turkey prices

[shoelace]

anyone have any clue where to buy my thanksgiving turkey

i know i should have bought a few weeks ago, but i only now have the freezer space for it

where are the prices not insane?

[yaelaldrich]

This won't help y'all now, but this summer in Chicago they were selling Rubashkin Turkeys for $.99/lb and Empire Turkey Breasts for $1.99/lb.

I filled my large chest freezer with them (around 16 turkeys and 5 turkey breasts) for a song and even with 20 plus guests for Friday nights around here and turkey legs/wings for weeknight dinner twice a week and the resulting broth from the carcasses (and the meat off the bones went to making turkey pot pies and the like), I still have one or two left. I wish I had more freezer space -- I would have cleaned them out!

[weinstein5]

being in chicago I am interested in knowing who had such a great price so I can keep an eye out for, maybe, a repeat performance -

[yaelaldrich]

Jewel Osco on California and Kedzie. It was over the summer (when NORMAL people don't buy turkeys, but I am not normal). They now have those new turkeys which are supposed to be yummy and healthy, blah, blah, blah for $1.99/lb. I bought a couple but have to run through my "old" turkeys first before I try them. I hope they do a repeat -- if they do, I will let people know (I don't live in Chicago usually, but travel in to shop and such).

[weinstein5]

Do you mean the Jewel at Howard and Kedzie? I will have to keep an eye out

[yaelaldrich]

Yup. Turkey a couple of weeks ago was $1.99 and their breasts were 2.99. Still not bad by any stretch.

[MartyB]

Foodtown is selling Empire Kosher Turkey for $1.49/lb w/$50 purchase.

I won't look a gift horse in the mouth but this clearly shows to me that Foodtown, by not offering any kosher options in their flyer for the Thanksgiving holiday, felt that most Jews don't celebrate Thanksgiving.

To be fair, from what I saw, most of the majors in the 5 towns also did not advertise any kosher Thanksgiving options.

I for one applaud Costco by embracing the kosher community by expanding their kosher offerings and keeping an open ear to suggestions. I would prefer to pay $1.79/lb for turkey all year round than paying $1.49/lb limit 1 for a week and much higher the rest of the year.

[cheesecake17]

Just thought you would appreciate your turkey prices even more after this...

Fairway was selling Empire turkeys in bbq sauce for $4.99/lb. The turkey I saw was $80!!!! $80 for a turkey!!

[avitrek]

Turkey in BBQ sauce sounds like a cooked bird that just needs to be reheated. $80 sounds about right for a prepared cooked turkey. Of course if that's raw, then you're right it's insane.

[cheesecake17]

It looked raw to me, but I didn't look very closely.

It was in the fridge section, right near the fresh turkeys- wrapped in Empire plastic wrapping.

[avitrek]

I just checked the empire website, the BBQ Turkey is fully cooked.

http://www.empirekosher.com/pagesnew/...

[shoelace]

was this listed in the circular? im not seeing it and before i shlep out to hewlett, id like to see it in print so i can fight with them if necessary

[MartyB]

Saw it in a circular that came to my house as well as one in yesterday's Newsday (home delivered). I don't see it online. For some reason they appear to be trying to hide their Kosher offerings as best as they can - Thanksgiving kosher options only in the store, not in print and I would imagine the circular with the Kosher Turkey offer to a tightly and selective mailing/Newspaper supplement based on "jewish" blocks. Then again I could be wrong. It is interesting that the on-line circular did not match what I received at home.

When you said that you did not see it in the circular are you talking about the online one or one that came in mail or from a newspaper supplement.

[shoelace]

i called, the one online isnt next weeks sale, and the turkey is next weeks sale

[MartyB]

Went to Foodtown to see their kosher thanksgiving offering - > Empire turkey $1.80/lb w/$300 purchase.

Some other metzious around the 5 towns:

Supersol - $2.49/lb for Rubashkin(?) turkey.
Brachs - Empire $1.99/lb (reg $2.69/lb)
Gourmet Glatt - Super Sale (?) Empire $1.79/lb w/$100 purchase (reg $3.39/lb!)

Contrast these with Costco's EVERYDAY price of $1.79/lb for Empire frozen turkey - Enough said!

[berel]

I found you a free turkey Marty

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2...

