Trader Joe's Turkeys Are Now on Sale—but You Need to Act Quickly

There are three types to choose from.

You know Thanksgiving is nearly here once the Trader Joe’s turkeys go on sale, and today is the day! Starting today, November 9, your neighborhood TJ’s will be stocked with three different types of turkeys of various sizes for Thanksgiving. All of the birds, which are sold fresh and not frozen, are whole and are selected from young hens, which tend to be smaller in size compared to Toms.

According to Trader Joe’s, each hen is raised in large, open-air grow houses in the United States. The turkeys are also considered “all natural,” because they are vegetarian fed, given no antibiotics or hormones, and minimally processed. Additionally, each Trader Joe’s turkey sold is completely fresh and never frozen. The rest depends on which bird you choose for your Thanksgiving feast, so let’s run through the Trader Joe’s turkey roster!

Related: 9 Trader Joe’s Items That Will Save You Hours of Thanksgiving Prep

All Natural Antibiotic-Free Brined Fresh Young Turkeys

These turkeys are soaked in a sweet-savory brine that really adds flavor to the meat, and may contain giblets. 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 $2.49 per pound.

All Natural Glatt Kosher Fresh Young Turkeys

Since these turkeys are kosher, they are prepared a bit differently than the other turkeys Trader Joe’s sells. Instead of being brined, these turkeys are soaked and salted using a kosher-certified method. They’re also sold without giblets. The kosher turkeys, which weigh about 12-16 pounds each, cost $3.49 per pound.

Related: How Long to Cook a Turkey, in One Easy Chart

Organic Young Turkeys

If the treatment of your turkey is of the utmost importance, this is the bird for you. Trader Joe’s organic turkeys are free-range and given access to the outdoors, which means they can roam (relatively) freely. These turkeys are also fed an organic vegetarian diet. Additionally, they are not brined, but they do contain giblets. The organic turkeys cost $3.99 per pound.

How Much Turkey Per Person Is Enough?

In order to decide which of the above turkeys best suits your needs, you should first decide how much turkey you will need to feed everyone at your Thanksgiving table. The general rule of thumb is 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. Just remember that the weight of each turkey includes bones, and for the antibiotic-free and organic turkeys, giblets are also part of the bird’s total weight. Thus, depending on the size and appetite of your group, it may be prudent to purchase two turkeys instead of just one.

Related: 16 Recipes For Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

When to Buy a Trader Joe’s Turkey

All of the aforementioned turkeys go on sale on November 9, and are only available while supplies last. If you’re worried about missing out on TJ's turkey extravaganza, we recommend buying a bird ASAP and storing it in your freezer until it’s ready to be thawed. 

On the other hand, if you’d rather cook your turkey from fresh, not frozen, you should buy it up to two days before Thanksgiving and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to work your culinary magic. While this means you can skip the thawing process, you run the risk of missing on Trader Joe’s turkeys, since they might sell out before you have a chance to pick yours up. If this is your preferred option, we suggest you have a backup plan just in case the TJ’s turkeys sell out!

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