Walmart announced Wednesday that it is rolling out a $35 holiday meal basket designed to feed 10 people, working out to approximately $3.50 per person [1]. This represents the lowest price point since Walmart launched the program in 2022, down from $4 per person last year [1]. The 2026 Holiday Meal Basket includes 26 items and features 18% more food items while costing 12% less than the same products did last year, according to the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer [1].
The price reduction comes as retailers intensify competitive efforts to attract budget-conscious shoppers amid persistent inflation concerns heading into the Thanksgiving season [1]. Walmart's competitors have also announced their own holiday meal offerings: Target announced a meal for six people priced at $30, while Aldi offered a version feeding 10 people for under $39 [1]. Additionally, Walmart-owned Sam's Club expanded its holiday meal offerings with its largest Thanksgiving meal to date, designed to feed 16 people for less than $10 per person [1].
The basket includes traditional holiday staples such as a Butterball turkey priced at 97 cents per pound (unchanged from last year), stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, sweet potato and corn casserole ingredients, and pumpkin pie with whipped topping for dessert [1]. The offering is available through December 24 [1]. This pricing strategy reflects the current food inflation environment, where food prices are up 2.5% compared with last year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' September consumer price index, though the food at home index decreased 0.1% on a monthly basis and is up 1.8% from a year ago [1].
CONCLUSION
Walmart's aggressive pricing on its 2026 Holiday Meal Basket—the lowest since program inception—demonstrates the retailer's commitment to value positioning during an inflationary period while maintaining competitive advantage against rivals like Target and Aldi. The expansion of holiday meal offerings across Walmart's portfolio, including Sam's Club, signals confidence in driving traffic and basket size during the critical holiday shopping season despite ongoing consumer price sensitivity.