Thanksgiving 2023

As Thanksgiving rolls around, Americans can loosen their belts a notch, not just in anticipation of the feast, but also because of a slight dip in the cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  According to the American Farm Bureau Federation's 38th annual survey, hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 will set you back $61.17, averaging a mere $6.12 per guest.   This is a 4.5 percent drop from last year's wallet-wincing prices, with the turkey - the star of the show - taking a humble bow in cost.

The survey, a tradition since 1986, releases volunteers to survey prices in grocery stores across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.  They check off a list which includes all the necessities in a Thanksgiving recipe: turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, peas, cranberries, celery, carrots, pumpkin pie mix, pie shells, whipping cream, milk, and even a few extras for those who like to go the extra mile with their menu. Add the extra items, and the cost per person hikes up to $8.48.

While seven items have thankfully fallen in price, four others have sneakily crept up, like the sweet potatoes.  Turkey, gobbling up about 45 percent of the total meal cost, has thankfully decreased in price, mostly due to a dip in avian flu cases.  In the world of processed food, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie mix took the lead in price hikes, while whipping cream and cranberries saw the biggest price drops.  The survey also sheds light on regional variations, with the Midwest offering the most budget-friendly Thanksgiving dinner.

Globally, this survey serves as a reminder of the relative affordability of food in the U.S., where only 6.7 percent of disposable income goes toward food purchases.  Food expenses in five countries exceed 50 percent, with Nigeria being the highest at 59 percent.  Even more developed nations like Canada and Australia are spending 10 percent of their disposable income on food.

Each year since 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was in the White House, our nation’s leader has pardoned turkeys.  This year, those birds are not the only ones experiencing relief.  Yes, the meal is more expensive than the pre-covid era, but at least the march higher for prices has halted this year, offering some relief to Americans’ pocketbooks and another reason to be thankful.