Walmart says $35 holiday basket is its lowest yet: a look at past prices

Walmart calls its $35 holiday basket a program low. Compare past prices, serving sizes and menu changes, plus what the current offer’s estimate covers.

admin · November 4, 2026

Turkey, canned vegetables, stuffing and other holiday groceries arranged beside a blue Walmart bag. — Ingredients from Walmart’s 2026 holiday meal promotion, in a company-provided promotional photo. Courtesy of Walmart; editorial-use policy.

Walmart is offering a holiday grocery basket for $35, or $3.50 per person for 10, calling it the lowest-priced one-click basket in the program’s history in its Oct. 28 announcement.

The price is $4.93 below the $39.93 basket advertised in 2025. A look back at earlier offers shows how far the headline price has fallen — and why the contents matter when comparing one year with another.

What previous holiday baskets cost

Year	Basket price	People served
2023	Just over $70	Up to 10
2024	About $55	8
2025	$39.93	10
2026	$35	10

Selected advertised baskets, with different menus and serving estimates. Sources: ABC’s 2023 interview report, Walmart’s 2024 announcement, 2025 announcement and historical price summary and 2026 announcement. The 2023 figure describes the basket discussed in the interview; Walmart offered more than one option that year.

The program began in 2022, according to Walmart. Its launch-year announcement promised to hold a Thanksgiving assortment to 2021 prices, but did not give a single basket total.

In 2023, ABC reported after interviewing then-Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner that a basket for up to 10 would cost just over $70. Walmart’s announcement that year offered both a cook-from-scratch option and a more convenient alternative.

Hands lower a platter of roast turkey onto a table beside rolls and a casserole. — A serving scene from Walmart’s 2026 holiday promotion. The basket contains groceries to prepare at home; drinks, garnishes and tableware shown are not all included. Courtesy of Walmart · editorial-use policy.

A lower total, with a changing menu

The 2024 basket included a pecan pie and ingredients for scratch-made stuffing. Walmart’s 2025 assortment used packaged Stove Top stuffing. These are changes to the meal, so the totals do not measure the price of an identical shopping list.

Walmart separately says the products selected for 2026 cost 12% less than those same products did last year. That is the company’s comparison; we have not independently repriced each item. Its record-low claim refers to this basket program, not Thanksgiving meals everywhere.

What shoppers should know

The current offer runs through Dec. 24. Its $35 estimate uses a 13.5-pound turkey and 3.2 pounds of sweet potatoes; different weights can change the total. Availability varies, and pickup, shipping or delivery fees of up to $19.95 may apply.

Our take: a modest saving worth considering

A $4.93 lower starting price will not transform a household budget. It can still be welcome. If this year’s menu suits the people coming to dinner, there is good reason to consider the offer. A holiday promotion does not have to solve the entire grocery bill to be useful.

Convenience has value here, too. Beginning with a defined shopping list and a clear budget can make hosting feel more manageable. We would use the basket as a plan, leaving room for the family dish nobody wants to skip. Chasing a $35 total at the expense of a meal people actually enjoy misses the point.

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