The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 39th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey shows cooking a feast for 10 people will cost less than it did in 2023, but it’s still more expensive than it was before the Covid pandemic.
The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, all in quantities sufficient to serve a gathering of 10.
The AFBF survey puts the average cost of this year’s classic holiday feast in the United States at $58.08 or about $5.80 per person. That’s a 5% decrease from 2023, which was 4.5% lower than 2022.
In recognition of changes in Thanksgiving dinner traditions, the Farm Bureau price survey also includes boneless ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans, in an expanded menu. Adding these foods to the classic Thanksgiving menu increased the overall cost by $19.26, to $77.34.
AFBF analysis revealed regional differences in the cost of the meal. The cost for the classic meal was the most affordable in the South at $56.81, followed by the Northeast at $57.36, the Midwest at $58.90, and then a significant jump in the West at $67.81. The expanded meal (classic meal plus boneless ham, Russet potatoes and green beans) was the most affordable in the South at $81.07, the Northeast at $81.37, the Midwest at $83.04, and least affordable in the West at $94.09.
Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers checked prices Nov. 1-7, 2024, before most grocery store chains began featuring whole frozen turkeys at sharply lower prices. The average price for a 16-pound turkey is $25.67. That is $1.60 per pound, down 6% from last year. According to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, the average per-pound feature price for whole frozen turkeys declined further during the second week of November.
Most ingredients in the survey saw a decline in prices, including fresh vegetables. The cost of whole milk dropped more than 14%, however, milk prices vary significantly between regions in the U.S.
Items like dinner rolls and cubed stuffing both saw an 8% increase– largely blamed on higher labor costs increasing the cost of processed food. Cranberry prices increased almost 12% year-over-year. In 2023, cranberries had the second largest decrease in price of all of the foods on the menu, at 18%. The increase this year puts cranberry prices closer to historic norms and, excluding last year, is the least expensive year since 2015.
The current cost is 19% higher than it was in 2019, which highlights the impact inflation has had on food prices – and farmers’ costs – since the pandemic. The survey’s record high cost of the meal– $64.06– was in 2022.
Individual item prices:
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16-pound turkey: $25.67 or $1.60 per pound (down 6.1%)
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14-ounces of cubed stuffing mix: $4.08 (up 8.2%)
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2 frozen pie crusts: $3.40 (down 2.9%)
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Half pint of whipping cream: $1.81 (up 4.7%)
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1 pound of frozen peas: $1.73 (down 8.1%)
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1 dozen dinner rolls: $4.16 (up 8.4%)
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Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.75 (down 5.1%)
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30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.15 (down 6.5%)
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1 gallon of whole milk: $3.21 (down 14.3%)
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3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $2.93 (down 26.2%)
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1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): $.84 (down 6.4%)
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12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.35 (up 11.8%)
This year’s national average cost was calculated using surveys completed with pricing data from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers checked prices in person and online using grocery store apps and websites. They looked for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or combined purchase deals.
The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. The informal survey provides a record of comparative holiday meal costs over the years. Farm Bureau’s classic survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons.
AFBF also conducts an annual summer cookout survey in advance of the 4th of July holiday.
Courtesy infographic.
Courtesy infographic.
Courtesy infographic.
Courtesy infographic.
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