Metro Detroit grocery stores offer many to-go Thanksgiving dinner options

Let's face it. A traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the side dishes and desserts that people expect is a huge undertaking.

But having a meal ready to pop in the oven or that only needs reheating is a game changer for hosts and cooks not up for whipping up a big meal with all the fixings.

If you're not looking to cook or make reservations, many metro Detroit grocery stores are ready with a plan for Thanksgiving hosts and cooks.

Stores offer complete, fully cooked or prepped and oven-ready Thanksgiving meals to go. Local bakeries and specialty dessert stores also offer many options that ease deciding what bread, rolls, pie and other desserts to serve.

A big bonus is some of the complete meals cost less than last year.

Unlike dining out ( we have a list for that, too ), these complete meal offers come with plenty of options that will likely leave you with those much-loved Thanksgiving leftovers.

If you don't need the whole meal but just help with the bird, some stores offer ready to take home turkeys, with instructions to roast in the oven.

Most of the meals come with the traditional sides, from green bean casseroles to mashed potatoes and gravy. And if you have a big crowd coming for dinner, most stores offer a huge selection of sides sold separately.

What to know: Start planning now and get orders in. Most grocery stores have cutoff times for Thanksgiving and some require a deposit.

Stores may have specific pickup times to facilitate orders.

Some stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day, so meal packages are picked up the day before or on a set date.

Here's a sampling of what metro Detroit grocery stores are offering:

Better Health Market and Cafe Multiple locations

Full or a la carte premade and ready-to-heat turkey or plant-based Thanksgiving meals. You can also order raw turkeys and other items individually. Turkey options available include all-natural, organic fresh Amish and hormone and antibiotic-free. Also available are plant-based vegan roast as a main dish option and more. A complete meal with sides serving four people is $69 or $119 for eight servings. An organic turkey meal options is $199 and includes a roasted 8-pound organic turkey and several sides. The vegan option features a Vegetable Quinoa Roast meal with sides including a vegan gravy, and is $79 to serve four. Meals come with choice of Achatz pumpkin or apple pies.

For info and ordering: betterhealthmarket.com

Busch's Fresh Food Market Multiple locations

Completely cooked and ready-to-reheat dinners. Choose from Busch's herb-rubbed turkey breast, Plainville's all-natural turkey or Busch's spiral-sliced ham (substitute Dearborn ham for $20 more). Turkey meals come with poultry gravy and a choice of three sides in 3-pound portions, including green bean casserole and cheesy, mashed or scalloped potatoes. The turkey breast meal serves four to six people, all other dinners serve six to eight people. Cost ranges from $89 to $129 per meal. Another option is Busch's garlic pepper rubbed rib roast, which is uncooked at pickup. The roast serves six to eight, includes three sides, and is $179.

For info and ordering: buschs.com

Holiday Market Royal Oak

An oven-ready meal features an all-natural, free-range turkey with butter, and seasoned with aromatic herbs. The meals also include sides of mashed potatoes, sage dressing, house-made gravy, whipped sweet potatoes, garlic green beans, Michigan cherry salad, brandied cranberry chutney, European-style rolls with garlic-chive butter and a 10-inch pumpkin pie. Serves four to six for $250 or $365 to serve eight to 10. You can also order the turkey only ($85-$99) separately in several sizes or Holiday Market's Smokehouse turkeys for $99 each. Sides are also available from the grab and go case during Thanksgiving week.

For info and ordering: holiday-market.com

Multiple locations

Ready-to-heat Thanksgiving dinner bundles are offered with a choice of protein. Choose from Butterball whole oven roasted bone-in turkey, boneless turkey, boneless or bone-in ham, prime rib or Boar's Head boneless sweet, sliced ham. Prices vary from $75 to $105 for serving four to six, or $160 to $175 for serving eight to ten. Each meal includes sides of mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, maple pecan mashed sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.

For info and ordering: kroger.com

More: These metro Detroit restaurants offer Thanksgiving dinner options

Lafayette Foods

A half-ham or whole-turkey dinner feeds eight to 10 people. The meal is $129.95 and includes a 10- to 12-pound turkey or half-ham, and numerous sides including mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls and an 8-inch cherry, pumpkin or apple pie. A half-turkey dinner is $79.95. You can also order 2-pound portions of a variety side items for $15.95 (seasoned green beans are $16.95). Peach cobbler is $17.95 for a 2-pound portion.

For info and ordering:

Multiple locations

This year, Meijer offers premade meals available for pre-order. Call or visit a store's deli department to order.

The complete, premade Thanksgiving meal is $59.99 and feeds six people. Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, cranberry relish and rolls are included.

For info and ordering: meijer.com

Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace A holiday feast serves four to six and features a turkey breast, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans, cherry-glazed sweet potatoes, orange-cranberry relish, and a choice of fruit pie (apple, cherry or pumpkin). It's $99.99. Items are also available a la carte. You can also order custom cakes, fruit, vegetables and cheese and meat platters. Nino Salvaggio has four locations in metro Detroit.

For info and ordering: ninosalvaggio.com

Papa Joe's Gourmet Market and Catering Birmingham and Rochester

The Thanksgiving dinner package includes a choice of roasted turkey or Dearborn spiral-sliced ham, choice of salads and sides, such as stuffing, potatoes and vegetables. All dinners come with house-baked rolls and butter, citrus spread cranberry relish, turkey gravy (gluten-free) and classic pumpkin pie. It's $33.99 per person with a five-person minimum for a total of $169.95. Additional people are $33.99 each. Meals come cold and with reheating instructions. Orders for 10 people receive a whole turkey; orders for five to nine people receive a turkey breast. You can also order additional sides.

For info and ordering: papajoesmarket.com

Plum Market The Thanksgiving dinner package serves eight and includes a ready-to-cook, 14- to 16-pound all-natural, preseasoned whole turkey. The dinner comes with traditional vegetarian stuffing, creme fraiche mashed potatoes, gravy and house-made cranberry sauce. The cost is $270. Other holiday dinner packages range from $80 to $180 and include vegan turkey breast or ham options in several serving-sizes. Plum Market has four metro Detroit locations.

For info and ordering: plummarket.com

Westborn Market Multiple locations

A fully cooked meal includes a 12- to 16-pound free-range Bowman & Landes turkey paired with classic side dishes. Highlights include green bean casserole with shitake mushrooms and golden onions, mashed Yukon gold potatoes, turkey and rosemary gravy, orange-cranberry sauce (Michigan cranberries, orange zest and juice), brioche and chestnut stuffing with sage pork sausage, and rosemary custard and pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream and roasted spiced pumpkin. The meal is $265. Westborn Market has four locations.

For info and ordering: westbornmarket.com

Western Market

Order an everything-but-the-turkey package feast. Serving four to six, the package ($99) includes six dinner rolls, cranberry relish, 2 pounds each of mashed potatoes, gravy, collard greens, southern-style mashed potatoes, stuffing and corn casserole. A package that serves eight to 12 is $199 with four pounds of the above and 12 dinner rolls. You can also order an individual plate of the above or a vegan option. Other ordering options include a gourmet cheese and charcuterie board, appetizers, fresh fruit, veggie and grilled veggie trays, and desserts.

For info and ordering:

Whole Foods Market Multiple locations

Several packages are offered, and, depending on the items, range in serving sizes. Classic roast turkey with turkey gravy is served with sea salt & cracked pepper green beans, creamy mashed russet potatoes, classic holiday herb stuffing and cranberry orange sauce. A meal for 4 is $99.99 and a meal that serves 8 is $169.99. The meals are packed cold and require reheating. You can also order turkey and sides individually.

For info and ordering: wholefoodsmarket.com