[mggn]

this week in the NY area, Waldbaum's has unadvertised special: Empire Frozen Turkeys for $1.99/pound

[MartyB]

Just got the latest Foodtown circular. Still no mention of a kosher option! I just can’t figure them out. Here are their thanksgiving offerings for a purchase of $300->

Cook’s Shank or Butt Portion Smoked Ham – Free
Foodtown Natural Turkey 10-22lb – Free
Foodtown Natural Turkey Breast 4-7/lb – Free
Shady Brook Farms Fresh Turkey 10-20/lb - $.40/lb
Shady Brook Farms Fresh Turkey Breasts 4-8/lb - $1.10/lb
Stoufer’s Lasagna – Free
Cook’s Spiral Sliced Ham - $.99/lb
Butterball Frozen Turkey 10-22lb - $.30/lb

You would think they could fit in a kosher turkey offering, especially after the email sent by one of their owners.

I just checked Stop & Shop’s circular. They are offering kosher frozen empire turkey for $1.99/lb. No big deal considering that Costco is offering the same for $1.79/lb, but at least they did advertise the kosher offering.

[midasgold]

We received our Trader Joe's "Fearless Flyer" via snail mail a few days ago. In addition to a really cool Venn Diagram depicting the intersection of Canned Pumpkin, Ice Cream, and Pie Crust and an elaborate "Turkey & Trimmings Schematic" centerfold, a front-page announcement confirms that, "They're back - in a big way. Fresh, Young, Glatt Kosher All-natural Turkeys for $2.29 per pound (12-16 lb birds) will be available starting November 13th, 2009."

[MartyB]

Well here we are a year later and I just got a flyer from the Foodtown of Hewlett and, again, no mention of a kosher Thanksgiving kosher option.

Is it because.

(1) Foodtown does not believe that the kosher consumer celebrates Thanksgiving?
(2) They have so few kosher shoppers that it is not worth their while to include the 1" that the offering (if they even have one) would take.
(3) ?

To recap, here is part of the email that I recieved LAST YEAR from one of the owners from Foodtown ->

My name is Noah Katz and I am one of the owners of Foodtown. (in Hewlett).

I got your email...sorry for the confusion and the fact that we overlooked putting the Kosher Turkey's in as part of the printed promotion in the flyer.
....
I just called Jerry the Meat Manager and he did in fact confirm that this is our practice, we just made a big mistake by not including it in the flyer. ...

[cheesecake17]

Maybe it might have been a mistake to leave it out of the flyer.

Lots of people buy kosher turkeys even if they don't keep kosher...

[MartyB]

I believe that I may have edited my post after you replied. I included the fact that the email that I received was from LAST YEAR. I can understand making a mistake last year and leaving it out, but here we are a year later and it was left out again despite the acknowledgement of the store owner that it was the stores practice to include a kosher thanksgiving option.

I just “replied” to Noah Katz’s year old email and will see what he has to say this year.

[cheesecake17]

I didn't see the edit. But two years in a row.. that seems like it's on purpose.

Just so you know... Shoprite in Brooklyn was advertising a free (nonkosher) turkey, stouffer's lasagna, ham, or kosher chicken.

[MartyB]

Just got the following response - see it pays to speak up. I don't quite know if I should pursue it via a phone call. It is not such a big deal to me. More of an issue of principle since they did offer a $10 gift certificate as one of the choices if you shop > $300 and one can use it for your Empire turkey purchase. This was more of an issue of the holiday spirit and one of inclusion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Again, I owe you and all the shoppers an apology for the way this came out in the flyer.

I would like you to know (I just got off the phone with advertising agency and computer people), the sale does include a reduced price for the Empire Turkey's and Turkey breasts when you spend $300 in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving....they just left it out of the printed flyer, again.

I am having them generate as we speak, signs that the stores will put up near the Empire Turkey's that will explain this.

Again, I am sorry about this and it is embarrassing that you have pointed this out to me two years in a row. I was just assured that this will not happen again.

Can you please email me your full contact information, I would like to send you a note in the mail. Plus, if you don't mind, I would like to call you, can you send me your phone number?

I am really sorry about this and I hope you have a great holiday season..

talk to you soon.

Noah

Noah Katz
Vice President
PSK Supermarkets
Foodtown - Freshtown
444 South Fulton Ave
Mount Vernon, New York, 10553
914-667-6400 x1011
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]

Noah Katz's Assistant is:
Dorette McPheter
914-667-6400 x1011
[e-mail]

[p.j.]

I think you should call. He sounds remorseful, and is trying do the right thing.
p.j.

[MartyB]

I definitely respect the man. I am more sensitive to what Foodtown does since I shopped the chain since my youth starting from when I lived in Canarsie.

[MartyB]

Shoprite's offer for a free kosher chicken - nice - but I can't picture sitting at the thanksgiving dinner over a chicken - doesn't seem "kosher".

