Thanksavings Dinner

I am thankful for the opportunity to know you.  You allow me to work in a fascinating field during a riveting time in history, and your friendship makes it even more rewarding.  I wish you a meaningful Thanksgiving.  We all have plenty for which to be thankful. ~Christopher Cox

Every year since 1986 the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) conducts an informal price survey in order to quantify the cost of an average Thanksgiving meal.  They track the prices of a nine-item meal which includes coffee and dessert.  There is good news for those of you wondering how you’ll afford all of the items on your holiday shopping list; Thanksgiving is cheaper in 2017!  Prices declined for a second consecutive time and are now the lowest in five years!

On average, tomorrow’s main meal should cost roughly $0.08 less per person.  When constructing their “index”, the AFBF assumes a ten-person meal is prepared and that there will be leftovers.  They estimate the complete feast will cost just $49.12, less than $5.00 per person and a decline of $0.75 compared to last year.

Turkey prices fell once again.  It’s a good thing too because the bird is the most expensive item on the table.  A 16-pound gobbler came to $22.74 this year, a savings of $0.02 per pound.  Apparently, there is a large inventory in cold storage, nearly a double-digit gain from a year earlier. 

Other items were cheaper as well.  Milk production has been on the rise, so its price dropped.  The AFBF mentioned stores like to use milk as a loss leader to attract shoppers, so this helped push the price lower as well.  Rolls, pie shells, sweet potatoes, green peas, and coffee were also less expensive this year. 

Not every item’s price declined.  However, the increases were moderate on those things with rising costs.  Whipping cream edged higher as did pumpkin pie mix, cranberries, and vegetable trays.  

Tomorrow provides an opportunity to acknowledge how fortunate each of us is.  Whether through luck, hard work, or some combination thereof, most of our needs are met on a daily basis.  We find ourselves in a period of history which is relatively peaceful, and abundance is nearly ubiquitous for our readers and their families.  Thank you for being a part of Atlas’ family and joining us on this journey.