The cost of the traditional Thanksgiving meal is down. Food prices are at the lowest level in five years.
Let’s start with the turkey. The cost of a bird this year is down 2 cents per pound, making for a going rate of about $1.40 per pound. According to the American Farm Bureau, the cost of a big, beautiful 16-pound turkey is $22.38.
The Director of Market Intelligence for the Farm Bureau, Dr. John Newton, says this is the second year in a row the price of the yearly feast has gone down. The 32nd annual price survey by the bureau finds the cost of Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people will be $49.12.
Making our way around the table, the cost of most every essential is down. Rolls, a 3-pound bag of sweet potatoes, and premade – some might call it cheating – pie crusts are all cheaper than last Thanksgiving. Items that have gone up include a large can of pumpkin and raw cranberries.
The Farm Bureau first conducted its Thanksgiving dinner survey in 1986. The agency still follows the same menu it established more than three decades ago to maintain consistency.
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