Your Thanksgiving Dinner Will Cost You 20 Percent More This Year Than Last

Every Thanksgiving, Farm Bureau releases its annual consumer price survey of what the cost of an average Thanksgiving dinner will be. This year, the farm wonks wore their pencils down to the nub trying to factor in Joe Biden’s inflation, and when all the numbers were crunched, they posted the bad news.

Americans need to be prepared for sticker shock. The cost of a Thanksgiving dinner will run you 20% more this year than it did last year.

“’General inflation slashing the purchasing power of consumers is a significant factor contributing to the increase in average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner,” said AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan. “General inflation has been running 7% to 9% in recent months, while the most recent Consumer Price Index report for food consumed at home reveals a 12% increase over the past year.”

The report continued. “Other contributing factors to the increased cost for the meal include supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine,” Cryan said. “The higher retail turkey cost at the grocery store can also be attributed to a slightly smaller flock this year, increased feed costs and lighter processing weights.”

The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all bought in quantities that could feed a party of ten.

Here’s the bad news:

• 16-pound turkey: $28.96 or $1.81 per pound (up 21%)
• 14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing mix: $3.88 (up 69%)
• 2 frozen pie crusts: $3.68 (up 26%)
• Half pint of whipping cream: $2.24 (up 26%)
• 1 pound of frozen peas: $1.90 (up 23%)
• 1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.73 (up 22%)
• Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $4.13 (up 20%)
• 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.28 (up 18%)
• 1 gallon of whole milk: $3.84 (up 16%)
• 3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $3.96 (up 11%)
• 1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): 88 cents (up 8%)
• 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.57 (down 14%)

No blame should fall on farmers, who are wrestling with increased costs for feed, fuel, and fertilizer. We should look at that Thanksgiving meal with awe that the American farmer was able to battle high prices, supply chain disruptions, and politicians trying to sabotage their small business to make sure that all that fresh, delicious food arrived in the store in time to allow us this feast.

When you say your grace at Thanksgiving dinner, breathe a small prayer for the American farmer — the most productive small business person in world history.