PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Shopping for staples for this Thanksgiving dinner will cost you less than last year, and while that’s good, new numbers from the American Farm Bureau Federation show the cost for a typical Thanksgiving dinner is up 25% compared to 2019.
"We're gonna see some items get a little bit more expensive and some items decrease in price a little bit," Denis Eyman, grocery store manager of Nature's Food Patch, said.
The American Farm Bureau Federation estimated the cost to feed 10 people just the basics will cost $61.17 this year. The same meal would have cost $45.88 in 2019.
The researchers included turkey, cubed stuffing, frozen peas, cranberries, pie shells, whipping cream, whole milk, fresh celery and carrots, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, and a pumpkin pie mix in the estimate.
The price of four items rose in price year-over-year—the relish tray (a mix of fresh celery and carrots), sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie mix.
However, seven of the eleven surveyed items saw a price decrease since last year, including turkey, cubed stuffing, frozen peas, cranberries, pie shells, whipping cream, and whole milk.
This is the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 38th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey. Their numbers found overall big spikes in the price of the meal overall post-pandemic.
The survey looked at responses from all 50 states and Puerto Rico collected between Nov. 1-6, mostly consisting of “volunteer shoppers” (members checking prices) visiting their local grocery stores to survey prices of the various items used to prepare a classic Thanksgiving feast.
A few extra staples, including boneless ham, Russet potatoes, and frozen green beans, were also looked at in the study. When including the additional items, the cost of a Thanksgiving meal rose to $84.75 or $8.48 per person.
Researchers said turkey prices have decreased for this year’s Thanksgiving meal, and that’s because the number of avian influenza cases in birds has fallen.
This Thanksgiving, the least expensive food region for Thanksgiving dinner is the Midwest at $58.66, followed by the South at $59.10, the West at $63.89, and the Northeast as the most expensive at $64.38.
Experts said there are some ways to save, like budgeting if it might be cheaper to buy a pre-prepared meal.
For large groups, preparing meals at home might save you a lot of money.
For smaller groups, you might save money with a restaurant or grocery store option where the entire meal is bundled. That may be less expensive compared to buying all the ingredients separately, but you may not have as many leftovers.
You can also swap out items if it makes more sense for your budget.
For example, turkey this year is, on average, cheaper per pound than ham, and the cost of canned and packaged goods has increased nearly 25%, making fresh fruits and veggies appealing.
Fresh cranberries are 20% less this year, while canned cranberries are 60% more. Sweet potato costs remain relatively flat, yet, beer has increased by 5.3%, while wine has only increased by 1.2%, according to a new report by Wells Fargo.
Eymann also said stores and brands are offering deeper discounts than last year.
"There is a lot of competition for the room on your plates, and you're going to see a lot more opportunities for shoppers to save some money this year," Eymann added.
Certified Financial Counselor, Broockxy Dominguez, said it's crucial you create a budget and stick to it.
"Don't get caught up in the hype in trying to make the biggest thing ever. You don't have to have the biggest thing. You just have to have your family there. That's what matters the most," Dominguez explained.
