topic Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner in Kitchen

Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

coffee drinker — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 23:23:28 GMT

Around my area (CT) some of the larger grocery chains have all- prepared Thanksgiving dinners for approx. $50 for everything from the turkey (approx. 12 lbs.) to dessert. I'm so tempted to try this just one time since we'll be 5 at the most. Apparently, they're all cooked. You have to defrost and heat up. Have any of you tried these prepared dinners? How are they?

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

Azcowgirl — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 23:32:01 GMT

@coffee drinker,

We have had the Turkey dinners several times, and been pleased every time.

Weve tried Smiths, Safeway and Albertsons. All were very good.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

meem120 — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 23:31:36 GMT

Last year I was unable to cook due to illness and we ordered the turkey feast from The Honey Ham Store. It was very good.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

GAQShopr53 — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 23:31:42 GMT

@coffee drinker wrote:
Around my area (CT) some of the larger grocery chains have all- prepared Thanksgiving dinners for approx. $50 for everything from the turkey (approx. 12 lbs.) to dessert. I'm so tempted to try this just one time since we'll be 5 at the most. Apparently, they're all cooked. You have to defrost and heat up. Have any of you tried these prepared dinners? How are they?

@coffee drinker for about 5 years I would order and have my son who lives in Tampa pick up the dinner. He was in college and worked in retail and could not always travel home for the holidays and really enjoyed the meal. The first couple of years I ordered from Publix and the last year I ordered from Walmart. He liked the Publix better becasue the food was more home cooked than frozen.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

homedecor1 — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 23:45:46 GMT

One year we were invited to a friends house for TG. She ordered the dinner (sides included) and dessert from Publix.

Instead of just re-heating it she put in oven 350 for 4 hours covered...omg, we never laughed so much when it was like "turkey jerky".

Another year we had it at another friends & honestly, in a pinch it's OK but for me it was tasteless and dry.

Personally, I could do the same -- cook the day before & reheat. This year I've solved all that stress spouse said "let's try a WaWa Turkey Gobbler"...sounds like a plan!🦃🦃🦃

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

Drythe — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 23:47:51 GMT

The past two years neither of us was able / up to cooking. We ordered the whole meal from Whole Foods.

It was very good, they offer a very good vegetarian meal in addition to the turkey thing.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

OKPrincess — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 23:54:47 GMT

We’ve ordered from Cracker Barrel in the past. I love their pies too.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

fthunt — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:05:07 GMT

Today's Sunday paper - Wegmen's advertising the entire dinner for 12 people at around $280 - hot and ready to go. I've never done it but tried one year when my stove quit - yes, quit - during the first 2 hours of turkey cooking. Couldn't find nor buy a turkey meal for a million $ - for last minute order. I thawed 'something' and that was the dinner.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

newjerseygirl — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:25:37 GMT

A few years ago, I ordered from Wegman's. It as very good.

Included with the dinner, was a list with all the times needed to heat up each item. I made my own list, starting with the longest heat up time, and then added each item to the oven at the right time so everything was heated and ready to go when I was ready to serve dinner.

I like to get pies from Wegman's also. I think they are very good.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

GCR18 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:34:19 GMT

My mother is also in CT. Today I ordered the precooked meal from shoprite.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

chrystaltree — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:41:03 GMT

I have done that several times. It was good deal but some items, were not to my liking so I prepared my own. I used the gravy provided but I had to "doctor it up" as my Mom would have said. Same with the mashed potatoes, I added some butter and cream.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

Kachina624 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:44:09 GMT

I've eaten these grocery store prepared meals a number of times and did not enjoy them at all. I thought they were terrible. I'd rather have KFC.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

jannabelle1 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:45:06 GMT

@coffee drinker, I tried this once some years ago, and it wasn't bad, although it wasn't that inexpensive. If I had to do it again (for a small group), I'd probably just buy a turkey breast and bake it, but buy the sides from my favorite grocer's deli. Bob Evans (and some other brands) have great mashed potatoes that just need to be heated in the microwave, and there's nothing wrong with the jars or packets of turkey gravy. Mrs. Smith's and Marie Callender's both have frozen pumpkin pies that are good.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

panda1234 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 01:55:43 GMT

This year Costco is offering the complete meal, serves 10 I believe, for $99 delivered!! How easy is that?

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

coffee drinker — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 01:59:58 GMT

@GCR18 I was actually talking about Shop Rite because that's my go to store. Have you ever had the Turkey dinners from there?

Everyone talks about Wegman's -- wish that chain had a store in CT.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

GCR18 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 03:25:20 GMT

@coffee drinker wrote:
@GCR18 I was actually talking about Shop Rite because that's my go to store. Have you ever had the Turkey dinners from there?

Everyone talks about Wegman's -- wish that chain had a store in CT.

I live in WI, I wish I could have a Stew Leonard's here. No, haven't ordered Turkey dinner before. I read the ad yesterday and asked my mother of she wanted to try it. The price was good. I think it will be good.

@coffee drinker

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

PamfromCT — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 12:40:04 GMT

A bit off topic, but a prepared Thanksgiving dinner to eat at home is a wonderful gift to give to anyone who is struggling with illness or other distress in their family.

Many years ago, when I worked, I was at home recuperating from an accident. The man I worked for called me well before the holiday to tell me he had ordered Thanksgiving dinner to be delivered to my home. What a sweet surprise!

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

novamc1 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 14:17:14 GMT

Gave up wrestling a heavy turkey into the oven and making it look good a long time ago.

Have never heard decent reports of how whole holiday dinners purchased elsewhere work out for major holidays.......too many lukewarm reviews or outright complaints.

One solution for me this year is to visit our closest HoneyBaked Ham store, ask them for a half or whole pound each of thick-sliced ham and turkey. I've bought this way several times in the past year.

Also will purchase their container of turkey gravy, ready for heating.

Then, I'll heat the meats, fix the dressing and other side dishes myself, and let guests choose the turkey or ham.

HoneyBaked Ham stores have nice-looking traditional side dishes in their refrigerated cases for people who really don't want to cook anything on their own. Haven't tried any of them yet, but I'm tempted.

Last year around Christmas, they had a delicious-looking rum cake, but I saw it too late to purchase for our holiday party.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

FrostyBabe1 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 13:10:07 GMT

I've been at gatherings where the meal was ordered from Publix. The turkey was fully cooked and just needed to be re-heated, along with the sides. The turkey was fine. The sides were things I don't eat (mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, green bean casserole, marshmallow salad) so I took along a large green salad to share. It was certainly easier for the host to prepare and everyone else seemed to really like it.

Re: Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner

spud188 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 13:24:29 GMT

What is a WaWa turkey gobbler??