Last minute shoppers keep grocery stores busy

Bob Huddleston is doing some last minute shopping for his Thanksgiving feast.

He’s gathering all the goods for a Waldorf salad.

“Tangerines sometimes I use these instead of oranges,” he shared.

Grocery store workers every where are rushing to replenish the shelves for shoppers like him, on one of their busiest days of the year, Thanksgiving Eve. 

Special discounts are making the shopping sweeter, but even with a down economy—Huddleston says he won’t be toning down his table-top.

“Not going to cut back on thanksgiving. It’s a retreat from the hurry and scurry of the every day world,” he said while shopping at a Mount Pleasant Harris Teeter.

From apples to lemons, he’s checking off his list.

“Got about everything except for coconut. We’re going to go all the way back over there because I always forget something. By the time I get here there’s always one more thing to get. So then I get the coconut and I’ll be done,” he thought out loud standing the produce department.

He even missed his isle with all the excitement, but eventually found his final ingredient.

Ready now to check out and rest before a full day in the kitchen.

“How long is it going to take you to make your Waldorf salad tomorrow?” I asked him.

“Chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop,” he said looking toward the ceiling, calculating in his head.  “About 45 minutes.”

Altogether he’ll spend nine hours cooking for 15 minutes of feasting.

For Huddleston, that’s a successful day of thanks.

The American Farm Bureau Federation says it will costs you $44.61 to feed a family of ten on thanksgiving.

That includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, a roll with butter, peas, cranberries, carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and coffee and milk to drink.

That’s about $45 for ten servings, so if people at your table like go back for seconds that’s $45 dollars for five people.

If you need to grab something last-minute for Thursday’s feast, here’s a look at when grocery stores will be closing.

Piggly Wiggly will be open until 6 p.m.
Whole Foods closes at 2 p.m.
Food Lion is closing at 3 p.m.
Bi-Lo will shut their doors at 7p.m.
Publix is closed all day.

Both Harris Teeter and Super Wal-Mart are usually open 24 hours a day.  Thanksgiving day, Harris Teeter is closing at 2 p.m. while Super Wal-Mart closes at 6 p.m.