I just wish the majors would simply subtract the cost per pound of the non-kosher turkeys that they are offering for free and offer the discount on the kosher turkeys. We Jews would understand and would be grateful. I really don't expect this day and age to be getting free kosher turkeys, but a discount on one would be nice.

[cheesecake17]

I think they do that also, but it's not advertised, and it's only up to a certain weight..

Waldbaum's in Brooklyn had an ad- spend $40 on certain items and get a free turkey. Not sure what the kosher option was, but I'm sure they offered something. Peppridge Farm and Mott's were two of the brands included.

[vallevin]

Shoprite in Bergen county is offering

1)1.19 OFF per pound of any other fresh or frozen Turkey (as opposed to their own

2) 1.89 off per pound of any fresh or frozen Turkey breast, here they specify Kosher included

3) The frozen roasting chicken - free (up to 4 lbs).

Now, I don't see why you couldn't get the discount on an entire kosher Turkey....it does say >>ANY OTHER<<

[berel]

is it going to be cheaper than the $1.79 per lb Costco is charging for Empire turkeys?

[MartyB]

It is in general hard to beat Costco on prices. I sometimes don't know how they do it.

Let me give an example. In the latest issue of Consumers Reports (12/2009 p11) they rate AA batteries. In the Alkaline catagory it goes something like this (price is for a pair)

Panasonic Evolta $2.00
Duracell Ultra $3.00
Kirkland (Costco) $0.46 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Duracell Coppertop $2.50
Panasonic Digital $1.50
Rayovac $1.50
Walgreens $2.50
Energizer Max $2.50
CVS $2.00

See what I mean?

By the way, I went to Costco this past Friday. They appear to be expanding their kosher meat offerings. They now have rib steaks with and without the bone. I bought the chuck meat to use for my chullent. Their meats are USDA Choice and look real nice.

[queenscook]

As far as meat is concerned, Costco may be the best price you can find. But as for batteries: Do they actually sell 2 for $0.46, or is this the price when a larger package is divided up? I just bought a 10 pack of Duracell Coppertop AAs at Target and paid 6.49, so they were 1.30 for two. But I couldn't buy two; the smallest pack was a 10-pack. Costco usually sells in such large quantities, it might work out to 46 cents per pair when you buy 10 or 20, but you might not need that many. I didn't really even want the 10 I bought at Target, and think I might have saved money by buying a 2 or 4-pack elsewhere, because I don't use batteries for very many things. Sometimes what sounds cheap works out to waste money, when you buy things you don't need. BTW, Consumer Reports rarely has the actually prices people pay; you can usually find what they report on for less than the prices they report.

[MartyB]

Just went to Keyfood to do some shopping, they are asking $2.99/lb for frozen Empire Turkey. I think Brachs/Gourmet Glatt are asking close to $3.50/lb for the Frozen Turkeys.

Costco rules!

[berel]

I have to Costco empire turkeys in the freezer so I'm set for a while.

I checked out the meat fridge in Costco last night, lots of rib steaks and rib eye available but I'm trying to stay away form meat as much as possible.

looks like those rumors of the vaad pressuring Costco just weren't true

[MartyB]

Outside of my Pik-N-Pay Brooklyn choice, it looks like Costco will be able to satisfy all my local kosher meat shopping needs. They now have turkeys, chickens - both fresh and frozen, brisket, steaks, london broil, chuck, chopped meats plus others that I don't remember. I am not big into meat - more of a chicken and turkey eater. What they currently carry is more than enough for me.

[berel]

have you tried the turkey tenders (turkey cutlets) at Costco, they make a nasty schintzel

[shoelace]

turkey cant be cooked like chicken, i used the sutlets, but they needed to be brined or marinated, to let them breakdown

[MartyB]

What marinade do you recommend for the turkey tenders? I always used chicken cutlets, never tried the turkey ones.

[shoelace]

there was a sesame teriyaki that i actually got at costco on the same trip that was really good, or sometimes ill blend togetehr some dijon mustard, lite soy sauce, lime juice, a little bit of olive oil and garlic

anything that tastes good on a chicken should be yummy on turkey, u just need to make sure it has soem acid in it to break down the turkey

let them sit in it for a couple fo hours then drop the cutlets in a grill pan and your good to go

[ravchaz]

The Shop Rite in Norwich, CT also has been running that "spend $300 in x period of time and get a free turkey" special. Some years the kosher turkeys were free up to a certain weight, other years they gave you the cost per pound of the non-kosher turkey off the price per pound of the kosher turkey. We weren't sure what the deal was this year but in fact we got our 15 lb. frozen turkey for free. The marked price for the frozen Empire turkeys was $1.99 lb and for fresh, $2.99 lb. If I had know we would have gotten the turkey for free, and if we could have instead gotten the fresh turkey for a dollar a pound, I would have gone that way. But I'm still quite satisfied.

