The price of a classic Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people has dropped for the third consecutive year, according to a survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Volunteers shopped at stores in every state and Puerto Rico and found the national average cost for Thanksgiving staples was $55.18, or about $5.52 per person. That's down from $58.08, or $5.80 per person in 2024.
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Here's a breakdown of the anticipated average cost by region:
- Northeast: $60.82
- South: $50.01
- Midwest: $54:38
- West: $61.75
The shopping list for the Farm Bureau's survey consisted of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
Some exceptions apply
There are some caveats to the Farm Bureau's survey. Shoppers looked at the price of frozen turkeys. Fresh turkeys are 40% more expensive than last year due to a disease outbreak among US turkeys and supply and demand issues, according to the Farm Bureau.
While overall dinner costs have dropped, some Thanksgiving classics have seen price increases in the last year. A pound of frozen peas is 17.2% more expensive, and a gallon of whole milk jumped 16.3% in price year over year.
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Additionally, the price for whipped cream is based on the assumption people will buy heavy cream and make homemade whipped cream instead of buying pre-made whipped cream. The Farm Bureau's shopping list also assumes shoppers will go for frozen pie shells and pre-made pumpkin pie mix.
Let's talk turkey
Turkey was once the most expensive part of Thanksgiving dinners. That's no longer the case and consumers are now spending more on vegetables and other sides, the Farm Bureau said.
A 16-pound turkey now accounts for 39% of the total cost for a 10-person Thanksgiving dinner, according to the Farm Bureau. That's the turkey's lowest share of overall cost since 2000.
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Produce saw price increases due to things like fertilizer and fuel becoming more expensive, along with natural disasters impacting supply, labor shortages, and trade disputes. Many of these factors impacted farmers' bottom line, leading 15,000 farms across the country to close in the last year, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.
"Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and reliance on other countries for our food," Duvall said in a statement. "We urge Congress to address the challenging economic conditions facing farmers to ensure farm families can continue growing the food we all rely on, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year."
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