The cost of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner this year has gone down compared to last year, thanks to the decrease in the price of the holiday’s centerpiece: the turkey. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average cost of preparing a “classic holiday feast” for 10 people is $55.18, or about $5.52 per person. This marks a 5% decrease from the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner in 2024.
Lower commodity prices and grocers’ efforts to discount the meal have contributed to the decrease in prices. Several grocery chains have implemented deals to attract budget-conscious consumers, with Target, for example, offering a $20 Thanksgiving meal for four people.
The cost of a turkey has decreased by 16% from last year, with the average price of a 16-pound frozen turkey totaling $21.50, or about $1.34 per pound. Despite the spread of bird flu raising costs for producers, prices have remained low due to a long-term decline in consumer demand.
While items like dinner rolls and stuffing have benefitted from decreased wheat prices and are cheaper this year, prices of fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes have increased. The cost of the veggie tray has skyrocketed by 61% year over year, and sweet potatoes have risen by 37%, attributed to natural disasters like hurricanes in North Carolina, the largest grower of sweet potatoes in the U.S.
The average cost of the Thanksgiving meal varies by region, with the meal being most affordable in the South at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.83, the Northeast at $60.82, and the West at $61.75.
The American Farm Bureau Federation has conducted this survey every year since 1986, focusing on prices for items including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. The survey includes average costs from all 50 states and Puerto Rico by checking prices in-store and online.
