What’s on the Thanksgiving Table? A Stock Pick for Every Course

Key Points

• Seasonal demand for holiday food staples may lift earnings for select consumer stocks.
• Seaboard, Campbell’s, General Mills, McCormick, and Constellation Brands all show value or rebound potential.
• Higher food prices and Q4 consumption trends could create timely entry points for long-term investors.

Every year, around this time, consumers hear about how much their Thanksgiving dinner will cost compared to the previous year. Whether that number is higher or lower impacts our wallets. 

Here’s the bad news. Over the last month, food prices have begun to rise slightly. That may be coming as producers pass some tariff-related costs on to the consumer. It may also reflect the impact of the Federal Reserve’s rate-cutting cycle that began in September.

But for investors, that data could be a buy signal for the right stock. Remember, there’s a company behind each of these products. For publicly traded companies, higher prices could lift their earnings and their stock prices. That data won’t be reported until 2026, which is why now is the time to consider adding these stocks to your portfolio. 

Seaboard Corporation Will Be the Star of Many Meals

Seabord Corp. NYSEAMERICAN: SEB is the parent company of the Butterball turkey, "the best known and most loved brand of turkey" in America, according to a 2023 survey.

Turkey remains the main course at Thanksgiving dinner for the vast majority of U.S. households. Throw in the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and it’s easy to understand why turkey demand spikes in the last quarter of the year.

SEB stock is up more than 65% this year. That's an outlier compared to its h

istory over any length of time. Seaboard has a long history of steadily increasing its share price instead of splitting, which makes the nominal price high at over $4,000, which could deter many investors.

However, the stock trades at just 9x earnings and its price-to-sales and price-to-book ratios also point to its value compared to consumer staples competitors. 

The Campbell’s Company: A Perfect Side Dish for Value Investors

According to Campbell’s NASDAQ: CPB “State of the Sides” report for 2025, 44% of respondents cited the green bean casserole as the most iconic Thanksgiving side dish.

Campbell’s plays a key role in its creation with its Cream of Mushroom soup.

However, Campbell's, formerly known as The Campbell Soup Company, has expanded beyond soup to include Pace salsas and dips, Prego pasta sauces, Pepperidge Farm baked snacks, and Goldfish crackers. That means the stock isn’t as niche as many investors may think. 

Better still, CPB stock is down 26% in 2025, but the stock chart appears to be confirming a double bottom that could signal a bullish reversal, propelling the stock into 2026. In addition, analysts have assigned the stock a $34.59 price target, implying nearly 12% upside potential.

General Mills Is the Baker’s Best Friend

Baking season is upon us. That means that many products from General Mills Inc. NYSE: GIS will be entering homes.

General Mills is the parent company of iconic brands such as Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, and Green Giant. Pies, dinner rolls, stuffing—not to mention all of those Christmas cookies—typically lead to a surge in sales of baking mixes and pie crusts around this time of the year.

Like many consumer staples companies, GIS stock has been beaten down, with a year-to-date decline of approximately 25%. 

However, analysts seem to be saying enough is enough. The consensus price target of $55.82 is almost 18% above the current price. Additionally, at 10x earnings, the stock appears poised to generate substantial returns for opportunistic investors. 

McCormick & Company Can Spice Up a Portfolio

Even if investors aren’t interested in owning consumer staples stocks for the long haul, there’s a simple reason to own McCormick & Company NYSE: MKC at this time of year: the current quarter is historically the company’s strongest quarter in terms of revenue.

Millions of consumers are about to do their spice inventory and realize it’s time to restock. That means McCormick, which holds its pricing value even when compared to house brands. 

MKC stock has been in a five-year retreat, which has wiped out most of its pandemic-fueled gains. However, at 21x earnings, the stock appears attractively valued. Analysts seem to agree, assigning MKC a consensus price target of $78.22, reflecting a potential 21% upside. 

Plus, investors get a stable dividend that yields 2.79% and has increased for 38 consecutive years.

Constellation Brands Is the Life of the Party

Alcohol and holidays go together like peanut butter and jelly. But it has been a rough few years for wine and spirit stocks. Many analysts believe consumer tastes are irreversibly changing, while others believe macroeconomic conditions are driving down demand.

However, Constellation Brands Inc. NYSE: STZ is a best-in-class stock that could be a savvy seasonal play. Constellation is the parent company of the Robert Mondavi wine label as well as Modelo beer.

STZ stock is down over 40% this year, but analysts give the stock a consensus price target of $186.44, over 43% above its current price. Plus, the stock trades for just 9.6x forward earnings, meaning the valuation won’t give you a hangover.