Aldi to offer cheapest Thanksgiving basket in 5 years

Increased prices can mean increased stress when it comes to planning holiday meals — especially at Thanksgiving.

Shoppers at Aldi can expect some relief as they prep for the big feast, according to the discount supermarket chain.

Aldi will offer its lowest-priced Thanksgiving basket in five years during this coming holiday season, the chain announced this week.

A full meal for 10 people can be purchased for under $47 — less than $4.70 a person.

Aldi’s Thanksgiving basket includes a Butterball turkey with spices, gravy, rolls, mac and cheese and stuffing, as well as the ingredients for cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.

The cost of the spread is less than it was in 2019, Aldi said.

Food prices rose by 25% nationwide from 2019 to 2023, propelled by an 11.5% hike following the height of the covid-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service.

Food inflation has slowed, though. General grocery costs rose 1.1% from July 2023 to July 2024, USDA data show.

During all of last year, those costs increased 5%, down from an 11.5% jump in 2022, according to the USDA. Those numbers compare to the 20-year average of 2.7%.

This year, prices for all food are predicted to go up by 2.2%, the department said, and next year, an increase of 1.6% is expected.

Aldi CEO Jason Hart said 25% of U.S. households shop at Aldi.

The chain plans to open 800 new stores over the next five years.