D’Amico at Home provides a fresh herb kit to decorate your meal. It adds a touch of homemade pizzazz. Photos: D’Amico Catering
Take the stress out of preparing the big meal with a little help from neighborhood businesses.
I believe planning a Thanksgiving meal is truly a labor of love, but let’s be honest—the logistics of pulling off the perfect feast can feel a little overwhelming. Last year, Edina Magazine suggested outsourcing dessert to ease the stress of holiday prep. This year, let’s take it a step further by ordering the entire Thanksgiving feast. I’ve been outsourcing my Thanksgiving meal since 2009. Here are my favorites.
D’Amico’s salads are always creative. Diners will enjoy mixed greens with candied apples, toasted walnuts and a hard cider vinaigrette.
D’Amico
D’Amico is a Twin Cities institution. D’Amico at Home offers a delicious Thanksgiving dinner for six, featuring an array of carefully crafted dishes. The meal includes fresh salads, a variety of flavorful side dishes and herb-roasted turkey breast and thighs served with gravy. To top it off, enjoy a classic pumpkin pie made by the company’s executive pastry chef Leah Henderson. A garnish kit with fresh herbs and citrus is also provided to enhance the meal with a homemade feel. All dinners are available by preorder only and must be picked up in advance. A time, date and location for pick up will be given when orders are placed.
The meal also features a classic pumpkin pie made by executive pastry chef Leah Henderson.
D’Amico Catering
Instagram: @damicocatering
Lunds & Byerlys
My first outsourced Thanksgiving feast was from Lunds & Byerlys, which offers plenty of options from a classic meal for three to five people and a larger option that serves eight to 10 diners. All turkey dinners come with side dishes, buns and dessert.
“It’s a chef-crafted, heat-and-serve turkey dinner with all the sides and fixings,” says Katie Tomsche, content manager for Lunds & Byerlys. “These dinner orders are placed in our deli department in person or via phone and can be picked up right before Thanksgiving.”
Lunds & Byerlys has options for three to 12 diners. The small meal features turkey breast and the larger meal has a fully cooked turkey. Orders can be placed in the deli department. Photos: Lunds & Byerlys
The smaller meal features a fully cooked, all-natural turkey breast. The larger one has a fully cooked, all-natural whole turkey.
Customers can also purchase a gourmet turkey dinner through Lunds & Byerlys Catering at catering.lundsandbyerlys.com.
Lunds & Byerlys
7171 France Ave. S.; 952.831.3601; and 3405 W. 50th St.; 952.926.6833
Instagram: @lundsandbyerlys
Kowalski’s Markets
Kowalski’s is the newest addition to the grocery store scene in Edina. I ordered its Thanksgiving menu when my family lived near the Uptown location. Its deli has several options for a full Thanksgiving meal. The small dinner serves four to six diners and the large 10 to 12 people. Both options include a fully cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, maple roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, pies and rolls. Kowalski’s also has a meal for two that features turkey breast, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry relish, green beans and stuffing. And if you’re feeling extra adventurous or whimsical, there is a “sides-only” meal that serves 10 to 12 people.
Kowalski’s has a range of turkey dinners available. It also has a sides-only package, which is perfect for those who want to cook their own turkey, or are just in the mood for indulging on side dishes. Photo: Kowalski’s Markets
“Sides-only meals and à la carte sides are great choices for customers who prefer to order their raw turkey from the meat department,” says Rachael Perron, Kowalski’s culinary and branding director. “We also offer an oven-ready bird in the meat department that is very fuss-free (no cleaning the bird and only minimal prep required).”
Online ordering began in mid-October. Perron also says that meals sell out early every year. She recommends ordering sooner, rather than later.
Kowalski’s Markets
324 Southdale Center; 952.697.4200
Facebook: Kowalski’s Markets
Instagram: @kowalskis_markets
Whole Foods
I always found Whole Foods’ Thanksgiving menu to have a wide variety of options. I’ve ordered à la carte and several entire meals over the years.
