Local Markets Do the Cooking on Thanksgiving Day

My wife and I love Thanksgiving. We enjoy having friends and family come together to celebrate everything good in our lives.

On Thanksgiving my wife plans the meal and I am her sous chef.

We happily spend all day preparing the turkey and making appetizers and side dishes, including stuffing, sweet potatoes, creamed corn, string beans, pumpkin pies and a dozen other family favorites.

But if you are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner and you want freshly made food on the table without cooking, your secret sous chef might be working at , or .

All the supermarkets offer fully-cooked turkey, ham and prime rib dinners. What they provide differs, as does the price.

Ordering from a supermarket is relatively painless but there are a couple of suggestions that will make the effort easier.

• Order as soon as you can, as the stores may run out.
• You can order your holiday meal in the store at the deli counter or by phone.
• Substitutions of side dishes is not allowed.
• The meals are fully cooked but not ready-to-eat. All the meals have to be reheated and take one to two hours to be table-ready.
• Ask when your meal will be available for pick up. Some markets will have the dinner available for pick up the day before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving Day, the markets will be open as early as 6 or 7 a.m..
• Ask if home delivery is offered and what the additional cost would be.
• Flowers and holiday table displays are also available.

17380 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades

Vons Deli Manager, Jennifer Palacios, says "the sooner the better" when it comes to your Turkey Day order. Demand may be high and they cannot accomodate all requests. She also recommends picking up your order the day before Thanksgiving because "you could have 20 people in line." 

Packed in microwave and oven-safe containers, the dinners are sold fully cooked but must be reheated at home. 

Prices quoted in the printed flyer include a $5 discount for Vons Club Card members.

Vons Thanksgiving dinner options include:

• Turkey Dinner: serves six to eight, $39.99, includes a whole turkey (10- 12 lbs.), mashed potatoes (3 lbs.), gravy (24 oz.), stuffing (2 lbs.), cranberry sauce (15 oz.), a dozen dinner rolls and an 8" pumpkin pie.
• Spiral Ham Dinner: serves six to eight, $49.99, includes a boneless ham (7-7.5 lbs.), scalloped potatoes au gratin (2.5 lbs.), corn medley (2 lbs.) green bean casserole (2 lbs.), a dozen dinner rolls and an 8" apple pie.
• Prime Rib Dinner: serves six to eight, $69.99, includes a boneless prime rib roast (4 lbs.), scalloped potatoes au gratin (2.5 lbs.), corn medley (2 lbs.) green bean casserole (2 lbs.), a dozen dinner rolls and an 8" apple pie.

Palacios also suggests that if you need additional quantities of the packaged sides, or you want to add different ones, check the refrigerated display featuring "Signature Cafe" side dishes of "mac n' cheese," mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, roasted potatoes, risotto, barbecue beans and cole slaw.

Vons orders may be placed at the deli counter in the store or by phone. The number is 310-454-2502, select option 3 for the deli. Customers may also try the toll free number, 888-358-7328.

15120 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades

Ralphs store manager, Nick Hernandez told Patch to remind readers that the meals are pre-cooked and "customers should set aside at least two hours to heat the meals." 

Dinners are available for pick-up at anytime during business hours on Thanksgiving Day. The store is open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Ralphs Thanksgiving dinner options include:

• Turkey Dinner: serves eight to ten, $49.99, includes a whole turkey (10-13 lbs.), stuffing (32 oz.), gravy (24 oz.), mashed potatoes (24 oz.) and one dozen dinner rolls.
• Spiral Ham Dinner: serves six to eight, $49.99, includes a boneless ham (5-9 lbs.), scalloped potatoes (32 oz.), green been casserole (32 oz.), sweet potato casserole (32 oz.) and one dozen dinner rolls.
• Prime Rib Dinner: serves eight to ten, $69.99, includes a boneless prime rib (4-5 lbs.), scalloped potatoes (32 oz.), green been casserole (32 oz.), sweet potato casserole (32 oz.), one dozen Hawaiian dinner rolls and a 9" apple or pumpkin pie.

Orders may be placed in person at the deli counter up until the day before Thanksgiving, according to store management. To place an order by phone, dial 310-454-3001, select option 2 for the deli.

15424 W. Sunset Boulevard, Pacific Palisades

Gelson's offers the most variety, but at an added cost. The store allows customers to choose between packaged dinners and a la carte meals. This may be a decided benefit for customers who want to customize their meal. The a la carte menu is priced by the pound.

The size of the packaged dinners is indicated by serving size, not by weight or volume. Gelson's Thanksgiving dinner options include:

• Roasted Turkey Dinner: serves eight, $109.99, includes a whole roasted turkey, corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, gravy, cranberry sauce, gingered yam souffle and dinner rolls.
• Roasted Turkey Dinner: serves 12, $159.99, includes a whole roasted turkey, corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, gravy, cranberry sauce, gingered yam souffle and dinner rolls.
• Reduced Sodium Turkey Dinner: serves eight, $119.99, includes a whole roasted turkey, corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, gravy, cranberry sauce, gingered yam souffle and dinner rolls. *Per Gelson's, supplies of this dinner are limited.
• Spiral Cut Ham Dinner: serves six, $98.99, includes a bone-in ham with glaze, includes a whole roasted turkey, corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, gravy, cranberry sauce, gingered yam souffle and dinner rolls.
• Rib Roast: serves six, $124.99, includes a boneless rib roast, beef mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, horseradish sauce and au jus and dinner rolls.

In addition to family-sized, packaged dinners and a la carte selections, Gelson's also offers complete dinners for two with a choice of entrees (ham, turkey, prime rib or game hen), priced between $34.99 and $58.99.

Gelson's Thanksgiving dinners may be ordered in the store at the deli counter, or by phone. The number to place an order is 310-459-4793. Customers may also place orders online.

The Sunday Farmers Market

Don't forget to check out the Sunday farmers market where, in addition to high quality , a dozen vendors sell .

Many offer delicious and we can expect there will be a good supply of pumpkin and apple pies.

One of the bakers at the Sunday market, Bountiful Bakery, will be taking special orders for savory baked goods as well as desserts.

Denise Assad will make-to-order deep dish turkey pot pies (3"x5" and 10") as well as coconut cakes, carrot cakes, apple-cranberry galettes, lemon bars, chocolate dipped macaroons and other delicious holiday treats.

On Thanksgiving Day, Assad will deliver your order right to your door. The normal delivery fee is $15, but it will be reduced to $10 for Thanksgiving. Assad said if you mention PATCH, then she will waive the fee entirely.

Customers may place Bountiful Bakery Thanksgiving orders by calling 818-790-2206, or via email at denise@bountifulbakeryla.com.

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