When To Buy Pies For Thanksgiving

Justin Micheal

Food Writer & Editor in Chief For KitchenSanity

Justin Micheal is KitchenSanity's founder, food writer and editor in chief. As an expert home cook with over 30 years of daily cooking experience and food handler certifications, he's a pro at experimenting with recipes and a stickler for food safety. He writes informative and detailed guides about cooking basics such as proper food storage, cutting and cooking methods, and choosing the right products to make cooking easier.

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There’s a lot of debate about when to buy pies for Thanksgiving. Some people say the earlier, the better, so you can be sure to get your favorite flavor. Others say that waiting until closer to the holiday ensures that you’ll get a fresh pie. So which is it? When should you buy your Thanksgiving pies?

Pies that require refrigeration, like pumpkin and pecan, should be bought at most 2-3 days before Thanksgiving. If you’re buying a frozen pie, it’s best to buy it 1 month in advance and thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving. Some grocery stores sell out of pies early, so make sure to call ahead and check!

How Early Can You Buy Pies For Thanksgiving?

If you have a good grocery store or bakery, they should never run out of pies, but it’s not guaranteed.

There is a chance that your Thanksgiving will be missing a traditional dessert item, such as pumpkin pie, pecan pie, or apple pie, to name a few.

Bakery Display Of Cake Pie Pastry

So, when should you buy your pie? As early as possible. Just don’t forget that they will have a best-by or expiration date.

Monday And Tuesday

If Thanksgiving falls at the end of the week, the best time to get your fresh pies will be on Monday or Tuesday when they are in full-swing baking as much as they can.

By the end of the week, things should start winding down as they don’t want to have an oversupply of fresh baked goods. If so, they will have to take a loss by discounting them heavily or throwing them away.

Before 1 PM

Why 1 PM? Bakers often start their day at 2 in the morning so that upon opening, they have bread, doughnuts, pastries, and pies to sell.

Because most people who are preparing to have big gatherings will want to get a head start on preparations, they show up early and buy everything they need.

As the morning progresses, the pie supply will start to dwindle by noon, especially since bakers will have started cleaning before ending their shift.

Of course, some bakeries will have extra shifts to keep baked goods stocked around the clock during holiday seasons, so it might not hurt to pop into the store or give them a call to find out more.

Why You Should Buy Pies For Thanksgiving

fresh pies for sale at a bakery

Your Bakery Can Do It Better Than You

We all know someone who makes amazing pies and cakes. Even asking for the recipe and trying it on our own just doesn’t seem to taste the same.

Bakeries have all the baking tools and equipment, fresh ingredients, and dedicated teams with years of experience putting your pies together.

It’s okay to be honest with yourself about your baking. Even some store-bought pies are difficult to replicate at home, and they taste so darn good! Just remember, no one said you had to tell your guests.

Saves Time

How much more time could you save? Just pop in, pay for your pie, and enjoy with your family and loved ones. If you want to take an extra step, you can reheat your pie to give it an extra creamy mouth feel.

There’s no need to spend time baking or waiting for your pumpkin pie to cool.

Might Be Cheaper

By the time you get that extra gadget, you think you need, or when a pie ingredient only comes in one size when you only needed a little can start to add up real quick.

If you happen to make a major mistake because you’re stressed about the holidays, that’s more money wasted on baking another pie.

You don’t have to go after the cheapest pie on the shelf. Store-bought pies are often cheaper than what you could make them for and are still quite delicious.

No Mess To Clean

If you’re anything like me, I try my best to keep things organized and clean while cooking or baking. But the kitchen always ends up being a disaster, especially when working with flour!

When you buy your favorite pie, the hard work is already done for you.

One Less Thing To Worry About

I think this is one of the biggest reasons I opt to buy pies at the grocery store or homemade pies from our local community.

The holiday season is filled with obligations and stressful events, but it should be a time to relax and celebrate.

Problems Buying Pie Before Thanksgiving

bakery empty shelf one bread left

Your Favorite Pie Is Already Sold Out

If you waited until the day before Thanksgiving to buy your pies, this is a real possibility when trying to juggle work and preparations.

If you can’t get your pie, consider getting something similar such as pie in muffin or cake form. Sure, it’s not quite the same, but I’m sure your guests will understand.

Speaking of guests, don’t hesitate to reach out to them for help even if you have to pay them. I’m sure no one would mind!

Your Bakery Is Not Accepting Orders

Many bakeries just don’t want to have to keep track of hundreds of individual orders, so they have a kind of first come, first serve policy around holidays.

It’s best to contact them a few weeks in advance to see what they are doing for the holiday season.

Accidents Happen

You’re so overwhelmed that you forgot the pies in the car a few days ago, dropped them on the way in, or they got crushed with your other groceries.

Accidents do happen, so have a backup plan just in case.

Holiday Pie Buying FAQs

How Much Does The Average Pie Cost?

The average pie can cost between $25-$35 at a bakery. Pies bought at the grocery store can cost between $5 and $12, depending on sale prices.

How Much Do Homemade Pies Cost?

A homemade pie could cost you upward of $50 if you have to buy many ingredients that you don’t have on hand, pie dishes, and pie lifters. The word homemade is often used at farmer’s markets, and you should expect them to cost between $8-$20 each.

Written By Justin Micheal

Justin Micheal is KitchenSanity's founder, food writer and editor in chief. As an expert home cook with over 30 years of daily cooking experience and food handler certifications, he's a pro at experimenting with recipes and a stickler for food safety. He writes informative and detailed guides about cooking basics such as proper food storage, cutting and cooking methods, and choosing the right products to make cooking easier.

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