Some Thanksgiving Staples Are Cheaper While Others Rise Sharply

UNDATED (WJON News) -- It will cost you slightly less to put the Thanksgiving meal on the table this year.  The American Farm Bureau Federation has released its 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey. 

The average cost of Thanksgiving staples that make up a classic holiday dinner for 10 is about $55.18, or about $5.52 per person.

This is a five percent decrease from 2024, and is the third year in a row of declines.

The traditional meal was the most affordable in the southern United States, followed by the Midwest, the Northeast, and the West.

The average price for a 16-pound frozen turkey is $21.50, which is down more than 16 percent from last year.  However, wholesale prices for fresh turkey are up from a year ago, with grocery stores taking the loss.

Half of the ingredients in the survey declined in price, including dinner rolls and stuffing.  Low wheat prices helped bring down the cost of items requiring flour.

Items like fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes increased, with a veggie tray up more than 61 percent.

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Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers checked prices the first week in November.  The shopping list for their informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, all in quantities to serve 10 people.