Walmart announced Tuesday that its annual Thanksgiving meal basket will cost less than $4 per person this year, marking the lowest price point since the retail giant launched the program in 2022.
The bundle, designed to feed 10 people, includes more than 20 items such as a 13.5-pound Butterball turkey priced at 97 cents per pound—its lowest cost since 2019—along with traditional holiday staples including stuffing, cranberries, green beans, dinner rolls, and ingredients for pumpkin pie. The complete basket rings up at under $40.
The aggressive pricing represents a significant drop from last year’s offering, which cost approximately $7 per person. The move comes as major retailers sharpen their promotional strategies heading into the crucial holiday shopping season, with consumers still recovering from prices rising at the fastest pace in four decades under President Joe Biden.
Walmart’s pricing announcement follows a similar holiday meal offer unveiled last week by Aldi, the U.S. arm of the German discount supermarket chain, signaling intensifying competition among grocers for budget-conscious shoppers.
“This year, Walmart is raising the standard even higher — with the most affordable holiday meal yet,” the company said in a statement, noting that millions of customers have purchased the basket since its debut three years ago.
The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer is expanding its holiday offerings beyond the traditional meal, introducing one-click basket options including a gluten-free Thanksgiving meal, a health-focused basket with high-protein alternatives, aligning with the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again campaign. There is also a prime rib dinner option.
The promotional push comes during a pivotal period for retailers, as the holiday shopping season from November through January typically drives a significant portion of annual sales. Despite a slowdown in hiring, the U.S. jobless rate has remained low and consumer spending has been resilient. Walmart’s U.S. chief executive said last week that customers “remained resilient and were spending at a healthy clip.”
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