Food prices continue to rise and that’s making for an expensive Thanksgiving feast. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) says a classic holiday meal for ten, including a 16-pound turkey, sides and dessert costs $64.05 this year, up 20% from a year ago.
“Costs for producing food have gone up. Farmers are paying double for fuel and triple for fertilizer, the result is higher prices,” says Roger Cryan, the American Farm Bureau Federation chief economist.
Shoppers will find frozen peas are 23% higher, pie crusts and whipped cream are 26% more, dinner rolls are up 22% and cubed stuffing mix has increased 69% since last year.
The AFBF had volunteer shoppers check prices at grocery stores from October 18th – 31st. At the time turkeys were 21% more than last year. Since then, stores have started offering deals to get people in the door and the USDA says prices for turkeys are coming down.
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Some shoppers are going to several different stores to find the best deals.
“You just have to manage, go around, shop around,” says shopper Marlo Hiddo.
But finding a bargain can be difficult. Emily Weinstein is the food and cooking editor at the New York Times and says one way to save money is to avoid buying too much food.
“A lot of people buy a much bigger bird because they love to have leftovers. This year, maybe you just want to get the turkey you need for Thanksgiving,” Weinstein says.
Weinstein says consider using frozen fruits and veggies in dishes instead of fresh, to cut costs. Another tip: make dinner a group effort.
“If you’ve ever considered doing a Thanksgiving potluck, this is the year to do it,” Weinstein says.
Having guests pitch-in should make the Thanksgiving feast a little more affordable.
