This List Is The Ultimate Guide To Thanksgiving Grocery Shopping

Even if you’re a seasoned pro at grocery shopping, buying food for Thanksgiving dinner can be a challenge. After all, there’s a lot to remember!

We culled a list of the absolute essentials, from the turkey (and how to pick the right size) to pantry items, spices, and non-food items that will come in handy for prep.

Think of this as your holiday cheat sheet: We’ve put together a Thanksgiving shopping list of the most commonly used (but sometimes forgotten!) groceries you’ll need for your feast.

Turkey

We know—you’re probably not going to forget the turkey. But make sure you buy the right-sized bird for your gathering. A good rule of thumb is one and a half pounds of turkey per person. If you love a lot of leftovers, add an extra half-pound per person.

If you buy a frozen bird, make sure to purchase it at least a week in advance so there’s enough time for it to thaw in your refrigerator. The turkey is truly the centerpiece for any Thanksgiving meal.

Stock

Stock is the Thanksgiving cook’s secret weapon. Whether you buy or make chicken, vegetable, or turkey stock, it’s essential to have it on hand for making gravy, adding moisture to dry dressing, and basting a turkey if you don’t have quite enough drippings.

Bread Cubes

Save some valuable time in the kitchen by buying pre-cubed bread or cornbread for your Thanksgiving dressing. You want the bread to be fully dried, so if is still soft, spread it out on a sheet pan and leave it out on the kitchen counter overnight. Need some recipe inspiration? Check out our best Thanksgiving dressings and stuffings.

Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs pack a ton of flavor and can be used in almost every recipe. Traditionally, Thanksgiving recipes call for woody herbs like rosemary and thyme, as well as sage, bay leaves, and parsley. Fresh chives are also a nice addition to mashed potatoes.

In a pinch, you can always turn to the dried spice rack, but you can never have enough fresh herbs on Thanksgiving. And if you do, they can be stuffed inside the turkey cavity to infuse the meat and drippings, or arranged around the cooked turkey on a platter for a pretty presentation.

Potatoes

• Yukon Gold: It isn’t the time for instant spuds. You want the real deal: velvety, fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes. These potatoes mash up light and smooth and have more flavor than Russet potatoes. We add cream cheese, butter, and half-and-half for the creamiest potatoes ever. It is Thanksgiving, after all!
• Sweet Potatoes: Whether you like them mashed, topped with a layer of marshmallows in a casserole, or roasted, sweet potatoes are a Southern staple year-round, and especially at Thanksgiving. Look for potatoes that are a uniform size and shape (they are easier to cut and cook) with smooth, unblemished skins.

Celery, Carrots, Garlic, And Onions

These four ingredients are the backbone of many Thanksgiving recipes including the turkey, dressing, and most casseroles. Make sure you’re well stocked up.

Butter

Like fresh herbs, you can never have too much butter on hand for Thanksgiving. Unsalted butter is best for cooking and baking because it allows you to control the amount of salt in a recipe. But nothing goes better with a soft, warm dinner roll than salted butter. So be sure to buy both kinds.

Bacon

Bacon is a delicious secret weapon to have on hand. Crisped up, it makes a tasty casserole topping and takes mac and cheese to the next level, and adds tremendous flavor to any vegetable side.

Cream

A pint of heavy whipping cream is handy for everything from casseroles to making mashed potatoes extra creamy. Plus, it makes the best fresh whipped cream for pumpkin pie.

Cheese

Whether you are starting the festivities with appetizers or guests will be diving right into the big feast, don’t forget the cheese on your shopping list. You may need a few kinds: grated cheddar for macaroni and cheese, Parmesan for toppings, or a variety for a well-designed charcuterie tray.

Eggs

Open that carton to make sure you have enough fresh eggs for Thanksgiving baking. You’ll also need some for your favorite holiday casseroles, so stock up. Use any extra eggs for an after-Thanksgiving breakfast casserole the next day.

Cranberries

No Thanksgiving feast is complete without cranberries, so be sure to pick up a bag of the fresh berries, or a can of your favorite jelly—whatever your family’s tradition dictates.

Pecans

The South’s favorite nut has many roles on Thanksgiving: as a casserole topper, pre-dinner snack, and of course, in pecan pie. If you have any extra nuts after the holiday is over, store them in the freezer—they’ll stay fresh and flavorful for two years.

Toast pecans with butter and spices to sprinkle over salads, desserts, or casseroles—or just to serve on their own as an appetizer.

Flour

You probably have flour in your pantry, but double-check to make sure you have enough to thicken the gravy. Our classic recipe for giblet gravy calls for 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. If you plan on doing a lot of baking, especially if making homemade pie crusts, it won’t hurt to have an extra bag on hand.

Brown Sugar

How long has it been since you used your brown sugar? A month? Last Thanksgiving? We’ve all opened our box of brown sugar during baking only to find it’s as hard as a brick. Grab a fresh box for roasted veggies, sweet potato casserole, or a dessert fit for the season.

Ice

Fill up those ice cube trays, or better yet, buy a bag of ice cubes to keep drinks nice and cold. Most conventional grocery stores provide cocktail ice that’s specially made to melt more slowly, with smooth sides for optimum cocktail drinking.

Beverages

Whether or not you’re planning a batch cocktail like rum punch, make sure you have an assortment of drinks for everyone. It’s always good to have a few bottles of both red and white wine, as well as beer, hard cider, and some liquor, like whiskey, gin, and vodka. Plenty of non-alchoholic options are a great idea too, from seltzer and sodas to classic iced tea.

Prep, Presentation & Leftovers

Roasting Pan

Make sure your roasting pan is large enough to accommodate your turkey, or pick up a disposable roasting pan at the supermarket. Extra sheet pans are nice to have too.

Meat Thermometer

While on the topic of turkey, it’s always helpful to have a meat thermometer to know exactly when your turkey is cooked to the right temperature. You can go high-tech with digital leave-in meat thermometers that can track the temperature of your turkey throughout cooking, but a classic instant-read thermometer will do the trick just as well.

Turkey Baster

While a spoon will do the job of scooping and ladling drippings over the cooking bird, a turkey baster gets it done more efficiently and with less mess. Basters are traditionally long-handled, meaning you can insert the end into the drippings without getting too close to the hot pan. You can also use it to transfer the drippings from the roasting pan to a saucepan to make the turkey gravy.

Salt & Pepper

Double-check your salt and pepper shakers to make sure they are full for the table. And make sure you have plenty to season your holiday dishes as they cook.

Aluminum Foil and Plastic Zip-Top Bags

You can’t send everyone home with leftovers if you don’t have anything in which to wrap the food. Even better, pick up some disposable plastic containers so you can easily portion out individual to-go meals.