Thanksgiving dinner will cost less this year (except for these few things)
The cost of a typical Thanksgiving dinner has decreased this year, according to a study conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) .
For this study, the AFBF hired volunteer shoppers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico to visit their local grocery store (or local store's website) to survey prices of items used in a classic Thanksgiving feast.
This study has gone on since 1986, with volunteers reporting the prices for turkey, cubed stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, frozen peas, fresh cranberries, celery, carrots, pumpkin pie mix and crusts, whipping cream and whole milk.
After crunching the numbers, AFBF discovered that a table of classic dishes for 10 people will cost $55.18, 5% less than last year, but still more than four years ago.
But this doesn't mean that costs have dropped for all classic Thanksgiving foods. In fact, the AFBF said it was a "mixed bag of savings and squeezes."
The main turkey dish, cubed stuffing, fresh cranberries and dinner rolls all have cheaper price tags, while the sweet potatoes, frozen green peas, a vegetable tray of carrots and celery, whole milk and whipping cream cost more.
Pumpkin pie mix and pie shells remained unchanged from last year, the federation reported.
The cost of a classic Thanksgiving dinner in 2025 according to the AFBF.American Farm Bureau Federation
Historically, the biggest ticket item — turkey — accounted for an average of 43% of the total dinner cost. However, this year, the report finds that a 16-pound turkey only accounted for 39% of the cost, which is its lowest share since 2000.
"While fresh turkey prices continue to rise as the poultry sector fights highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), prices for frozen turkeys — the most commonly used for Thanksgiving dinner — continue to fall," the report states. "On top of this, demand for turkey continues to drop outside of Thanksgiving with the average American consuming only 13 pounds of turkey per year, nearly 3 pounds less than six years ago."
Turkey's share of Thanksgiving dinner continues to fall, AFBF reports. (Courtesy of the American Farm Bureau Federation)American Farm Bureau Federation
Price increases for fresh produce and key baking ingredients were also discovered since farmers who grow fruits, vegetables and potatoes continue to face elevated expenses for fertilizer, fuel, machinery, labor and land.
Fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes posted some of the most notable increases, with a veggie tray being up more than 61% and sweet potatoes up 37%.
AFBF stressed that "farmers and ranchers are struggling" because of higher expenses, in addition to weather challenges such as droughts, flooding and hurricanes, while weaker export demand continues to pressure income.
"This combination has contributed to a poor farm economy marked by tight margins and rising financial stress," the federation said. "As producers navigate another uncertain year, effective support remains essential to keeping America's food supply stable, affordable and secure."
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