So, Thanksgiving was creeping up, and honestly, I just wasn’t feeling the whole cooking-for-days thing this year. Too much going on. I remembered hearing about grocery stores doing full Thanksgiving meals, and Vons is right near me, so I decided to check it out.
I first saw some signs up in the store when I was doing my regular shopping. Looked like they had a few different dinner packages. Seemed pretty convenient. Instead of messing around online, I actually went over to the deli counter one afternoon to ask about it.
Figuring Out the Order
The person there was helpful. They had a little brochure thing showing the options. Basically, you pick your main course, usually turkey, maybe ham, and it comes with a bunch of sides. I needed something simple for just a few people.
Here’s what I remember choosing:
- A pre-cooked turkey, not huge, but big enough.
- Mashed potatoes
- Gravy
- Stuffing
- Cranberry sauce
- Dinner rolls
The ordering process itself was easy. Filled out a form right there at the counter. They asked me what day and time I wanted to pick it up – usually the day before or Thanksgiving morning. I paid for it right then and they gave me a confirmation slip.
Pickup Day
I scheduled my pickup for the day before Thanksgiving to avoid the worst rush. When I got to Vons, it was definitely busy, but seemed organized. There was a specific area near the deli section for the holiday order pickups. Showed them my slip, they went in the back, and came out a few minutes later with a big box.
Getting it Home and Ready
Carried the box home. Everything was packed pretty well, mostly in foil containers. The turkey was cooked but needed reheating, same for most of the sides. The instructions were included and super simple – basically just telling you how long to heat everything in the oven.
I followed the steps, popped the turkey and sides in the oven at the recommended times. It took maybe an hour or two, way less time than cooking from scratch. The house started smelling like Thanksgiving, which was nice.
The Meal Itself
Okay, so how did it taste? Honestly, it was pretty good for a pre-made meal. The turkey was moist enough after reheating. The mashed potatoes were standard, the stuffing was decent, gravy did the job. The cranberry sauce was, well, cranberry sauce from a can or container. The rolls were basic dinner rolls.
Was it like a gourmet, home-cooked-with-love-for-10-hours meal? No. But was it a solid, enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner that required almost zero effort on my part? Absolutely.
Final Thoughts
Look, it saved me a massive amount of time and stress. No major grocery haul, no hours of chopping and cooking, minimal cleanup. For a small gathering or if you’re just overwhelmed, I think it’s a great option. I actually got to relax and enjoy the day instead of being stuck in the kitchen. I’d probably consider doing it again if I was in a similar situation. It just made things easy, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
