Craft the Perfect Thanksgiving Shopping List With Fetch

Thanksgiving is quite possibly the greatest food day of the year. Families come together around tables filled with a delightful variety of seriously satisfying dishes. We’re here to help you plan for the big day, and our first tip: open up the Fetch app and start building your shopping list (or use our printable Thanksgiving dinner shopping list). 

Let’s dig into these ideas inspired by Thanksgiving’s most popular foods. 

Earn rewards on your Thanksgiving shopping list

Your Thanksgiving shopping list receipt might be the longest of the year, and snapping it in the Fetch app is one way to start earning rewards, but it’s not the only way. Here’s how you can earn more points to redeem for free gift cards:

• Fetch Offers: Use the app to make your shopping list by favoriting offers. You’ll find offers on specific products and retailers that can bring bonus points.
• Boosted Brands: If you liked offers, you’ll love being able to score extra points for buying from specific brands. You’ll see a flame next to any brand that’s boosted, and the bigger the flame, the bigger the boost in points.
• Fetch Shop: Let others do the shopping for you and earn points on nearly every dollar. Just tap the shopping cart in the Fetch app to shop at Target, Sam’s Club and more.

How to pick the perfect turkey

When choosing the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving), choose the right size for your guest list: typically 1 pound per person. Opt for fresh or frozen, depending on your schedule. 

Check for a plump, moist and firm bird, with no excessive ice crystals if frozen. Consider organic or free-range options for enhanced flavor. Lastly, ensure it fits your budget and storage space, and remember to thaw it safely before cooking.

Pro-tip: For a safe thaw, refrigerate your turkey. It’ll take about a day for every 4-5 pounds of weight. A 12-pound turkey will take 3 days to thaw.

Four tasty turkey alternatives

If turkey isn’t your jam, consider a brown sugar glazed ham. Brown sugar, whole grain mustard and a generous splash of brandy (plus some seasonings) make the perfect glaze. 

If you’re looking for a vegetarian option to be the star of your feast, try: 

• Tofurkey: Tofu-based toast filled with stuffing, herbs and spices
• Stuffed acorn squash: Baked squash halves with a savory stuffing
• Portobello mushroom roast: Large mushrooms marinated and roasted

Classic Thanksgiving sides that steal the show

Sides are what tie any great feast together. Here are some of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes that are sure to please your guests:

• Garlic mashed potatoes: Russet potatoes, garlic, whole milk, butter and some salt/pepper to taste. A classically delicious side that’s as easy to make as it is to devour. 
• Green bean casserole: Add some Progresso cream of mushroom soup and french-fried onions to your Turkey Day shopping list to pull off this Thanksgiving classic. 
• Stuffing: Store-bought stuffing mix can turn into a masterpiece when you add fresh ingredients like diced onions and celery. 
• Cranberry sauce: Everyone has an opinion on cranberries. My family keeps it simple: fresh cranberries, sugar, orange juice + zest and a cinnamon stick. And you can’t go wrong with Ocean Spray cranberry sauce.
• Gravy: If you’re roasting a turkey, turn those drippings into something extra delicious. Add flour, butter, broth and seasoning for a gravy that’ll be gone before a trip around the table.

IMPORTANT: Don’t forget the dinner rolls. Seriously. Write it on your arm in Sharpie right now. If you’re not trying to make rolls from scratch, consider a ready-to-bake option like Pillsbury. 

Pantry reminder: don’t forget the seasonings

We’ve all been there. You make a trip to the store, carry in all the groceries and realize, “I’ve forgotten the KEY ingredient that will take me to flavortown.”

