher price point, so keep that in mind.
This means you might want to savor your turkey like it’s a fine wine
Cargill, the food – and turkey – production giant suggests that with turkey possibly coming under the “premium” banner, this year, consumers are desirous of finding ways to stretch the value of their bird so that they get the best return on investment they can.
In order to help home chefs maximize the value of their whole turkey purchase this Thanksgiving, Cargill Corporate Chef Janet Bourbon shares two tasty tips.
Maximize turkey meat: “Carve the turkey and store the meat in sealed containers to keep it fresher for longer. Explore endless possibilities for your leftover turkey meat, from mouthwatering sandwiches to hearty soups and turkey chili,” Bourbon said. “Don’t forget to consume leftovers within three to four days to ensure food safety and quality or freeze them to be eaten later.”
Check out the potential of giblets: Giblets? Yeah. A lot of older Americans remember giblet gravy when they were having their Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving dinner, but Bourbon thinks the under-60 crowd should give giblets a chance, too. “The giblets, including the heart, liver, gizzard, and sometimes the neck, are flavorful treasures often neglected and thrown away,” she said.
To create giblet gravy, all you have to do is simmer the turkey neck, wing tips, half an onion, carrot, and celery in water. Next, strain and reserve the liquid for your gravy, then sauté the chopped gizzard, liver, and heart in butter until browned and add them to your gravy.
Another use of giblets is to treat your pets. There’ve been lots of back-and-forth about what “people food” pets can have, but Bourbon says that cooked giblets can also serve as a delightful treat for your furry friends, especially dogs.
For more information and recipe ideas, including how to thaw, prep and cook a whole turkey and make the most of your leftovers, visit the “Guide to Good,” found on Cargill’s Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms turkey brand websites.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2023-11-13 18:39:36
