Lidl is jumping into the Thanksgiving basket race with a promise to match its rivals on price. Starting Nov. 11, the grocer says it will match the comparable basket total at Walmart and Aldi, with its own meal kit priced at $35.86.
The basket is aimed at a table of 10 and runs through Nov. 25. It is the latest move in a season when several retailers are advertising full holiday dinners at roughly $4 per person or less.
What the $35.86 Lidl basket includes
The Lidl Thanksgiving basket serves up to 10 people and costs $35.86 for members of the Lidl Plus loyalty program, according to Grocery Dive. That is 14 cents less than the equivalent deal last year. The offer runs Nov. 11 through Nov. 25.
The centerpiece is a 14-pound frozen turkey, reported as a Shady Brook Farms bird, and about 20 private-label staples. The trade outlet’s list covers the classic sides and a pie:
- Two cans each of cream of mushroom soup, cut green beans and jellied cranberry sauce
- Evaporated milk, two packets of brown gravy mix and a bag of mini marshmallows
- Hawaiian sweet rolls and poultry seasoning
- Two boxes each of macaroni and cheese and turkey stuffing mix
- Pumpkin pie items: whipped topping, pie crust dough and 100% pure pumpkin
Membership in the loyalty program is a requirement for the basket price, as outlined on the Lidl Plus page. Shoppers who skip the program will not see the $35.86 total.
How the price-match promise works
The more unusual part of the announcement is the pledge. The Shelby Report says that starting Nov. 11, Lidl will match the comparable basket totals at Walmart and Aldi. In other words, a shopper who finds a similar basket cheaper at either rival is promised the lower number at Lidl.
The wording leaves room for interpretation, because baskets are rarely identical. A Walmart bundle may include different brands, and a turkey weight may vary by a pound or two. Anyone planning to use the pledge may want to read the store’s terms on the Lidl website before heading to the register. Walmart shoppers comparing the rest of the cart can also read a list of foods to skip at Walmart.
Lidl is also trying to keep shoppers coming back after the holiday. The Shelby Report notes that Lidl Plus members who make qualifying purchases each week in November can earn up to $25 in the app in December. Grocery Dive adds that the chain is temporarily cutting prices on 100 products each week in November.
A basket that covers a turkey and about 20 pantry items still leaves gaps, and the table looks different in every home, as a roundup of 14 strange Thanksgiving traditions shows. Fresh vegetables, extra pies, beverages and any dish a family treats as essential will add to the receipt. Readers building the full menu can look at 11 side dishes that show up on most American tables and five costly hosting mistakes for ideas on where the money tends to go.
For hosts who want to stretch the oven during a crowded cooking day, one retailer-neutral idea is in a comparison of air fryers and toaster ovens for Thanksgiving.
How Aldi and others compare
Aldi’s classic Thanksgiving meal for 10 costs $38.74 and includes a 16-pound turkey, according to the same reports. It runs from Oct. 14 through Nov. 25 and needs no coupons, loyalty card or minimum purchase. Aldi says its shoppers have saved an average of 26% over five years compared with a national average, a claim reported by the Shelby Report. Background on the discounter is in its Wikipedia entry.
That puts the two baskets about $2.88 apart, with Lidl lower but built around a smaller turkey. The gap is slim enough that the price-match promise may matter more than the sticker price. Sam’s Club is also in the race with a meal for 16 at less than $10 per person, available from Oct. 28. Schnucks is offering a meal for 10 under $4 per serving from Nov. 18 to Nov. 25.
Why retailers are fighting over the holiday table
Butterball’s 2026 Togetherness Report, which surveyed 1,374 adults in July, found that 85% plan to celebrate Thanksgiving and expect about 10 people at the table. Among hosts, 84% plan to serve turkey, and nearly half plan to buy a frozen one. The company shares background on its website.
A frozen turkey is the least expensive path for many hosts, and it is also the item that most retailers use to anchor a bundle. Frozen birds need days in the refrigerator to thaw, so shoppers who plan to use the Lidl deal on Nov. 11 have enough time. A 14-pound bird generally needs several days to thaw in the refrigerator, and the Nov. 26 holiday is 15 days away.
Lidl is a German-founded discount grocer, a background covered in its Wikipedia entry, and Aldi is also German-founded. Both have been expanding across American states, which helps explain the head-to-head holiday pricing. Lidl is also giving employees a free turkey and closing stores on Thanksgiving Day, the Shelby Report says.
The USDA’s Economic Research Service tracks the bigger picture, and its food price outlook is updated monthly with forecasts for grocery prices.
Planning the rest of the meal
For most households, the practical steps are simple. Sign up for the loyalty program if the Lidl basket looks appealing, compare the contents with the Aldi list, and check the dates. The Lidl basket and the Aldi bundle both end on Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Mark Miller – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
