Shaw's and Star Market are slashing turkey prices, offering employee discounts, and giving away extra Internet coupons, to help make Thanksgiving celebrations a little easier for customers and associates alike during a down economy.

The Supervalu banners, based in West Bridgewater, Mass., are selling frozen turkeys at just 48 cents a pound, meaning that Rewards Card customers who spend $25, can buy a 20-pound turkey for a mere $10. A two-turkey limit applies.

Besides turkey, Shaw's Own Brands retail for about 10 percent to 25 percent less than national brands. Customers can select from among the new Culinary Circle line of restaurant-quality foods, Wild Harvest natural and organic foods, Baby Basics, Equaline health and beauty products, and Homelife household items.

To spread the savings around even more, Shaw's associates now receive 15 percent off any one of the 10,000 varieties of Shaw's Own Brand items.

Finally, customers who enrolled in the online "Get Inspired" program get an extra $12 to $14 in Internet coupons weekly. The aim of the program is to helping shoppers make "fast, fresh, and foolproof" home-cooked meals, thereby saving them both time and money that would have been spent in restaurants.

"We believe that an important part of our job is to offer our shoppers and our employees the chance to eat well at a great value," said Shaw's v.p. of marketing and merchandising Bill Nasshan. "In today's economy, this has never been more crucial. We recognize that everyone must eat to live, but we also recognize Thanksgiving is a special time. Shaw's will continue to offer 'More Ways to Save' with new programs designed to save consumers money, such as our frozen turkey program."

Further details on these future programs weren't available from Supervalu officials.

While the Thanksgiving savings promotion is specific only to Shaw's and Star Market, other Supervalu banners are offering seasonal promotions and savings to customers. For example, Cub Foods has launched a new Holiday Bucks promotion, which allows shoppers to earn money toward future grocery purchases. (See today's story on this program also in Daily News.) Additional stores are offering low-price guarantees on turkeys in several markets.