Stop & Shop Survey Reveals Shoppers' Thanksgiving Meal Favorites

A recent national survey commissioned by grocery store retailer Stop & Shop has revealed what consumers favor on Thanksgiving. While Thanksgiving is a holiday that revolves around family with close to half (49 percent) of Americans said spending time with family and friends was what they loved most, nearly a quarter (24 percent) said eating is their favorite part of the holiday, the survey found. The survey was conducted to ensure Stop & Shop has the widest variety of fresh and frozen turkey offerings—including its fresh, antibiotic-free and organic turkeys from its Nature's Promise line—that customers can feel good about serving their family. 

When it comes to turkey choice, a quarter (25 percent) of Americans are buying fresh, antibiotic-free/organic turkeys, 22 percent are purchasing fresh and 43 percent of Americans purchasing frozen birds. 

When it comes to side dishes, nearly half (48 percent) of Americans agreed stuffing is the best side that goes with turkey, although mashed potatoes are a close second choice with 31 percent of people planning to fill their plates with that starchy goodness. Squash was the least favorite garnering just two percent.

More than half (65 percent) of Americans reported that they will spend up to $100 on their meal, while 26 percent will spend up to $150 and nice percent up to $250.

This Thanksgiving, people living in the Northeast prefer their Thanksgiving turkey frozen (36 percent), however, 25 percent of Americans will purchase an organic/antibiotic free fresh turkey, while 27 percent will be serving a traditional fresh turkey.

More than half (52 percent) of those living in the Northeast chose stuffing as their top turkey side, compared to 48 percent nationally. Mashed potatoes are the least popular nationally in the Northeast, where 24 percent of people picked it as their top side, compared to 31 percent.

More than half (61 percent) of New Englanders will spend up to $100 on their Thanksgiving meal, while 18 percent will spend up to $150, and 12 percent will spend over $200 on Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Almost half of those in the Northeast (48 percent) say their favorite part of Thanksgiving is spending time with family and friends, 26 percent say its eating and drinking, 10 percent report relaxing, seven percent say its watching sports, five percent report preparing for black Friday shopping and three percent say volunteering.