“We have a wide range of meals for our customers with everything from turkeys to ham,” says Chelsea Bue, team leader of the Edina kitchen.
Meals for four to eight people include a classic roast whole turkey, sea salt and cracked pepper green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, traditional herb stuffing and cranberry orange sauce. The meal for 12 diners includes all of the above and butternut squash soup with brioche buns and a maple bourbon ham with brown sugar citrus glaze.
Last year, the Edina location also featured a salmon option. And back by popular demand, Whole Foods offers a vegan menu. Last year’s roasted vegetable en croute was a huge success. “It was delicious,” Bue says.
Whole Foods also has cooked turkeys. Customers can also purchase a bundle of side dishes. The most popular is the classic sides package that includes green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and cranberry orange sauce.
Order online or in person. Pick up dates vary.
Whole Foods
7401 France Ave. S.; 952.830.3500
Instagram: @wholefoods
Raag Progressive Indian Cuisine
If you’re looking for a way to push the envelope, Raag’s takeout meal for four diners will hit the spot. I tried it last year and found it to be a pleasant mix of East meets West—which is just what the Indian fusion restaurant always aims to deliver. The centerpiece of the meal is a whole, roasted tandoori chicken.
“It was very well received last year,” says Sohil Goorha, owner of Raag.
Sides for the main course are a cauliflower and pea stir fry. Raag’s spin on mashed potatoes is its tadka mashed potatoes with gravy. The potatoes are tempered and served with a makhani gravy—the sauce used in butter chicken and butter paneer. And for the vegetarians, there is also a pumpkin and cheese ravioli.
If you are looking for something different for your Thanksgiving table, Raag Progressive Indian Cuisine serves up a vibrant twist on tradition. This feast is a unique East-meets-West culinary experience. Photo: Sohil Goorha
But the meal wouldn’t be complete without a twist on pumpkin pie. Raag’s version is a pumpkin halwa pie. Think pumpkin pie with a hint of cardamom and jaggery (a natural sugar from Asia with a flavor between caramel and molasses).
The meal also comes with naan, vegetable rice pilaf, a salad and mushroom and cheese pinwheels. Order online or over the phone. Pickup dates vary.
Raag Progressive Indian Cuisine
3812 W. 50th St.; 952.405.8367
Instagram: @raagindiancuisine
Menus and availability are subject to change. We suggest reaching out to vendors directly for the latest updates.
Secret Sauce: How to Serve Up Store-Bought With a Homemade Touch
Here are some tips for making your outsourced meal feel as if you made it all yourself.
Use Your Serveware: Transfer everything into your own bowls, serveware and platters. Items that have to be cooked can go into your baking dishes. This can be tricky if there is an elaborate presentation on the top of the dish, especially the green bean casserole. While the dish is still cold, use kitchen scissors to cut the sides off aluminum containers, and carefully slide into your baking dish.
Refresh: Add fresh ingredients to make dishes look homemade. For example, add a sprinkle of fresh herbs to mashed potatoes.
Adjust the Timing: Reheat the food strategically so everything comes out hot at the same time, as if you’ve been cooking all day. Most of these meals come with a how-to guide that ensures all dishes are ready to eat once your family sits down at the table.
Create a Cozy Ambiance: Set the table beautifully with linens, candles and a festive centerpiece.
Stash the Evidence: If you’re keeping your store-bought meal a secret, hide any packaging well before your guests arrive. (My coworker threw away all takeout containers into her large garbage bin even though Garbage Day wasn’t until Tuesday.) Out of sight is out of mind, and it helps to keep the illusion intact.
Control the Narrative: Mention that you’ve had some help with the meal if needed or that you focused on making the event special in other ways, like creating the perfect atmosphere or picking the best wines to pair with the meal.
Breathe: Don’t feel guilty. The fact that you managed to get a scrumptious meal on the table is more than enough.
