As Thanksgiving draws closer, things start to get more crowded: airports, roads, and grocery stores. Circana’s latest research shows that shoppers’ carts are filling up fast in the days preceding November 27.

Although many consumers are buying the same staples, there is some shifting happening in the run-up to this widely celebrated holiday. According to Circana’s OmniMarket™ Integrated Fresh data for the week of November 2-9, 2025, dollar sales of whole turkeys hit $41,404,334, up 1.4% over the same period last year. The gain isn’t highly attributable to inflation: the price per volume of whole birds came in at $1.12 for that week, a 1.3% dip from 2024.

This year’s sales uptick represents a bit of a rebound for turkey. Whole turkey dollar sales are still off by 58.9% compared to 2023 and down 66.9% versus 2022.

Still the star of the Thanksgiving show, turkey started to appear in more baskets starting in October, as people began to stock up for the main meal. For the four-week period ending Nov. 9, total turkey dollar sales reached $102,244,411 for a 2.4% gain over the same time frame last year. Sales of whole turkeys rose 1.4% in that month-long span.

Circana’s data reveals dynamics across other popular Thanksgiving food and beverage categories, as mindful shoppers continue to balance their quest for value with their enthusiasm for celebrating special occasions.

• For the latest one-week period ending Nov. 9, fresh potatoes rang up $82,270,071 in dollar sales, a 3% decline versus 2024. Fresh sweet potatoes and yams came in at $18,826,836 for a 10.9% lift over last Thanksgiving.

• Elsewhere in produce, fresh cranberry sales ticked up 5.4% during that week to $3,994,342 and fresh carrots rose 2.7% to $35,353,561. Fresh celery — commonly used in stuffing recipes and in appetizer trays — ­enjoyed $21,936,465 in sales, a 5.2% bump from 2024.

• Some shoppers appeared to be cutting back on dinner rolls during their store visits that week. Sales of center store dinner rolls decreased 8.2% and sales of perimeter dinner rolls slid by 9.9% compared to 2024.

• Also in the center store, sales of stuffing mixes came in 0.7% higher at $19,509,870, and cranberry sauce sales reached $8,855,490, a 1.6% gain.

• In desserts, sales of frozen pies edged down 0.8% to $13,196,544 for that week, while sales of frozen pie/pastry shells were 3.9% lower, reaching $5,186,000. Dairy/whipped topping sales fell 1.5% to $49,473,280.

Whenever and whatever they are buying for Turkey Day, a majority of U.S. consumers are planning to gather around their tables. Circana’s data shows that 97% of Thanksgiving dinners are eaten at home or someone else’s home.

Hungry for more Thanksgiving trends? Discover Circana's additional insights on this year’s food-centric event.