Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, good food and gathering. Make it easy when you shop your local Strack & Van Til.

Choose fresh, frozen, organic or locally raised turkeys. Meat Department Director Gary Teachman recommends frozen Jennie-O, Butterball and Mary’s Free Range All-Natural Turkey when shopping in advance. “Keep frozen turkeys frozen and defrost a few days before Thanksgiving, checking the label for thawing times based on weight,” he notes.

Frozen Jennie-O Young Turkeys feature a pop-up timer and are deep basted with natural turkey broth and seasonings. They’re Grade A, gluten-free and contain no added fats, oils, sugars or MSG and carry Jennie-O’s satisfaction guarantee.

Butterball Frozen Whole Turkeys are all-natural, gluten-free and raised without hormones on American farms. Mary’s Organic Turkey is raised without antibiotics ever and available for order at select stores.

Fresh choices include Jennie-O, raised without growth-promoting antibiotics and pre-basted for exceptional flavor, and all-natural Butterball, for the time-honored tradition without thawing.

Try a convenient cook-in-the-bag turkey or Jennie-O Boneless Breast. Warm Ogden Meats Fully Cooked Turkey Breast Lobe, Kentucky Legend Fully Cooked Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast and Smithfield carver ham heat up in 45 minutes or serve as is. Pair with Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes, mac and cheese, broccoli and cheese, mashed sweet potatoes or glazed apples.

Spend less time in the kitchen with fully cooked Deli Department dinners, which are ready to heat and serve.

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Dinner: 3 pounds roasted turkey breast, 2 pounds Our Own Recipe stuffing, 5 pounds homestyle mashed potatoes, 24 ounces homestyle gravy and 15 ounces cranberry relish. Serves 6 for $69.99.

Traditional Turkey Dinner: 10-12 pound pre-cooked Butterball turkey with the same sides and serves 6-8 for $79.99.

Traditional Spiral Ham Dinner: 9-pound Smithfield Spiral Cut Ham, 2 pounds Our Own green bean casserole, 5 pounds homestyle mashed potatoes, 24 ounces homestyle gravy and 15 ounces cranberry relish. Serves 6-8 for $69.99.

Order by Wednesday, Nov. 18, for Wednesday, Nov. pickup. Delivery is available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 25 for $25. Delivered orders must be prepaid in full. Order through the Strack & Van Til app or online. Download the Strack & Van Til app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or visit strackandvantil.com to sign up. Enter your phone number for text or phone-call verification.

Deli sides including garlic mashed potatoes, collard greens and a wide variety of potato and pasta salads round out your meal. For smaller gatherings, grab single-serve or by-the-pound turkey breast, ham slices, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and Our Own stuffing.

“Keep guests nibbling until the main meal is served with Grab-and-Go trays including cheese platters, Spinach Dipper Bowls, Southwest layered dip, several types of hummus, smoked salmon, veggie dill dip and bruschetta,” says Deli Department Director Kristin Snow.

Build a charcuterie board with specialty cheeses, meats, fruit spreads, hot honey, olives and crackers. Or select a ready-made charcuterie tray with an array of delicious cheeses, deli meats, pretzelized pita chips, grapes and a fruit spread in the deli’s order ahead “entertaining made easy” selections.

Finish with ready-to-serve desserts such as silken pumpkin mousse, Cheesecake Delight or  the signature taffy apple salad.

This Thanksgiving, serve a feast that your guests will be thankful for — all from your local Strack & Van Til.

By Karyn G. Zafran