Note: Year-over-year price comparisons are from Oct. 10, 2022, to Oct. 10, 2023, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, except where noted.

As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us begin planning to prepare our family’s favorite dishes, from the traditional turkey to candied yams and pumpkin pie. But consumers will find many of their holiday essentials pricier than in years past. How much more expensive will this year’s Thanksgiving meal be? That will depend on what you buy.

Turkey

If you go the route of buying and preparing a turkey, you can expect to see some price relief this holiday compared to last year when Avian influenza was taking its toll on many poultry birds. Nationally, the weighted average retail price per pound for a frozen whole bird before taxes, was $1.99 for the week of Oct. 6 -12, 2023. This was down one-third from $2.99 last year, according to the USDA National Retail Report – Turkey. For a 15-pound turkey, this means spending $29.85 this year versus $44.85 last year. As we approach Thanksgiving, prices will probably tick upward as last-minute buyers scramble for a bird and retailers’ inventories are drawn down, but even procrastinators can expect this year’s turkey to be cheaper than last year’s. Continue reading →