You've already missed the best day to go Thanksgiving food shopping, but you can still easily avoid the crowds if you plan properly.

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, the Hudson Valley is scrambling to get its hands on all the ingredients needed to prepare a proper feast. I made the mistake of stopping into the grocery store on Sunday for a couple of items and was met with pandemonium.

Hudson Valley stores completely slammed with customers

Not since the shortage of toilet paper do I remember seeing so many people lined up at the grocery store. Stressed-out shoppers were seen piling turkeys, veggies and other Thanksgiving staples into their carts in an effort to "beat the crowds." Unfortunately, they picked the worst weekend of the season to go shopping.

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When is the worst time to shop for Thanksgiving?

According to historical data, Saturday and Sunday are the third and fourth worst days to shop before Thanksgiving. People wanting to "beat the rush" before the holiday traditionally go out on the weekend to get a jump on the crowds, only to realize everyone else is doing the exact same thing.

While the weekend can feel like a war zone at the supermarket, the busiest days for Thanksgiving food shopping are actually Tuesday and Wednesday. Those are the two days when people slam the stores to get the freshest ingredients and stock up for Turkey day.

Turkey Prices At Record High This Thanksgiving Season
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The best day to go grocery shopping for the holiday

Monday is actually the best day to shop for your turkey. According to statistics, Monday is the sweet spot for holiday grocery shopping. You've waited out the crazy weekend crowds but still beaten out those last-minute shoppers. But what if Monday has already come and gone and you still need to hit the stores? It turns out that there is still some hope.

You can still find quiet times to shop leading up to Thanksgiving

If you haven't done your Thanksgiving shopping yet, there are still some times over the next couple of days when you can go shopping in relative calm. Adams Fairacre Farms has even released its own customer data showing the times during the day when traffic is lowest in its stores.

According to the chart, the busiest time of the day occurs between noon and 6pm. These stats are similar to those that have also been shared by other grocery store chains. If you're able to shop in the early morning or late evening hours you'll find it easier to navigate aisles and avoid long lines at the register.  It may be worth it to set an early alarm or head back out after dinner to save yourself unnecessary time at the store.

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