[MartyB]

Went to Keyfood for the $1.99 turkey. Real easy to find $25 of other purchases to get the $1.99 price. Funny, they had lots of turkeys there, some were labeled $2.39/lb and some were labeled $2.99/lb. The $1.99/lb special were for turkeys up to 14 pounds. I tried to figure out why some were labeled $2.39 and some labeled $2.99. At first I thought that turkeys over 14 pounds were $2.99 until I saw a 12 pound bird priced at $2.99/lb.

Anyway, not a good year for turkey specials for the kosher consumer. Non-kosher consumers have free options or as low as $.29/lb and I am here semi-content with $1.99/lb - sigh. Last week Gourmet Glatt advertised a "Mega Blowout" special on Empire Frozen Turkey for $2.69/lb - I had to control myself from making a mad dash to them :)

[cheesecake17]

Fine Fare in Brooklyn had a free turkey wih a $300 purchase. (I'm pretty sure it was $300).

[berel]

I was in Waterbury Ct. yesterday, we stopped by the Waterbury Shoprite to visit my son who runs the kosher bagel concession in the Shoprite. Checked out the frozen Empire turkeys while in the store. $1.99 a lb. We also got a 10% discount via my son. So we bought another turkey even though we already bought a turkey at Traders Joes this week.

[njkosher]

Shoprite in NJ is giving frozen Empire Turkeys for free once you spend $300. Picked up a 14lb one this week. Only available through next friday.

[berel]

I think all the Shoprites have that deal

[joaniesl]

Only nonkosher turkeys at Shoprite are free. Empire Turkeys are $1.19 per lb if you spent the $300. Still a good deal. My guess is that your checkout person made a mistake and gave it to you for free. Hmmm where did you say your Shoprite is locates??

[Lissy63]

As of yesterday, they have plenty of them in Trader Joe's Merrick.

[shoelace]

hey, if you keep telling people that, they wont have any when i go to get one on monday!

i bought one early in the week to test out, and just finished it up last night, it was good

[whitewater]

There were some at TJs in Hewlett last night. My guess is that they are Empire, because of the KAJ connection (as indicated on the label).

Whole Foods at Houston and 2nd Ave had Wise's Organic Fresh for $1.69/lb- which I thought was a good price for a fresh, organic bird. (Alas, I didn't take it home with me on the LIRR.)

[momrn]

That price must be an error. The retail price of organic turkey should be somewhere around $4.00/lb. The store is losing significant money on each one.

[MartyB]

Just went to Gourmet Glatt in the 5 towns, they are selling Wise Organic Frozen turkeys for $5.49/lb.

[MartyB]

It looks like the preponderance of kosher shopping options, like Brachs, Gourmet Glatt and Supersol have taken its toll on the general supermarkets in the 5 towns. I just got in the mail flyers as well as looking at the supplements found in Newsday, it appears that they are abandoning the kosher market. In all prior years comes thanksgiving they would have as one of the holiday turkey options Empire. Now there is no mention of an Empire option and no mention of prices on Empire on most of the stores.

Foodtown, for example has the following options if you spend $100:
Free Foodtown turkey
Free Foodtown turkey breast
Free Cook’s shank smoked ham
Free Cook’s spiral sliced honey ham
Shady Brook Farms turkey $.60/lb
Shady Brook Farms turkey breast $.90/lb
Butterball Frozen turkey $.30/lb

You would think they can sneak in a kosher option?

King Kullen has $.29/lb turkey if you spend $50. Again, no mention of kosher options.

Stop & Shop
Shady Brooks farms frozen turkey $.59/lb
Butterball frozen turkey $.99/lb
Shady Brooks Farms fresh turkey $.99/lb
Butterball fresh turkey $1.49

Stop & Shop does advertise Empire for an astounding $2.49/lb, but is not one of the card club options.

[MartyB]

Keyfood is selling Empire Kosher turkey for $1.99/lb (reg $2.39) with $25 purchase. I have a feeling that this will be the best price this season so I will only buy one turkey for my family. I will have to scare up $25 of items (not too hard this day and age) and more importantly find some room in my freezer. I just may wait to purchase turkey closer to thanksgiving so I can place it into my frig. This is after all not such a blockbuster price for me to worry about it being gobbled up.

[shoelace]

Waldbaums has the same. It really makes me mad that Im enthused abt 1.99

Do you know if the sales are going to continue till thanksgiving?