This year, make sure these essential seasonings make it in your cart so you have everything you need to put together a flavorful Thanksgiving feast:

• Butter (lots of it)
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Sage
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic 

Dig into dessert: pumpkin pie and beyond

Let’s be honest. This section could simply read “pumpkin pie” and we’d be done. But if you’re looking for an alternative this year, we’ve got you covered with a few options:

• Pecan Pie: Southern classic featuring sweet, caramelized pecans in a flaky pie crust
• Sweet Potato Pie: Sweet pie with a creamy, spiced filling
• Fruit Crisp: Apple, peach or mixed berries topped with crispy, crumbly oats, sugar and butter

Thanksgiving drink ideas

You’ve got your dinner menu planned, don’t skimp on the drinks. Here are some non-alcoholic drinks for Thanksgiving as well as some new takes on old cocktails to add another layer to your celebration.

Non-alcoholic drinks for Thanksgiving

• Sweet tea
• Hot cider
• Hot chocolate
• Tropical punch
• Ginger lemonade
• Shirley Temple
• Pumpkin spice latte
• Pumpkin pie milkshake

Thanksgiving drinks and cocktails

• Maple Manhattan
• Mulled cider or wine
• Thanksgiving mule (the mule meets cranberry and maple)
• Pumpkin White Russians
• Cranberry apple sangria
• Cranberry orange whiskey sour

The right equipment for the job

Ahead of Thanksgiving morning, make sure your kitchen is stocked with the equipment you’ll need to pull off the upcoming feast. These must-haves include: 

• Turkey baster for…well, anything baste-able
• Meat thermometer for your turkey or ham
• Large roasting pans for your sides (you’ll probably need a couple)

Keep our printable Thanksgiving shopping list handy

Thanksgiving grocery list FAQs

What are Thanksgiving grocery list essentials?

• Turkey
• Tofurkey
• Ham
• Squash
• Portobello mushrooms
• Green beans
• Garlic
• Onions
• Celery
• Cranberries
• Apples
• Peaches
• Berries
• Milk
• Butter
• Heavy cream
• Dinner rolls
• Pumpkin pie
• Sweet potato pie
• Fruit crisp
• Salt
• Pepper
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Sage

How far in advance should I prepare my Thanksgiving shopping list?

If you have family traditions, you probably know some of your Thanksgiving dinner shopping list a year or more ahead of time. But when it comes to specifics, it’s a good idea to know who might be coming by the end of October so you can know how much you’ll need of each item on your Thanksgiving shopping list.

If you’ve made it to November and don’t have your list finalized, grab our printable one above as a starting point and compare it against your recipes so you’ll be ready to go by the time the holiday hits.

What size turkey do I need for Thanksgiving?

Remember how we said you should know how many people are coming? That’s because your turkey size depends on it. It’s recommended you have 1 to 1.5 pounds of turkey per guest (plus leftovers).

What are some last-minute grocery items I might forget for Thanksgiving dinner?

Maybe you’ve forgotten you need it and are running to the store, maybe you have unexpected guests or maybe something happened in the kitchen and you need a store-bought replacement. Here are some of the most frequently bought items on last-minute Thanksgiving grocery lists:

• Pie(s)
• Mashed potatoes
• Cranberry sauce
• Gravy (or gravy ingredients)
• Butter (stick or spread)
• Spices
• Extra serving trays or dinnerware
• Foil and storage containers for leftovers

What’s the best way to save on Thanksgiving groceries?

• Is there a better way to save than getting groceries for free? Use the Fetch app to earn points and redeem them for gift cards to Target, Walmart or Sam’s Club, and some or all of your Turkey Day shopping list will be on us.
• The next best way to save on your Thanksgiving grocery list is to keep an eye out for shelf-stable essentials all year so you can buy them if you see them ahead of the holiday.
• Scout the grocery store ads starting at the end of October for sales, and don’t be afraid to get that turkey well ahead of time (just remember to defrost it in advance).

Turn Thanksgiving shopping into free gift cards

Ahead of your grocery run this Thanksgiving, check out the Fetch app for some extra rewarding offers. Because if you’re going to prepare a meal for your loved ones, you deserve a little something extra for yourself. 

Like…I don’t know, a free gift card to your favorite grocery store (Walmart, Target and Sam’s Club should all have your Thanksgiving needs covered).

Happy Thanksgiving! We’ll see you in the app.