BJ's is Giving Away Free Butterball Turkeys for Thanksgiving 2023

It's time to start making your Thanksgiving shopping list, especially if you want to earn a free turkey this November. And if you have the privilege of hosting the biggest, most important dinner of the year, the extra savings may be well appreciated.

In accordance with its annual tradition, BJ's wholesale club is offering free Butterball turkeys to shoppers this season. Here's how it works: From Wednesday, November 1 through Thursday, November 9, BJ's members can receive a digital coupon for free fresh or frozen whole Butterball turkey when they spend $150 in the same transaction, in-club or online.

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The free turkey coupon can then be redeemed as of Saturday, November 11, and must be redeemed by Wednesday, November 22, the day before Thanksgiving. Remember if you're buying a frozen turkey (which may be all that's left by late November), you'll need a day per 4 pounds of meat to safely thaw the turkey.

Translation: You'll want to redeem your free turkey by the weekend before Thanksgiving if you want to avoid putting a half-frozen bird in the oven come Thursday. And though it's not exclusively for Butterball customers, Butterball turkey cooks earn a second free bonus on or leading up to Thanksgiving Day, with free turkey tips and troubleshooting via the Butterball hotline (1-800-Butterball) and text service at 844-877-3456.

All BJ's members will need a digital BJ's account to add the free turkey offer online or in the app before they shop so that the $150 promotion is applied—meaning that if you want to earn a whole turkey at BJ's, you'll need a bit of a game plan.

bj's wholesale club exterior at night — QualityHD / Shutterstock

Before November 9, stock up on your weekly grocery essentials, plus nonperishables for the holiday: Think stuffing mix, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, crispy onions, flour, and items that won't go bad in the fridge before the holiday, like butter, eggs, potatoes, cream (don't open it yet!), beverages, or whatever you need! If it helps, make a list of all the dishes you plan to cook, break out the ingredients in each recipe, and shop from there. This will help you stay organized, look for deals, and prevent overspending.

So, how much are you saving by shopping to earn a free turkey?

At BJ's, a Butterball Premium Whole Frozen All Natural Young Turkey, which can weigh between 16-24 lbs (remember, you're buying at least a pound per dinner guest), goes for about $.99 a pound, so essentially $25 for the biggest turkey. A membership to BJ's wholesale club starts at $55 a year for the basic Club Card Membership, and while that doesn't balance the price of the free turkey, it may help you shop deals in bulk to stock up for the big feast.

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Shopping at a big box club like BJ's should also help save time, as you can grab everything you need for hosting in one place, including containers for leftovers, guest napkins, decor…truly, whatever you need.

"We are proud to continue our tradition of free Thanksgiving turkeys," David Rajkovich, Vice President of Food Merchandising at BJ's Wholesale Club said in a news statement. "We always provide unbeatable value, and our free turkeys provide another way for families to save on their Thanksgiving celebrations."