How Far Ahead Can You Buy Turkey?

Buy a fresh turkey one to two days before the day you plan to cook. If there is a ‘best-by’ or ‘use by’ date on the manufacturer’s label, then you can keep fresh poultry, unopened, in the refrigerator until that date. Do not follow the ‘sell by’ date on the label.

If you want a fresh turkey, Ray says you should still buy it ahead. He suggests purchasing a fresh turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving. “Before it gets handled and all thrown around,” he says. When you take a fresh turkey home, leave it in the vacuum seal and store it on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

The ‘sell-by’ date is used by the store and is not a storage recommendation for consumers. For longer storage, freeze a fresh turkey within one to two days of purchase or by the ‘best by’ date on the label. It will stay safe in the freezer indefinitely. Use within 12 months for best quality.

Don’t wait to reserve one. Most local farmers have been taking orders for weeks now. Have a look at our list of sellers. [ How big a turkey should I buy? And other Thanksgiving FAQs, answered.] In theory, a frozen turkey can last indefinitely. But for the best quality, use a bird on ice within a year.

How long before you cook a turkey should you buy it?

If you go this route, you’ll want to buy the bird two days before you cook it. However, there is another tactic you can use, and it may just save you a couple of bucks in the long-run if you are equipped with proper storage, too: You can buy the turkey in advance, but frozen.

“In terms of how much to buy, you should anticipate needing one and a half pounds of meat per person,” says Sidoti. “If you like having a lot of leftovers, anticipate about two pounds per person.”

For reference, Sidoti says it takes anywhere from four to five days for a bird to fully thaw.

Salvage any turkeys that are on the brink of going into the dumpster by purchasing them a day after the feast and freeze accordingly. This is especially ideal if you have an extra freezer box in the house. “Make sure it’s fully thawed one day prior to seasoning and roasting,” she adds.

If you only have a handful of guests attending, such as three or four, you can opt for buying a turkey breast instead of the whole bird.