Home Cooked No More: Pre-Made Holiday Meal Sales Skyrocket

Further evidence of consumers crimped for time and short on talent: Sales of Pre-Made Holiday Meals are going through the roof:

RALEIGH, N.C. — Everyone likes a nice Thanksgiving spread on the table, but not everyone has the time — or culinary skill — to cook the traditional turkey, dressing, veggies and desserts. Enter the grocery store.

More people are buying complete Thanksgiving meals to take home, according to retailers and food-trend experts. Nearly every grocery store with a deli now offers the meals, which consumers can order in advance and pick up on Thanksgiving eve.

Last year, Fresh Market's (search) 44 stores from Florida to Virginia sold a few hundred complete meals.

"This year, we sold several thousand. We actually sold out," said Eric Blaesing, spokesman for the Greensboro-based chain.

While I welcome the option of take-out Thanksgiving meals, I find this very sad.