What Thanksgiving Dinner Will Cost in a Pandemic
November 19, 2020 Thanksgiving is normally a time for families and friends to gather and regale around the dinner table. This year has been anything but normal thanks to the coronavirus. The ongoing pandemic is serving up a side of social distancing and a dose of recommendations from the CDC. For those forging ahead with plans, American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) annual cost survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table brings with it a tiding of joy — for the consumer pocketbook.
The organization’s 35th annual survey indicates the average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving feast for 10 remains relatively affordable at $46.90, or less than $5 per person. This is a $2.01 decrease from last year’s average of $48.91.
The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, as well as coffee and milk, all in sufficient quantities with plenty for leftovers.
So, let’s talk turkey. A 16-pound bird, at $19.39, costs less than last year. That’s about $1.21 per pound, down 7% from 2019. Farm Bureau’s survey results show that retail turkey prices are the lowest since 2010.
In addition to turkey, foods that showed slight price declines include whipping cream and sweet potatoes. Foods showing modest increases this year included dinner rolls, cubed bread stuffing, and pumpkin pie mix. After adjusting for inflation, the cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner is $18.01, down slightly from last year.
“The average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner is the lowest since 2010,” says AFBF Chief Economist John Newton. “Pricing whole turkeys as ‘loss leaders’ to entice shoppers and move product is a strategy we’re seeing retailers use that’s increasingly common the closer we get to the holiday.”
The survey also includes ham, potatoes, and frozen green beans. Adding these foods to the classic Thanksgiving menu increased the overall cost by $13.21, to $60.11. But these food items also declined slightly in price (4%) compared to 2019.
While panic buying has been an issue this year with some commodities, Newton says classic Thanksgiving food items are not at risk. “Turkeys – and other staples of the traditional Thanksgiving meal – are currently in ample supply at grocery stores in most areas of the country.”
According to AFBF, this year’s national average cost was calculated using more than 230 surveys completed with pricing data from all 50 states. Volunteer shoppers were encouraged to check prices online using grocery store apps and websites due to the pandemic. They looked for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals.
Loading ...Subscribe Today For
