by Parmalee Taff
I grew up in a big time foodie family in which almost everyone prepared meals, especially the men. Dad traveled and often brought back recipes for gourmet dishes he had enjoyed. Mom’s meals were solid New England basics like meatloaf, baked potatoes and peas. Between the two of them we ate well. Now when we have gatherings, Thanksgiving for example, the host does the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. Our guests bring creative side dishes and soon we are celebrating a fabulous foodie family Thanksgiving.
Not every family has the time or fascination with the prep side of this holiday. If that is you, here’s some advice from locals on the best pre-cooked services. Their experiences with ordering a pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinner are positive. And you can still enjoy the wonderful aromas when warming.
If you missed the ordering deadlines, plan a simple dinner: small turkey or only a breast, mashed potatoes, peas, cranberry sauce (directions on package) and gravy. Get thee online for advice! Definitely put a note on your October 1, 2025 calendar to call your favorite store and ask about ordering date openings.
Caterers from All Over the County
Gayle’s – It’s too late for this year; orders are closed. Always plan way ahead for Gayle’s. Gayle’s has great turkey, gravy, super dressing, mashed potatoes, a variety of sides and excellent pies. You must pre-order by their deadline for Thanksgiving morning pickup. Heating instructions included. Parking lot can be a nightmare so take someone with you in case you don’t find a Parking space. Capitola, 831-468-1200, https://www.gaylesbakery.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/
Thanksgiving_2024_0911-update.pdf
Whole Foods: Capitola or Santa Cruz
Whole Foods has several options for specific dietary needs for a reasonable price. To order online, you need to have an Amazon account. The menu opens Oct. 30. We’ve had the Thanksgiving meal from Whole Foods the past couple of years and it’s been excellent. Always order early as they can sell out fast. You pick up anytime before Thanksgiving at your convenience.
Capitola, 831-464-2900, Santa Cruz, 831-426-9901, Los Gatos, 831-368-4434 – https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/
New Leaf Markets – They offer a complete gluten free turkey dinner with all the fixings. “We ordered a regular cooked Thanksgiving meal and it was delicious!” New Leaf orders are open until 11/25. To place a holiday reservation, log in or create an account. Santa Cruz, 831.466.9060, Capitola, 831-479-7987, Aptos, 831-685-8500, https://catering.newleaf.com/
Mexican food from De La Comena, Traditional Mexican Fare, A Feast for Ay Occasion! Watsonville, 831– 724-4544 https://dlacolmenacatering.com/
Pino Alto At Cabrillo. Love supporting students, delicious and price point was good. 831-479-6524, 
https://www.cabrillo.edu/pino-alto/
SwingTimeCatering – They make really good food, so amazing. 831-786-0812, Mobile: 831-840-2527, https://www.swingtimecatering.com/
Corralitos Meat Market – Smoked turkey, all natural. Limited supply, do not dally. You just have to heat it up. 831- 722-2263, https://corralitosmarketsausagecompany.com /holiday-orders/
Freedom Meat Lockers – 831-724-4355, Mouth-watering Sausage, Chicken, Steak, Bacon, https://www.freedommeatlockers.com/
Deluxe Foods – Does a great meal. Contact Stephanie, 831- 688-7442 https://www.deluxefoodsofaptos.com/catering/
Carried Away Foods – Brined, all natural Diestal turkey and delicious sides, 831-685-3926, 
https://tinyurl.com/Carried-Away-Thanksgiving
Aptos Barbecue or Mission Barbecue. Smoked turkey is amazing.
Aptos BBQ: Fabulous catering menu. 831-70-7427, https://aptosstbbq.com/catering/
Mission St. BBQ: Fabulous catering menu. 831-201-5050 https://missionstbbq.com/catering/
Nob Hill – “We were very pleased, it was tasty and reasonably priced.”
Capitola: 831-476-5600, https://www.raleys.com/shop/holiday
Scotts Valley: 831-438-1611, https://www.raleys.com/shop/holiday
Staff of Life – Call to ask if they are catering for Thanksgiving. Santa Cruz: 831-423-8632, 
Watsonville: 831-726-0240, https://www.staffoflifemarket.com/
Williams of Sonoma You can order from them, literally everything, great food but pricey, fun to peruse website. 877.812.6235, https://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/thanksgiving/
Dharma’s Restaurant – Vegan feast, Breaded tofu along side a wild rice medley, served with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, candied yams, cranberry-mango sauce and a side salad with vinaigrette dressing. Add a vegan, gluten-free pumpkin pie. Capitola, 831-462-1717, https://dharmasrestaurant.com/
Mill Street Catering, No turkey on the menu, but a good variety, quite tempting. Ask about turkey?! Ben Lomond, 831-336-3910, http://millstreetcateringevents.com/
Feast for a King Catering, Customized menus, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, scratch cooking, beautifully presented dishes for in-home dining and events. Aptos, 831-464-1741, https://feastforakingcatering.com/
Golden Roots Kitchen, Scotts Valley. Order by noon, November 21, Savor a fuss-free Thanksgiving feast featuring the best from our local farmers. hello@goldenrootskitchen.com, https://www.goldenrootskitchen.com/
Epoch Eats, Thanksgiving Pie order deadline is Friday, November22 Santa Cruz, Take-n-Bake frozen pies to make your holiday gatherings easier. These are fresh made and frozen, small batch, from scratch pies for you to bake off when ready. https://www.epoch-eats.com/pies
Dining out? Just remember, you’re giving up leftovers, like a hot open-face turkey sandwich: everything over a slice of bread, covered with gravy and delicious turkey soup.
