For many people the turkey is the heart of Christmas dinner. But chefs like Robert Uy at the Sutton Place Hotel hope you'll leave the cooking to him this holiday season.

"It's one less care you have to worry about," Uy said.

"We've taken that all off your hands. And it gives you more time for you to enjoy with family and friends."

The Sutton Place "Gobbler to Go" includes all the fixings: a panache of seasonable vegetables, traditional turkey gravy and its house cranberry cheesecake.

Pick up dates are available Christmas Eve, Christmas -- and even Boxing Day.

The hotel's food and beverage manager, Wolfgang Dauke, said the turkey comes direct to you fresh from the oven.

"It's been resting maybe 10 minutes in the kitchen so the juices stay all in," he said. "The chef boxes it up and has it all ready."

Also included in the boxes are directions for heating up the gravy and even ideas for leftover turkey.

"What we've done is given you recipes to make soups and other dishes," Dauke said.

The Sutton dinner is enough to feed eight to 12 people and costs $339 plus taxes.

But it's not the only pre-cooked turkey dinner being offered in the city. For all of them its best to order early to avoid disappointment and make sure to double check that you can pick it up on the day you want.

All you have to do is add your favourite wine and no one minds if you take the credit.

"It's a secret we won't tell," Dauke said.

Pre-cooked dinners aren't limited to hotels. It might be worth a call to your favourite restaurant to see if they provide the service. Some grocery stores also do dinner-to-go - sometimes for as little as $10 a person.

Hotels, restaurants and caterers with pre-cooked dinners:

Sutton Place

845 Burrard Street, 604.682.5511 ext. 34 to reserve.

Turkey Dinner to go with all the fixings. $339.00 + GST. Dinner for 8 - 13 people. Approximate weight of turkey: 18lbs. Order early. Pick up: December 24th, 25th & 26th

Brioche

West Cordova Street, 604-682-4037

Christmas dinner with a Sicilian bent. Prices, $25 to $30 per person. Choose traditional turkey, ham, roast beef or Sicilian stuffed lamb, stuffed baby pig or goat. Desserts include chocolate mousse with cheesecake. Order at least 48 hours ahead; pick up Dec. 24.

Culinary Capers

1545 West Third Ave.

604-875-0123

About $35 per serving. Sliced grain-fed turkey, cranberry chutney, celery apple onion stuffing, chive, creme fraiche, mashed potatoes, herb roasted winter vegetables, rolls. Order deadline, Dec. 22 ; pick up or delivery on Dec. 24 before 2pm.

Lazy Gourmet

1605 West Fifth Ave., 604-734-2507

Select from a large holiday menu. Dinners start at $34.99 per person minimum 10 people Menu choices available online. Order at least 48 hours ahead. Pick up Dec. 24 until 2pm.

Out To Lunch Catering

1175 Union St., 604-681-7177

Turkey Dinner Kit. Turkey carved, gravy and stuffy and cranberry. $13.50 per person. You can add potatoes, buns, desserts for more. Holiday menu can be accessed at www.otlcatering.com. Order by Dec. 21st; pick up Dec. 24 by noon.

Pan Pacific Hotel

Festive Desk

999 Canada Place, 604-891-2555

Turkey dinner for 10 to 15 guests. 16 lb turkey for up to 12 people is $365 including tax and 17 per cent gratuity. 22-pound turkey $475. Comes with peach and bread stuffing, gravy, vegetable medley and Yule log. Also includes fresh bread and cranberry jelly for sandwiches the next day. Order early: Deadline, Dec. 20; pick up on Dec. 25 between 1 and 5 p.m.

Peake of Catering

4501 Main St., 604-872-8431

Will accommodate any number of guests. Traditional dinner, $29.00 per person for two or 20. Includes roast turkey (pre-carved or whole ), sage and onion stuffing, two salads, roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, Christmas baking and mandarin oranges. Order by Dec. 22; Delivery available ($20 in Vancouver) or pickup by Dec. 24.

Safeway

Throughout B.C.

Turkey dinner for 6 to 8 people, $69.99. Includes a 10 to 12 pound turkey, gravy, dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, dinner buns and a 8' pumpkin pie. Order by December 18th. Pick up Dec. 24. You can order through the central specialty department, 1-888-391-9759.

Savoury City Food

3925 Fraser St., 604-875-8484

Complete Turkey dinner, $27.50 per person (minimum of 10 guests). Turkey, stuffing, spiced cranberry chutney, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetable medley, winter green salad, bread and butter and selection of Christmas sweets: shortbread, truffles, fudge. Will deliver for $12 in Vancouver. Order sooner the better. Pick up or delivery Dec. 24.

Sheraton Guildford Hotel

15269 -- 104th Ave.

Surrey, 604-582-9288

Roasted turkey or honey baked ham for up to 15 people, $325 plus GST. Buttermilk mashed potatoes, roasted mushrooms and root veggies, apple sage stuffing, rosemary-garlic gravy, breads, herb butter. Dessert is mincemeat pie or pumpkin pie. Order ahead. Can pick up Christmas day.

Whole Foods Markets

925 Main St., 604-678-0500

2285 West Fourth Ave., 604-739-6676 

1675 Robson St., 604-687-5288

510 West 8th Ave., 778-370-4210  

Natural or organic turkeys, cleaned, ready to roast with instructions. Will feed 6 to 8 guests. Dinner includes green beans, mashed potatoes, fruit stuffing, cranberry relish, buns, pumpkin pie. Natural $129.99. Organic $149.99. Order by Dec. 23rd. Pick up Dec. 24. Choose which store and view holiday menus online wholefood.com/holiday.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen