With Thanksgiving less than a week away, most Americans are preparing for a festive meal that will leave them in a food coma and wishing they hadn’t eaten that last bite. And when it comes to holiday shopping, there are usually two types of buyers: Those who prepare several days in advance, and those who wait in the excessively long check-out line of shame the day of. If you are one of those people who already has the turkey and the trimmings in the refrigerator, congratulations! But if you are still ill-prepared for making a dinner even your in-laws will respect, this article is for you.

The most important decision to be made in regard to Thanksgiving- besides whether or not you will invite that particular relative- is the turkey. There are different factors that go into buying something as expensive as a whole turkey. Where is the best place to buy it? What size should I get? What if we want some leftovers? Fortunately there is a local shop right in town that can answer all of those questions. Here is the simple answer to the first inquiry above: L&M Meats, Inc.

This humble meat shop was founded in 1959 by Laddie and Marie Novak of the Czech Republic. To this day L&M prides itself in providing the freshest meats of the highest quality in the area. The wonderful taste of the original owners’ family recipes are still found in every bite of their products, which include meats, cheeses, and seafood. And now that it’s the holiday season, the shop is giving special attention to those in search for the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece: A premium, perfectly-sized turkey.

So, how does someone figure out what the best amount of turkey is for their family gathering? L&M has some tips that can also be found on their website! Their first rule is a given; too much is always better than too little! Extra turkey can always be used in future recipes. In fact, L&M has a recipe blog that will be offering some turkey tips and tricks in the near future. Another rule for picking out the poultry is having 1.25 pounds per person. This allows for an appropriate amount of leftovers once the holiday has passed. But if you are not a big fan of leftovers in the fridge, you can adjust the math to 1 pound for every member at that table. Having twenty people over? Get a twenty pound turkey, it’s as easy at that.

If you’re interested in having the tastiest Thanksgiving meal in town, stop by L&M for one of their fresh whole turkeys. And while you’re there, take a look at one of their delicious gift baskets. It’s not too early to be thinking about the next big holiday coming up, Christmas! And if you’re like me and never know what to get for your dad, one of the shop’s arrangements of premium meats and cheeses could never fail to disappoint. Good luck on your turkey hunt, and happy holidays!

Claire Wehri is a Dakota Student general reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].