I'd like to wait as well, but Im scared to miss the sale and they wouldn't guive me a straight answer

[MartyB]

I was upset about the exclusion of the kosher option that I fired of an email to Foodtown. They replied positively and hopefully will be reflected in next weeks circular,

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My name is Noah Katz and I am one of the owners of Foodtown. (in Hewlett).

I got your email...sorry for the confusion and the fact that we overlooked putting the Kosher Turkey's in as part of the printed promotion in the flyer.

Please know that all shoppers may take the price per pound of a Foodtown Turkey OFF the price of a kosher Empire Turkey, when they have accumulated the $300 spend.

I just called Jerry the Meat Manager and he did in fact confirm that this is our practice, we just made a big mistake by not including it in the flyer.

We will make signs and post them around the store.

At the end of the day, I have no one to blame but myself, as I am the owner, but there was a mistake made in this process, It certainly should have been included in print. It was always our intention to provide a Kosher Turkey at a discounted price when shoppers spend $300 in the period before the holiday.

Again, I apologize and I hope that you have a great holiday.

Noah

Noah Katz
Vice President
Foodtown - PSK Supermarkets

[midasgold]

The *fresh* kosher turkeys flew into the Hewlett Trader Joe's yesterday (Friday, 11/14/2008). They're $2..29 per pound - less than this week's Gourmet Glatt advertised price of $2.69 per pound for *frozen* Empire turkeys.

[MartyB]

Nice price, I may go for it if I can be assured that it will be in stock, at that price, a few days before thanksgiving. Too early to buy for thanksgiving yet.

[shoelace]

anyone have any clue if they have these in merrick as well?

[berel]

my wife just picked up a 14 lb turkey at Trader Joes. we'll freeze it for a few days. I think the frozen turkeys that are sold as frozen go thru a different freezing process for long term freezing.

[MartyB]

Very disappointed, I just looked at the advertisement supplement from Foodtown that was included in today's Newsday. No mention, again, of kosher turkey option; just the prior turkey/ham options. Just goes to show that talk is cheep. I stick to my initial observation that the local supermarkets have abandoned the kosher consumer. With Brachs, Gourmet Glatt, Supersol, Kosher World and now Glatt Kosher Kingdom, there is really no reason to have to deal with the supermarkets that you have to look at every single can and package to find the hechsher. I guess Foodtown has come to this conclusion as well and it was not worth to spare the space in the circular for an Empire turkey thankgiving option. Maybe they think that the kosher consumer doesn't celebrate thanksgiving?

[p.j.]

If your butcher can get a fresh turkey for you, go for it. Infinitely better texture, flavor, and juiciness. That said, our supply here in St. Louis has been sporadic. I think we had to take a frozen turkey last year.
p.j.

[midasgold]

Last year (2007), TRADER JOE'S ( www.traderjoes.com ) had *fresh* OU kosher turkeys, under the Trader Joe's label! I assume it was Empire or Rubashkin packaged in a different wrapper, but it was a mighty tasty bird indeed.

[midasgold]

I just called up Trader Joe's (the Hewlett, NY store) and they'll be arriving - TRADER JOE'S brand FRESH KOSHER TURKEYS on November 14, 2008. The store clerk didn't know what the price would be this year. If you're interested, I'd pick up one quickly, since they sold out rather briskly last year (I believe I got the very last one).

Enjoy!

[MartyB]

As it gets closer to thanksgiving you should see the deals appear. Usually Keyfood has good prices. You can keep tabs on prices by visiting

http://www.thefivetowns.com/NewExciti...

and looking at the circulars of the various stores online.

[shoelace]

I do check the circulars, do you have any clue what the regualr non-sale price is for whole frozen turkeys is at brachs or gg?

[MartyB]

Stay away from the kosher venues, I have never, ever, seen them with reasonable turkey prices. Keep an eye on Keyfood for the frozen Empire turkeys.

[shoelace]

there seems to be no reasonable this year, I miss the days of .69lb turkeys

[MartyB]

I'll take $1.29. Anyway, I thnk that it is still too early for the specials to appear, although I don't think that it will be super low. I will be satisfied with $1.99/lb. I usually stock up on turkeys around thankgiving time, but this year I have a feeling that I will buy only the one that I will use for the dinner.

I am stocking up on some good deals in the chicken catagory, chicken cutlets and chicken breasts, as well on some excellent deals on meats that currently exist (probably not for too long).

[weinstein5]

Where are you at? Becayse here in Chicago they are not too bad -

[shoelace]

Im in NY.Waldbaums has them for 2.99, but that's insane.

I do have the $10 towards one for buying 20 boxes of cereal, but I still cant bring myself to spend $50 on a turkey