By Lew Kizer — 2026-10-24 — Prepared Food Trends
The short answer
Target announced on October 22, 2026 that its Thanksgiving meal for six costs $30 before tax from November 8 to 29, 2026. It includes a Butterball turkey up to 10 pounds plus potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, Stove Top stuffing mix, Heinz turkey gravy and two take-and-bake baguettes. Stuffing mix, baguettes and fried onions are wheat-based, and condensed soups and jarred gravies often are; check each label.
Key facts
- Price: $30 pre-tax for six, about $5 per person; valid Nov. 8–29, 2026; not valid in Alaska or Hawaii.
- Nine items, including a Butterball turkey up to 10 lb.
- Wheat-based by nature: stuffing mix, baguettes, fried onions.
- Often thickened with wheat flour: condensed cream soups and jarred gravy; read the label.
- For comparison, the American Farm Bureau's 2025 survey put dinner for 10 at $55.18.
- SmashMeals Thanksgiving orders are due Nov. 22, 2026.
KINGSPORT, Tenn., Oct. 24, 2026 — The first big Thanksgiving price war of the season started this week. On October 22, Target said its meal for six will again cost $30 before tax, from November 8 through November 29.
What is in the box
| Item | Gluten note |
|---|---|
| Butterball whole turkey, up to 10 lb | Turkey is naturally gluten-free; check any injected broth |
| Russet potatoes, 3 lb | Naturally gluten-free |
| Jellied cranberry sauce | Typically gluten-free; check the label |
| French-style green beans, two cans | Plain green beans are naturally gluten-free |
| Condensed cream of mushroom soup | Often thickened with wheat flour |
| French fried onions | Usually coated in wheat flour |
| Stuffing mix | Made from wheat bread |
| Jarred turkey gravy | Often thickened with wheat flour |
| Take-and-bake baguette, two | Wheat bread |
Gluten notes are general; always read the package you buy.
“we're helping busy families celebrate the season with the fresh finds and value they count on from Target.” — John Conlin, Senior Vice President, Target
How it compares
The American Farm Bureau Federation's 2025 survey priced a classic dinner for 10 at $55.18, or about $5.52 a person. Target's bundle matches that per-person cost but includes the lowest-cost versions of each side. Our Thanksgiving cost guide compares cooking from scratch, a grocery kit and ordering.
If someone at your table eats gluten-free
Start with the dishes most likely to contain wheat: stuffing, gravy, the casserole and the bread. The Gluten Intolerance Group also warns to check turkeys for injected broth and to use a clean roasting pan.
“When you order from us, you don't have to ask. You don't have to wonder. You don't have to guess. The answer is always yes — everything is gluten-free.” — Lew Kizer, Founder, SmashMeals
See our Thanksgiving menu: smoked turkey is $30 for six or $45 for twelve, and orders are due Sunday, November 22.
Commentary, not medical advice
The SmashMeals perspective
Five dollars a person is hard to beat, and for a lot of families it will be the right call. The trouble is that the parts of Thanksgiving people love most, the stuffing, the gravy, the green bean casserole, are the parts that usually carry wheat. If someone at your table has celiac disease, plan those dishes first. That is exactly what our Thanksgiving menu was built for.
Frequently asked questions
What is in Target's $30 Thanksgiving meal?
A Butterball turkey up to 10 lb, russet potatoes, jellied cranberry sauce, two cans of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, Stove Top stuffing mix, Heinz turkey gravy and two take-and-bake baguettes.
Is the Target Thanksgiving meal gluten-free?
No. The stuffing mix, baguettes and fried onions are wheat-based, and condensed soup and jarred gravy often contain wheat flour. The turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce and plain green beans can fit a gluten-free meal; check labels for injected broth.
When is SmashMeals' Thanksgiving order deadline?
Thanksgiving orders are due Sunday, November 22, 2026.
Sources and credits
Follow the original sources for context and verification. A reference is not an endorsement of SmashMeals.
- Target brings more value and delight to Thanksgiving with a $30 meal for six (opens in a new tab)
Target Corporation
Why it matters: The item list, price and dates.
- Cost of Thanksgiving dinner declines (2025 survey) (opens in a new tab)
American Farm Bureau Federation
Why it matters: The benchmark cost of a classic dinner for 10.
- Thanksgiving feast without gluten (opens in a new tab)
Gluten Intolerance Group
Why it matters: Where gluten hides in turkey, gravy and stuffing.