Lidl Announces a $45 Thanksgiving Bundle That Feeds 10

There’s never been a better year to host to your family’s Thanksgiving feast. Retailers nationwide — from Target to Walmart and more — are offering up Thanksgiving meal bundles in droves, each trying to prove they can offer the best value to customers at a time when grocery prices have seemingly risen more than income has. This week, another player has entered the game: Discount retailer Lidl has announced its own meal deal, and it’s well worth the shopping trip. 

Lidl’s Thanksgiving Meal, designed to serve 10, costs $45 — or $4.50 per person. The bundle — available through November 27 — includes turkey, stuffing, gravy, rolls, and mac ‘n’ cheese, and provides the ingredients to make mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie. According to the press release, this bundle is both larger and cheaper than in previous years, “ensuring your dollar stretches further and your family's plates stay filled.”

“We are able to offer the lowest price ever because we leverage our global buying power to source the best products at the lowest costs, and we keep our operating costs incredibly low so we can keep pushing prices down for our customers,” Joel Rampoldt, CEO of Lidl U.S., tells Food & Wine. 

With this bundle, Lidl is competing with several other widely publicized meal deals. Walmart’s Thanksgiving meal feeds up to eight people for a cost of roughly $7 per person, though some additional items are included in that bundle, such as corn muffins and a ready-to-eat pecan pie. Target’s Thanksgiving Meal, meanwhile, is designed to serve four people for under $20 — down from $25 the year before. 

Lidl’s closest comparison in the United States, Aldi, hovers around Lidl’s per-person price point, with a meal for 10 that costs $47. The only difference between the two menus is that Aldi’s includes cranberry sauce ingredients, which accounts for the extra $2.

The Lidl Thanksgiving Meal isn’t just a way to showcase seasonal value — the discount retailer is also in the midst of a brand relaunch in the United States. The store was founded in Germany in 1932, and the chain has locations all across Europe, but has only had a U.S. presence since 2017. With virtually all of Lidl’s U.S. locations situated along the East Coast, Rampoldt said the brand is currently focused on growing three core markets: Atlanta, New York, and the District of Columbia. However, he noted that Lidl is “always exploring expansion opportunities” that might bring the discount retailer to more states. 

For those who don’t live close to a Lidl, consider it like Trader Joe’s, but better. It creates the authentic experience of wandering a European market, with quality baked goods and unfamiliar brands to discover. Lidl, like Aldi, has big fans among its customer base, and although Lidl currently has no definitive plans to expand westward, its desire to grow within select markets points to an ambition that might bring a location to your own backyard in the coming years.