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Last week it seemed like a long way off but not anymore. It is Thanksgiving and the stores are starting the serious sales this week.

We are going to start with Save Mart because they look to have the best prices on turkeys. Their Master Cut premium brand costs $6.88 (up to 16lbs), $8.88 (16-20lbs) and $9.97 - 20lbs or larger. To get that price, you must purchase $20 or more in groceries. To go with the bird, they have a 10lb. bag of potatoes for 97 cents; navel oranges for 39-cents a pound and fresh greens for 79-cents each. Mrs. Cubbison's stuffing mix is $2 a box.

For your weekly items, check out Dennisons's chili beans for 88-cents a can; Sunny Select broth 3/$2; canned veggies for 69-cents each and Campbell's, Dole or Rosarita items for $1 each. Bohemian Hearth bread is $1.99 a loaf and Milton's bread is $2.50 a loaf.

In produce, green onions, radishes or cilantro are 50-cents each; pomegranates are 2/$3 and cauliflower is $1.99. Driscoll's raspberries or blackberries are BOGO and sweet potatoes are 79-cents a pound.

If you buy a Chicken Dinner deal for $8.99 on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you get a free cake from the bakery. The back page coupons include a 32-oz. pack of Gallo salame for $7.99; an 89-oz. jug of Minute Maid OJ for $2.99 and Arm & Hammer laundry detergent for $3.99.

Buy two boxes of Chex cereal and get a third free and 12-packs of Pepsi, Dew or the Dr. are $3.33.

Moving on to Safeway where the turkey prices are a few cents higher - $7, $8, $9 and $10 depending on size. There is a 2-bird limit and you must purchase $20 in groceries. Safeway is cranking out the coupons on everything from Nestle baking morsels ($1.89) to brown or powdered sugar ($1.69) to Safeway broth (99-cents). Refrigerated pie crusts are $1.99; Claim Jumper frozen pies are $4.99 and Dole pineapple or Ocean Spray cranberry sauce is $1.29.

For the weekly stuff, Rancher's Reserve New York Strip steak is $3.88lb; 80% lean ground beef is $1.99lband Oscar Mayer shaved deli lunchmeat is BOGO. Kellogg's Froot Loops or Frosted Flakes are BOGO; Safeway butter top breads are $1.50 a loaf and refreshe or Nestle drinking water is $3.33 a case.

The Friday-Sunday sale includes berries - buy 2, get 1 free; Ritz crackers for $1.88; Quaker instant oatmeal for $1.99 and jugs of refreshe soda 3/$2.

In produce, large avocados and broccoli are 77-cents each. Fuji or Braeburn apples are 77-cents a pound.Mangos are $1 each; hot house tomatoes are $1.99lb and cucumbers are 79-cents each.

If you are starting the holiday stock-up, Safeway sparkling cider is $1.79 a bottle; and 12-packs of 7-UP or A&W sodas are buy 2, get 3 free.

Old El Paso taco shells are BOGO; Rosarita refires are $1 a can; Ortega chilis are $1 a can and Safeway salsa is $2.50 a jar. Mix & Match frozen food items (Breyers ice cream, Cool Whip, Birds Eye veggies) are buy 2, get 1 free.

Powerbars are 89-cents each; Vitamin water is $1 a bottle and Quaker Chewy granola bars are $1.99 a box.

There are some interesting things going on at Raley's. First, they definitely have the most offerings in the prepared Thanksgiving Day meals. And they are taking orders on their specialty bird, the all-natural Dietsel Ranch turkey. However, the price of the bird won't be available until next week, which is still plenty of time.

If you want to serve Volpi Rotola (that rolled mozzarella prosciutto), get it this week. At $4.99 each, that's a least a $1 off. It will definitely stay fresh in the fridge for two weeks. Also, the Knudsen sparkling cider is $2 a bottle. Snack crackers are $1.49 a box when you buy 4 or more. Blackberries are 2/$3 - the best price around. Navel oranges are 57-cents a pound and pears are 67-cents a pound. Chex cereal is buy 2, get 1 free.

In produce, fresh mushrooms are on sale. Tomatoes on the vine are $1.77lb and spinach is 97-cents a bunch.

We're giving a shout-out to Henry's Farmer's Market for avocados (2/$1); Fuji apples (2lbs/$1) and green bell pepper (4/$1). Grapefruit is 4/$1; mangos are 50-cents each and organic bananas are 77-cents a pound.

Henry's has a free range, all natural turkey for $1.49lb and all kinds of tasty offerings in the bakery. Cranberry-orange bread is $1.99 a loaf; apple or pumpkin pies are $3.99 and bread pudding is $2.49lb.

That should do it for this week. Come back on Thursday for new and exciting ways to cook your turkey with some interesting side dishes, too.