Farm Bureau: Families Will Spend More on Thanksgiving Dinner This Year
An informal survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation found that the average cost of a Thanksgiving Day feast for 10 is going up a bit this year. The good news: It’s still below $50, despite hovering close to that mark since 2011.
An informal survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation found that the average cost of a Thanksgiving Day feast for 10 is going up a bit this year. The good news: It’s still below $50, despite hovering close to that mark since 2011.
For the fourth time in the last five years, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner is going up—but not by much.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) 29th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Turkey Day dinner table, a feast for 10 will run about $49.41 this week, 37 cents more than last year’s average. That’s an increase of about three-quarters of 1 percent, compared with an overall 3.1 percent increase in food prices over the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While the total cost went up, the price of the big-ticket item—a 16-pound turkey—fell by 11 cents to $21.65, or about $1.35 per pound.
“Turkey production has been somewhat lower this year and wholesale prices are a little higher, but consumers should find an adequate supply of birds at their local grocery store,” AFBF Deputy Chief Economist John Anderson said in a statement.
AFBF relies on volunteer shoppers to help compile data for the survey. This year, 179 volunteers checked prices at grocery stores in 35 states. The shoppers are asked to look for the best prices they can find on all items, without taking advantage of coupons or special promotions.
Items on the shopping list include turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie, and nonalcoholic beverages. A miscellaneous category accounts for items like coffee and other ingredients needed to prepare the meal (butter, onions, sugar, flour, etc.) Items that saw the largest price increase over last year included sweet potatoes, whipping cream, and milk, all of which rose by at least 10 cents.
| Item | 2013 Price | 2014 Price | Difference |
| Misc. ingredients | $3.20 | $3.48 | +$0.28 |
| Sweet potatoes, 3 lbs. | $3.36 | $3.56 | +$0.20 |
| Whipping cream, 1/2 pint | $1.85 | $2.00 | +$0.15 |
| Milk, 1 gallon whole | $3.66 | $3.76 | +$0.10 |
| Pumpkin pie mix, 30 oz. | $3.10 | $3.12 | +$0.02 |
| 1-pound relish tray (carrots and celery) | $0.81 | $0.82 | +$0.01 |
| Green peas, 1 lb. | $1.54 | $1.55 | +$0.01 |
| Cubed stuffing, 14 oz. | $2.67 | $2.54 | -$0.13 |
| 16-pound turkey | $21.76 | $21.65 | -$0.11 |
| Fresh cranberries, 12 oz. | $2.42 | $2.34 | -$0.08 |
| Pie shells (2) | $2.49 | $2.42 | -$0.07 |
| Rolls, 12 | $2.18 | $2.17 | -$0.01 |
| TOTAL | $49.04 | $49.41 | +$0.37 |
Though the total cost of the Thanksgiving meal has been on the rise, AFBF noted that it has remained stable since 2011, hovering around $49.
“America’s farmers and ranchers remain committed to continuously improving the way they grow food for our tables, both for everyday meals and special occasions like Thanksgiving dinner that many of us look forward to all year,” said Anderson. “We are blessed to be able to provide a special holiday meal for 10 people for about $5.00 per serving—less than the cost of most fast-food meals.”
Photo credit: AFBF
AFBF first conducted the survey in 1986. At the time, the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people was $28.74. In the 28 years since, the average price dropped compared with the previous year just eight times. The largest increase occurred between 2010 and 2011, when there was as $5.73 jump.
(iStock/Thinkstock)
Rob Stott is a contributing editor for Associations Now. MORE
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