Thanksgiving dinner is getting cheaper
The average American family will spend 22 percent less on Thanksgiving dinner this year than they did last year, according to the results of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey released Thursday.
A Thanksgiving meal large enough to feed 10 people costs $48.90 this year, down 22 cents from last year’s average price tag of $49.12. This year’s feasts will cost less than $5 per person.
Thanksgiving dinner costs are at their lowest level since 2010 and have now fallen for three straight years, according to AFBF chief economist John Newton. The affordable costs are attributed in part to the cheaper price of turkeys, which sank 3 percent to $21.71 per 16-pound bird this year.
“Thanks to an ample supply, turkey remains affordable to consumers, which helps keep the overall cost of the dinner reasonably priced as well,” Newton said in a statement.
Thanksgiving staples that saw price reductions ahead of this year’s holiday include sweet potatoes, which cost an average of $3.39 for a 3-pound bag, milk, which costs $2.92 per gallon, and a dozen dinner rolls, which cost $2.25. The cost of some items increased, such as pumpkin pie mix, pie shells and fresh cranberries.
The AFBF’s survey measured Thanksgiving shopping prices of 166 volunteer shoppers at grocery stores in 37 states, the group said. The shoppers did not use coupons or special in-store deals.