According to the popular retailer, all its turkeys are able to roam free in spacious houses with natural sunlight and ventilation. The turkeys are raised without antibiotics and are fed an all-vegetarian diet with no animal by-products allowed. The turkeys are also labeled “all natural,” which means there are no artificial ingredients and minimal processing. Additionally, all of TJ’s turkeys are fresh and never frozen. Since Trader Joe’s loves variety (it carries nearly 30 different varieties of pasta, after all) it should come as no surprise that there are several different types of turkeys to choose from, which will suit a wide variety of Thanksgiving needs.
Young Turkeys
The chain’s All Natural No Antibiotics Ever Brined Fresh Young Turkeys are soaked in a sweet-savory brine that really adds flavor to the meat, and come from farms in California, Utah, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania. Customers can purchase them in two sizes. The smaller birds weigh 12 to 16 pounds, while the larger turkeys weigh 18 to 22 pounds. Both sizes cost $1.99 per pound.For reference, you should aim to purchase 1 to 1.5 pounds of turkey per person, so even the smallest turkey in this group can feed eight to 10 people, depending on how much everyone eats. Per Trader Joe’s, these turkeys may contain giblets—the liver, heart, gizzard, and neck of the turkey—which you can use to make a rich giblet gravy.
Smooth Kosher Turkeys
If you’re in the market for a different type bird, consider the All Natural Glatt Kosher Fresh Young Turkeys. They have most of the same attributes as TJ’s non-kosher birds, but are soaked and salted using a kosher-certified method instead of being brined. These turkeys, which weigh about 12-16 pounds, cost $2.99 per pound.
Organic Turkeys
If you’d prefer to purchase a humanely raised bird, go for the Organic Young Turkeys. These turkeys are classified as free-range because they are given access to the outdoors. They are also fed a vegetarian diet that is purely organic. Due to their clean-eating regimen, these birds are the priciest of the bunch at $3.99 per pound. Just note that they are not brined and do contain giblets. All of these whole, fresh turkey options will be available in the refrigerator section of Trader Joe’s starting November 10—exactly two weeks before Turkey Day. Since there’s only a finite number of turkeys available, Trader Joe’s recommends grabbing your bird (or birds) early, while they are still in stock. Though it may seem a bit early to procure your turkey, there’s something to be said for buying a bird now (and freezing it) to avoid any catastrophes as Thanksgiving gets closer.
Other Thanksgiving Items
And while you’re at it, you can grab any of the dozens of other Thanksgiving-focused dishes that Trader Joe’s is currently selling. To fill out your Thanksgiving table, you can pick up virtually all the classics, ranging from three different versions of cornbread stuffing to cranberry sauce and vegetable hash. If you’re opting not to eat meat this Thanksgiving, you could also pick up one of TJ’s Breaded Turkey-less Stuffed Roasts. This vegan meal, which is made mostly from wheat gluten, is stuffed with wild rice, cranberries, celery, and onions, and is coated in a seasoned breading mixture.For Thanksgiving dessert, Trader Joe’s has returning classics like the Apple & Pumpkin Hand Pies, as well as welcome newbies such as Glazed Maple Donuts. If you’re exhausted after cooking your turkey, you’ll be happy to know that many TJ’s desserts require absolutely no cooking.
