Trader Joe’s Fans Debate the Grocer’s Best Turkey Ahead of Thanksgiving

Trader Joe’s has a few fan-favorite turkeys to choose from.

The national grocery store has three full turkeys (along with a slew of other Thanksgiving-friendly sides and ingredients) for fans to choose from for this year’s Turkey Day. Between the All Natural Antibiotic Free Brined Fresh Young Turkeys, All Natural Glatt Kosher Fresh Young Turkeys and Organic Young Turkeys, there is something for every host, and fans online each have a favorite.

Customers deliberated about which turkey is best, and Redditors’ praise flew in for all three birds with each option garnering a fierce fandom.

Some opt for the Organic Young Turkeys with many explaining that it not being brined means they can control the salt level. “Also, I prefer a dry brine for a crispier skin over a wet brine,” a fan of the organic bird wrote. One fan wrote that this is their pick because giblets are “a must” for them. Plus, the turkeys are free range and fed a vegetarian diet, according to the retailer’s website. It goes for $3.99 per pound.

The All Natural Antibiotic Free Brined Fresh Young Turkeys (the cheapest choice of the three at $2.49 per pound) is a time-saving must-have for some hosts, as it comes in a “sweet-savory” brine. One person wrote, “I’ve had their brined turkey and it was super easy and super yummy. I usually brine my own but the year we had that one I was massively pregnant with my 3rd and had a 1 year old and 4 year old home 24/7 with me and I was less than a month from delivery. I definitely recommend!”

Kosher turkey was complimented by customers whose families’ keep kosher and from people who appreciated that it came with the giblets removed. But, some people commented to be wary of brining this bird, considering it is already soaked and salted as part of the kosher-certified preparation.

No matter which turkey is right for your family, some Redditors warned shoppers to get to the store. “FYI, TJ sells out of turkeys. Ive seen disappointed customers throwing a fit in stores on Thanksgiving eve,” one person commented.

Turkey Day is at risk of being pricier than usual as the U.S. turkey population is at its lowest in nearly 40 years, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

AFBF reported that the U.S. turkey flock has decreased to an estimated 195 million birds in 2025, marking the lowest total in roughly four decades. That level is down about 3% from 2024.

Turkey flocks are affected by several avian diseases, as millions of birds have been infected with bird flu and respiratory diseases.