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Buying a fresh turkey for Christmas...how late do you leave it before buying?

cathrincathrin Posts: 4,968
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in Food and Drink #1
Anyone already bought a fresh turkey? I always intend to wait and buy mine just a couple of days before Christmas, so it's as fresh as possible. But then I start to panic in case they run out, so I usually buy it around the 21st/22nd.

I've noticed that the "cook by" date on all turkeys is always the same (26th), whether you buy it a week before Christmas or on Christmas Eve! So maybe it doesn't make any difference freshness-wise whether you buy it early or late?

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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 18,013
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    #2
    No problem getting them this early. They don't get fresher unless you are on a farm. They all had their necks wrung already lol
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    sarahcssarahcs Posts: 8,734
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    #3
    My dad ordered ours from a local turkey farm about a month ago. They will deliver it on Christmas Eve.
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    DaisyBumblerootDaisyBumbleroot Posts: 24,763
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    #4
    cathrin wrote: »
    I've noticed that the "cook by" date on all turkeys is always the same (26th), whether you buy it a week before Christmas or on Christmas Eve!

    they'll all have been frozen beforehand and i reckon its also so you dont buy it and keep it, it makes sure the turkey market is still moving after 26th
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,625
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    #5
    DaisyBumbleroot wrote: »
    they'll all have been frozen beforehand and i reckon its also so you dont buy it and keep it, it makes sure the turkey market is still moving after 26th

    It will have to be stated on the label if they have been previously frozen.
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    toastietoastie Posts: 2,508
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    #6
    We are getting ours on Chritsmas Eve from the local Butcher.:)
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    squibblesquibble Posts: 750
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    #7
    M&S, Christmas Eve - quarter price. Lush.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,554
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    #8
    We pre-order from the local butcher.. Pick up on 23rd.
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    LushnessLushness Posts: 38,169
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    #9
    I'll buy my bird from M&S on Christmas Eve by 7:30am, will get my lamb from Waitrose though.
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    AbrielAbriel Posts: 8,525
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    #10
    squibble wrote: »
    M&S, Christmas Eve - quarter price. Lush.
    Can you guarantee they'll have some left though, we haven't bought/ordered ours yet and I'm staring to panic, don't want to have to get a huge one:o
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    squibblesquibble Posts: 750
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    #11
    Abriel wrote: »
    Can you guarantee they'll have some left though, we haven't bought/ordered ours yet and I'm staring to panic, don't want to have to get a huge one:o

    One of the daughter's gets them at staff waste as the store closes. You'd be amazed at how many people forget to pick them up after ordering them. I think she got seven crowns last year and we gave them away to family.

    As they're raw meat they can't go to the homeless shelters.

    I'd go in Monday and see if you can order one for Wednesday.
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