Looking for cheapest Thanksgiving groceries in SLO County? We compared 5 stores
Searching for Thanksgiving dinner deals this year?
People grocery shopping for the holidy feast should see a small decrease on their store receipts, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The federation’s 40th annual Thanksgiving survey found an average 10-person gathering costs $55.18 in 2025, or about $5.52 per person. That’s a 5% drop from 2024.
This is the third year in a row that prices have dipped for grocery shoppers in the United States, with turkey prices plummeting the most by about 16% compared to last year, according to the federation.
However, overall food costs are forecast to rise by about 3% in 2025, according to a September food price outlook from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
How much you spend on groceries also depends on where you shop in San Luis Obispo County.
To help you get the most bang for your buck, The Tribune visited several local grocery stores to find the most affordable Thanksgiving goods.
Here’s what we found:
Where can I find best Thanksgiving deals in SLO County?
The Tribune visited five different grocery stores across SLO County on Monday, Nov. 17, and Wednesday, Nov. 19, in search of the best Thanksgiving dinner deals.
Here’s where we went:
- Smart & Final, 1321 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo
- Vons, 3900 Broad St., San Luis Obispo
- Food 4 Less, 1132 West Branch St., Arroyo Grande
- Walmart, 1168 West Branch St., Arroyo Grande
- Trader Joe’s, 955 Rancho Pkwy., Arroyo Grande
We visited Vons and Smart & Final on Monday, and stopped by the other stores on our list on Wednesday.
What’s on your holiday food shopping list?
The Tribune compared the prices for 10 Thanksgiving staples to discover where to find the cheapest options.
This included ingredients to make classic holiday dishes including green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes and gravy and, of course, roast turkey..
Here’s what was on our shopping list:
- Butterball turkey per pound
- Russet potatoes per pound
- Sweet potatoes per pound
- Del Monte whole green beans, 14.5-ounce can
- Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce, 14-ounce can
- Stove Top turkey stuffing, 6-ounce box
- Libby’s pumpkin puree, 15-ounce can
- McCormick turkey gravy mix, 1 packet
- Kings Hawaiian rolls, 12-pack
- Barilla elbow macaroni pasta, 16-ounce box
All prices were calculated before sales tax and did not include members-only deals. Temporary sale prices were used if deals went through the Thanksgiving holiday.
Which SLO County grocery stores have cheapest prices?
If you’re trying to pinch pennies this Thanksgiving season, you may want to shop at a grocery store other than your go-to neighborhood spot.
Out of all the local supermarkets we surveyed, Walmart had the most affordable prices.
All 10 items on our list could be purchased for $20.26, provided you only bought a pound each of turkey and potatoes.
You may not be able to find sweet potatoes at the store, though.
As of Wednesday, Nov. 19, Walmart only sold canned yams.
The next cheapest option was Food 4 Less, where a 10-item grocery list totaled $20.79.
The most expensive local supermarket was Vons, where the same 10 items cost $30.71. However, Vons club members may be eligible for deals and discounts that could help bring down costs.
The second-least affordable store was Smart & Final, where 10 items cost a total of $25.85.
Squarely in the middle of our price check was Trader Joe’s. A total of 10 Thanksgiving goods there ame out to $24.52
It’s worth noting that the popular grocery chain doesn’t carry outside brands, so shoppers will have to resort to store brand cornbread stuffing mix, organic pumpkin puree, brined turkey and fresh green beans.
How expensive are turkeys in SLO County?
On average, turkey cost $1.91 per pound at SLO County supermarkets, which means you can expect to spend about $30.50 for a 16-pound bird.
The SLO County grocery store with the most affordable bird was Walmart, where Butterball turkey cost $0.97 a pound.
The next least-expensive turkey was at Food 4 Less. The store was selling a Butterball turkey for $1.39 per pound.
Vons and Trader Joe’s tied for the most expensive turkey, charging $2.49 per pound.
Which stores have the cheapest potatoes?
Planning to have a marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole on the table? What about creamy mashed potatoes?
Out of the five stores, Walmart had the cheapest russet potatoes at $0.50 per pound.
The next most budget-friendly spot was Food 4 Less, which sold russet potatoes for $0.59 per pound.
Trader Joe’s had the cheapest sweet spuds at $1.40 per pound.
Want some gravy to go with those potatoes?
Food 4 Less had the most affordable McCormick gravy mix at $1.48 a packet.
Walmart was the next least expensive at $1.64 per packet of gravy mix.
Searching for affordable stuffing mix? Shop here
If you’re looking for a pre-made stuffing mix, prices can vary from store to store.
Walmart sold the most affordable stuffing mix with a six-ounce box of Stove Top turkey stuffing for $1.78, though Food 4 Less wasn’t far behind with a $1.88 price tag per box.
The place with the highest price tag for stuffing was Trader Joe’s at $4.99 for a 12.4-ounce box of cornbread stuffing — more than twice the cost of its competitors.
Which supermarkets have the cheapest cranberry sauce?
Food 4 Less had the lowest price for Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce, charging $2.28 for a 14-ounce can.
Vons had the least budget-friendly option at $3.99 a can, nearly double the price of its most affordable competitor.
How much will pumpkin pie cost you in SLO County?
If you’re craving a classic pumpkin pie at the end of your big meal, we’ve got you covered.
The Tribune investigated the price of Libby’s pumpkin puree for people making homemade pies.
Walmart had the edge when it came to affordability, charging just $2.17 for a 15-ounce can.
Trader Joe’s wasn’t too far behind at $2.49 for its organic pumpkin puree.
In second-to-last place for penny pinchers was Vons, where a can of Libby’s pumpkin puree cost $4.64.
The most expensive pumpkin puree cost $4.64 per can at Smart & Final.
Have Thanksgiving food prices increased in SLO County?
Compared to The Tribune’s 2024 Thanksgiving grocery store price check, the 10 items at five local stores have dipped by a few cents.
In 2024, the holiday ingredients totaled $24.81 on average, The Tribune previously reported.
This year, the average total price of our 10-item list was $24.43, or about 1.5% less expensive than 2024.
In SLO County grocery stores, turkey was the ingredient that dropped the most in price.
Turkey cost $1.91 per pound on average in 2025, compared to $2.83 per pound the previous year.
This story was originally published November 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
