Listen: Thanksgiving Dinner Costs Up 14%

Amid rising food costs nearly across the board, the typical Thanksgiving feast will be considerably more expensive than a year ago.The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 36th annual Thanksgiving Items Cost Survey found that the average cost of this year’s holiday dinner for a party of 10 is up 14 percent from 2020.At a cost of $53.31, it equates to less than $6.00 per person.The shopping list for the survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk — all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.The Farm Bureau survey also covered an expanded menu that included ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans, and when those are added, the overall average Thanksgiving feast cost is $68.72 — still up 14% year-over-year and a little under $7 per person.Survey data found that the average 16-pound turkey costs $23.99, up 24% from last year, during the period of Oct. 26 to Nov. 8.