Thanksgiving From The Grocery Store

I would be more inclined to go with someone like Boston Market, or a hotel buffet.

Grocery store will be very mediocre at best

I have done this twice many years ago. The first time I ordered from a high end market and it was very expensive and good. A few years later I had to do it again and I ordered from a chain market and it was horrible. Almost too salty to eat. Never again for me.

I have never done it myself but a family member we were visiting with did. Also, from a high end market.It was good and we enjoyed everything but there wasn't enough of the side dishes. She had about twelve people. I would have either ordered more sides or made my own. Especially since many of her guests were staying over it would have been nice to have the extra.

We went to a buffet last year and it was the worse experience of my life. Swore I would NEVER go to that restaurant again -- NEVER!!! Crammed, crowded, sort of expensive and the food was awful as was the service. It was a shame, too because that was the first time we ate out on a holiday.

No! My brothers wife was ill and I was stressed out from work also. Went to the local very popular chain store and purchased the whole meal ...... did not like the turkey or any of the sides and the pumpkin pie had mold on the bottom! I now start in mid november: I make my dressing for Thanksgiving and Christmas and put it in the freezer. I make the sweet potato casserole and put it in the freezer. I cut and clean my collards and put them in the freezer. The Wednesday before TG : I smoke my turkey and ham. I cook the collards and bake the dressing and sweet potatoes. I bake my pumpkin and pecan pies. The morning of I warm everything up! I get to enjoy my company and food without being extremely tired and irratible. We clean the kitchen up and play board games previously I just wanted everyone to hurry up and go home so I could go to bed! At first every one objected to the precooked but now agree it is better than the store purchased meal or eating out. We also tried eating out and that was horrible. Please find what works for you and your family and celebrate and enjoy. I plan to cook and have different people over this year because my SIL passed a few years ago and my only sibling and brother died this spring. I refuse to order food or eat out.

One year we did this from Wegman's. The meat wasn't frozen though.

It came with a great minute by minute list for heating up everything.

The food was tasty - but not exactly home cooking.

My uncle was seriously ill and it was a great timesaver.

I think meals like that serve a purpose, so it's not my intention to knock them, as I've only had one experience with a holiday meal prepared by a grocery store. I'm sure they're a godsend to older people, or for anyone who just isn't up for it anymore.

It was at Christmas time, and my sis and I had a great menu all set to go. Two of the guests decided to gift us w/ an entire turkey dinner from the grocery store to 'pad' the meal. Yes, they had good intentions, but admittedly it was a PITA to run around, heat everything up and find platters and bowls to accommodate it all. But it was pretty bleak fare, and I felt bad for anyone having that meal, and only that meal, for their holiday.

OP, maybe your local store does a great job, and you'll end up with a yummy Tday dinner!

I did it once. The turkey itself was excellent. I prefer all my own sides.

I don't often cook holiday dinners any longer, but were I to want to again, I'd look for a turkey only sale at a specialty meat market and organize myself around that.