Scoring a Deal on a Gourmet Turkey

Fans of the traditional turkey dinner have a little something extra to be thankful for this holiday – falling food prices. A typical 16-pound turkey will cost shoppers $18.65 this year, about three cents less per pound than last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

That’s good news for the almost 88% of Americans who eat turkey on Thanksgiving, consuming a total of approximately 690 million pounds of the bird for last year’s big meal, according to the National Turkey Federation. This year, many consumers are also looking for ways to stretch their grocery-shopping dollars further – 69% of shoppers say the tough economy is changing their shopping habits, according to the Food Marketing Institute.

Even folks willing to pay more to buy organic may find relatively better deals this year: When SmartMoney compared conventional and organic prices at two local supermarkets, we found the premium for organic had shrunk a bit compared to last year. Last year’s price check found buying conventional was 43% cheaper – this year, the gap narrowed, with the conventional menu offering a 37% discount over organic prices. Of course, that’s still a big difference, given that a conventional Thanksgiving meal can be made for less per person than many fast-food “value meals,” according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Consumers who seek out organic foods are typically considering other factors aside from the price tag. They’re “choosing organic products because it fits in with their value system,” says Barbara Haumann, a spokeswoman for the Organic Trade Association.

For an even fancier bird — and heftier price tag — shoppers can buy what are called heritage turkeys. They’re bred naturally, take longer to mature, and are pasture-raised on small farms. All that comes at a price: A 10- to 12-pound turkey from Heritage Foods USA costs $129, about $11 a pound, including shipping. These breeds of turkeys are “endangered foods,” and buying them helps support the farmers who raise the rare poultry, says Brian Sinderson, a spokesman for Slow Food USA.

Consumers who are looking for the best possible turkey at the best possible price can try these strategies for saving on a gourmet-quality Thanksgiving turkey:

Check for online coupons
Web sites like RetailMeNot.com can help you find coupon codes for your favorite online retailer. For example, gourmet retailer D’Artagnan currently has a promotion offering 25% off their free-range, organic frozen turkeys, which sell for about $5 to $7 a pound. Heritage Foods is also running an online promotion offering 15% off your first purchase if you sign up for their weekly newsletter.

Find a farm near you
Shipping adds about $25 to the cost of a $145 15-pound organic, heritage turkey from Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, Va. – or you can pick up your turkey in person. The web site LocalHarvest.org lets you search for and contact farms in your area that are selling organic or heritage turkeys for the holidays.

Try a big chain
If eating locally isn’t your main concern, big chains are often able to offer relatively better deals than smaller farms. SmartMoney found organic, free-range turkey for $3.99 a pound at our local Whole Foods.