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Get Thanksgiving dinner without cooking at home

Local markets, delis and hotels offer holiday meals.

Posted at 03:47 PM on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

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For those who aren't avid cooks, all the hype about Thanksgiving can be intimidating. Think about it: From gorgeous turkey photos in food magazines to Food Network shows, the ideal is a home-cooked meal.

But some folks just don't like cooking or don't have time to prep a mid-week feast. Luckily, there are plenty of options for a no-cook Thanksgiving. Diners can sit down at hotel restaurants or go to supermarkets for take out. Here's a guide to these options, as well as other restaurants and delis that have plans for Turkey Day.

All of the information won't fit here. For full menus, go to my blog at fresnobeehive.com/author/joan_obra.

Supermarkets

Of the supermarkets, Whole Foods Market in Fig Garden Village has the most extensive spread. The most popular meals are $99.99 for eight people. One features a traditional turkey dinner and the other ham.

Side dishes include green beans with shallots, rolls and pumpkin pie. Customers also can add other side dishes, such as macaroni and cheese with Dungeness crab, at an extra cost.

Vegan dinners for two people are $49.99 and include meatless turkey cutlets stuffed with wild rice and cranberries, stuffed acorn squash and baked apples.

The Fig Garden Village store will hold free holiday tastings Nov. 13-15, as well as Thanksgiving-themed classes throughout the month with cooking tips, seafood and Mediterranean recipes and gluten-free dishes.

For more information, call Whole Foods at (559) 241-0300 or place an order online at wholefoodsmarket.com/holidays.

At Vons, the best prices on Thanksgiving dinners come with a club card. The $39.99 turkey dinner and the $49.99 ham meal serves 6-8 people, while the $64.99 prime rib dinner serves 4-5 people.

Side dishes and desserts vary according to the dinners; they include pumpkin or apple pie, mashed potatoes or scalloped potatoes au gratin, and more.

For more information, go to the deli counter at any Vons supermarket, or call the stores' holiday hotline at (888) 358-7328.

Save Mart also has dinners with turkey and ham; each are $49.99 and serve about eight people. The side dishes are different for each meal.

For example, the ham dinner includes baked yams with marshmallows and apple pie, while the turkey dinner includes cranberry relish and pumpkin pie. For more information, go to the deli counters at Save Mart stores.

The Market at Herndon and West avenues has its own dinners with Diestel turkeys and five side dishes ($129.99 for 8-10 people) and ham ($69.99 for 6-8 people) with four side dishes. Desserts are not included. The Market will hold tastings of its holiday dishes on Saturday, Nov. 14 and Nov. 21. Call (559) 432-3306 for more information.

Hotels

Throughout the central San Joaquin Valley, dining rooms in hotels and resorts will serve Thanksgiving Day meals at a variety of prices.

For a high-end experience, Erna's Elderberry House Restaurant in Oakhurst will serve a multi-course meal with Granny Smith apple-acorn squash soup; roasted free-range turkey with sides such as Beech mushroom polenta, haricots verts and roasted chestnuts and red cabbage braised in port wine; cranberry tartlette; and more. The cost is $105 per person. For reservations, call (559) 683-6800.

A family-friendly meal will take place at the Pines Resort in Bass Lake. The children's turkey dinner is $14.25, while the adults' meal is $28.50.

The adults meal includes a choice of entrees: turkey, prime rib or sea bass. Salad, seasonal vegetables, brandied butternut and apple bisque, and pumpkin pie or cheesecake round out the meal. Call (559) 692-8855 for reservations.

For information about meals at The Ahwahnee, The Mountain Room, The Wawona, Tenaya Lodge and Steak and Anchor, go to fresnobeehive.com/author/joan_obra.

Restaurants and Delis

Of the chain restaurants, Marie Callender's, Boston Market and Mimi's Cafe are among those known for Thanksgiving Day meals. (Go to mcpies.com/holidayguide, bostonmarket.com, or mimiscafe.com for more information.)

Some independent restaurants will serve Thanksgiving meals in their dining rooms. For example, the four-course dinner at The Chef's Table in Fig Garden Village features duck and leg-of-lamb entrees in addition to turkey. Parsnip puree soup, salad, and pumpkin pie round out the meal. Prices range from $28 to $38. For reservations, call (559) 227-3200.

At The Vintage Press, the à la carte Thanksgiving menu includes appetizers such as wild mushrooms in puff pastry and chilled prawn cocktail, as well as Mary's turkey with sausage and apple dressing and pistachio-crusted Atlantic salmon fillet among the entrees. Call (559) 733-3033 for reservations.

Others offer take-out meals. New Stars Vegetarian Restaurant at Champlain Drive and Perrin Avenue is selling $39, heat-and-serve dinners for two people. These vegan and vegetarian meals include premium soy turkey with vegetable gravy, baked yams, soup or salad and pumpkin spice cake. Call (559) 434-6363 to place orders.

Campagnia, also at Champlain Drive and Perrin Avenue, sells a $120 meal for 6-8 people. In addition to the herb-marinated turkey (that needs to be cooked at home), it includes garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, a pumpkin pie, orange cranberry relish and more. Call (559) 433-3300 for orders.

And the Walnut Avenue Deli in Visalia is selling roasted turkeys and glazed game hens with lots of appetizers, dishes, desserts - and even breakfast dishes. Crab cakes with Cajun remoulade, butternut squash soup with cider-crème fraîche, spinach-and-mushroom frittata with chives and apple dumplings in puff pastry are just a few of the options. To place orders, call (559) 734-2436.