These Are the Most-Forgotten Thanksgiving Grocery Items, According to DoorDash

As any host will tell you, the day before Thanksgiving can be the most stressful 24 hours of the year. It's when those forgotten essentials, like pumpkin puree for the pie and gravy for the mashed potatoes, come to mind, and panic buying kicks in.

DoorDash's grocery and retail data confirms this. According to the delivery service, Thanksgiving Eve is the biggest grocery delivery day of the year, with orders soaring nearly 90 percent higher than an average day, as users rush to grab last-minute items before the big feast.

The report, based on ordering data from 2024, reveals that cooking essentials were most in demand the day before the biggest food holiday of the year. Sales of heat bags jumped 2,400 percent, followed by trays and platters at 2,100 percent, while graters and peelers both rose 1,400 percent. Mixers, blenders, rolling pins, and measuring cups all saw increased demand as well.

As for grocery items, sage, nutmeg, and vanilla extract topped the list, while demand for whole turkeys rose 820 percent and turkey legs, 930 percent. Purchases of peanut oil and charcoal also significantly spiked, indicating that backyard turkey frying and smoking are becoming more popular.

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Even sales of dining furniture and outdoor chairs rose, as hosts raced to seat their guests. DoorDash also noted that interest in sneakers, hoodies, hand warmers, and winter hats increased, possibly due to ill-prepared Turkey Trot participants.

On Thanksgiving Day, DoorDash users were still adding forgotten must-haves to their carts. According to the report, meat thermometers saw the biggest spike at 2,960 percent. Other last-minute essentials included can openers and kitchen knives. Sales of cake pans were up 1,200 percent, along with measuring cups at 560 percent, while interest in bakery pies rose 510 percent.

When it came to sides, demand for marshmallows, brown sugar, and pecans jumped, as home cooks prepped their sweet potato casseroles. Other notable needs included gravy and gravy mixes for mashed potatoes. Disposable plates, cups, and cutlery also flew off the virtual shelves, along with disposable containers and aluminum foil for leftovers.