WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. retailers are promising a cheaper Thanksgiving this year, but there's a catch. The savings come not from price cuts on familiar brands, but from swapping them out for store-label alternatives and trimming the number of items on offer.

Walmart, Target, and Aldi are leading the charge with heavily promoted Thanksgiving meal kits meant to appeal to inflation-weary shoppers. Yet, a closer look reveals that many baskets are smaller or lean more heavily on private-label products than in years past.

Walmart's meal deal features nine Great Value private-label items out of 15, compared with nine out of 21 last year, a higher share of in-house brands. The retailer also removed onions, celery, and broth, replacing them with cheaper substitutes while keeping the turkey centerpiece, now a Butterball bird at 96 cents per pound, up from last year's Honeysuckle White at 88 cents.

The company says the basket feeds 10 people for under US$40, down from about $56 last year for eight servings. The total item count, however, has dropped from 29 to 22, including duplicates of some items, such as green beans and corn. Walmart declined to comment.

The emphasis on affordability mirrors a national mood of stretched household budgets. A NielsenIQ survey in September found that 58 percent of U.S. shoppers are highly concerned about rising food prices, while 31 percent said they now prefer store brands over national names. Federal data show food prices up 2.7 percent year over year, and consumer sentiment recently hit a three-and-a-half-year low.

The strain is compounded by the ongoing government shutdown, which has delayed SNAP food aid payments to low-income families. "One of our most-asked questions in the store right now is ‘How do I save money on my food?'" said Stew Leonard Jr., CEO of the Connecticut grocery chain Stew Leonard's. "One of the things we recommend is definitely exploring private label."

U.S. President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings on the economy have been sliding, highlighted Walmart's lower holiday prices this week, claiming a 25 percent decline from last year. When told the basket contained fewer items, he dismissed the report as "fake news."

At Aldi, long known for its private-label focus, the Thanksgiving spread now costs $40 for 10 people, down from $47 last year. The retailer replaced Butterball turkeys with cheaper Jennie-O birds, saving about 30 cents per pound. Aldi also swapped a single pie crust for a frozen two-pack and reduced prices slightly on carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Target's seven-item meal kit also got a makeover. The Minneapolis-based chain replaced national brands like Del Monte and Campbell's with its own private labels for items such as bread and frozen corn. The kit still costs under $20 for four people, roughly the same as last year.

A Target spokesperson said minor annual changes to the lineup depend on "what shoppers are asking for or what's in stock," adding that most customers wait until a week before Thanksgiving to make their purchases.