Dinner is Served

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, many families are looking forward to gathering around the dining table to take in a feast for both the eyes and the palate. This yearly tradition, however, doesn't come without a price. "It's a time-consuming dinner to cook," said Jim Quirk of New England Steak and Seafood in Mendon. 

For those who'd prefer to spend their Thanksgiving time in the company of friends and family, rather than in the heat of a hectic kitchen, there are alternatives to a home-cooked Butterball with all the trimmings.

How's this to whet your appetite: A 10-12 pound turkey, 5 pounds of potatoes, 2 ½ pounds of green bean with almonds, a quart of cranberry/orange relish; 1 ½ quarts of turkey gravy, 12 rolls and apple pie?

The entire meal, enough for a family of eight, is cooked up for you by the staff at Whole Foods Market in Bellingham. "It's dinner … done," quipped Amy Alli, Whole Foods team member. Too much? Whole Foods also offers a pre-cooked dinner for four. For those who prefer their birds be left in a petting zoo, the market offers a vegan dinner.

For the past 17 years, Milfordians have been trekking to nearby Mendon to pick up their pre-cooked Thanksgiving feast, courtesy of the chefs at Quirk's New England Steak and Seafood. "Everything's homemade," noted Jim Quirk, restaurant owner and manager. The meal features fresh birds and homemade gravy. The cut-off date to order a precooked dinner from the steak house is Nov. 23, with pick-up on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. "It (buying pre-cooked) has become more and more popular over the years," Quirk said. "This year we have over 1,200 dinners sold." 

has been offering cooked dinners for years, according to Manager John Costello. "It's very convenient," he said. While most Thanksgiving meals are still prepared in the family kitchen, Costello noted that "there's a certain (type of) person who prefers it all cooked up." The Stop & Shop dinner features a 10-12 pound turkey, stuffing, potatoes, squash, cranberry relish, dinner rolls and an apple pie. The cutoff date to order the traditional meal is Nov. 23.

Though a number of families will consider dining out for the holiday, "there are a lot of people staying home," said Ray Roche, deli manager at  "It's the cheaper way to serve your family Thanksgiving dinner," he said, referencing the economic downturn. Orders, he said, were "actually up from last year."

"There's nothing like walking in the house to the smell of turkey cooking in the oven," said Nick Oliva, of . It can be that much better if someone else has taken the drudgery out of your Thanksgiving cooking. At Oliva's, customers have the option of purchasing the complete dinner, which translates to turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, stuffing and gravy, or purchasing the components separately. Consumers have until Nov. 22 to order for a Nov. 24 pick up. "Some people just don't have the time (to cook) … so they have it catered," Oliva said.

In addition to providing individual households with Thanksgiving treats, Oliva's also caters to a number of area workplaces, including Verallia's glass manufacturing plant on National Street.

Jean's Catering on Central Street, run by Jean Ozella, will continue its yearly routine of providing meals for the area's disadvantaged, even though it has been "a rough year, economically," according to employee Rosemarie Ford. For the past 30 years, the Milford icon has teamed with area churches to bring the longstanding Thanksgiving tradition to those who otherwise could not afford to celebrate the holiday.

As Thanksgiving morning dawns and the frantic preparations begin for the holiday meal, area residents may well note that many of the above-mentioned business also provide pre-cooked meals for Christmas.