Cost of Thanksgiving meal drops, according to INFB survey

INDIANAPOLIS - The cost for a traditional Thanksgiving meal in Indiana decreased from 2013 to 2014, according to an informal survey of grocery prices from Indiana Farm Bureau. This is the second year in a row the survey total has decreased.

The annual survey indicates that the average cost for this year’s Thanksgiving meal for 10 is $46.93, down nearly $1.19 from last year’s average of $48.12 and down more than $4 from the 2012 total of $51.05 (an all-time high for the survey).

“As a consumer, I’m very happy to see prices continue to go down,” said Isabella Chism, Indiana Farm Bureau second vice president. “As a farmer, I’m honored to help produce the food for family Thanksgiving celebrations.”

The shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and both coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10. There is also plenty for leftovers.

The Indiana survey was conducted by 29 volunteer shoppers who went into local grocery stores around the state and collected the price information. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals, such as spending $50 and receiving a free turkey.

The big-ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – was $20.96 or $1.31 per pound, a decrease of 13 cents per pound and $2.08 overall.

Other prices that decreased on the survey were cranberries, which dropped by 30 cents per 12-ounce bag to $2.14; stuffing, which dropped by 22 cents to $2.40; a 16-ounce bag of peas, which dropped by 2 cents to $1.38; a two-pack of frozen pie shells, which dropped by a penny to $2.33; and a 1-pound relish tray of carrots and celery, down 1 cent to 83 cents.

The largest increase was for sweet potatoes, which rose by 21 cents per pound for a total average price of $3.60 for 3 pounds. Other increases: a combined group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter) rose 28 cents to $3.48 cents; a half-pint of whipping cream rose 27 cents to $1.89; whole milk increased by 17 cents per gallon to $2.93; pumpkin pie filling rose by 7 cents per 30-ounce can to $3.14; and a dozen rolls rose by 3 cents to $1.86.

Food in the United States remains a bargain, Chism said, noting that this year’s total for the Thanksgiving survey represents an average cost per person of less than $4.70.

Shoppers with an eye for bargains should be able to purchase individual menu items at prices comparable to the Farm Bureau survey averages, and they could manage it for considerably less if they can find a special sale or promotion, Chism noted.

Indiana Farm Bureau has been participating in the survey since 1993. While Farm Bureau does not make any scientific claims about the data, it is an informal gauge or snapshot of price trends around the nation.

 

 

2012

2013

2014

Turkey (16 lb.)

$25.76

$23.04

$20.96

Stuffing (14 oz.)

$2.41

$2.62

$2.40

Pumpkin pie filling mix (30 oz. can)

$3.03

$3.07

$3.14

Pie shell, 9 in. (2 per pkg.)

$2.38

$2.34

$2.33

Sweet potatoes (3 lb.)

$2.82

$2.97

$3.60

Rolls (12 oz./12 per pkg.)

$1.99

$1.83

$1.86

Peas (16 oz. pkg.)

$1.40

$1.40

$1.38

Relish tray (1 lb. mixed carrots, celery)

$0.86

$0.83

$0.82

Whole milk (gal.)

$3.02

$2.76

$2.93

Cranberries (fresh, 12 oz. pkg.)

$2.36

$2.44

$2.14

Whipping cream (½ pint)

$1.84

$1.62

$1.89

Misc. ingredients (AFBF estimate)

$3.18

$3.20

$3.48

TOTAL

$51.05

$48.12

$46.93

 

 

Year

Average

1993

$29.50

1994

$26.87

1995

$27.73

1996

$31.09

1997

$28.37

1998

$28.68

1999

$34.26

2000

$31.44

2001

$33.46

2002

$34.48

2003

$34.21

2004

$31.28

2005

$31.53

2006

$34.71

2007

$47.63

2008

$45.57

2009

$43.93

2010

$45.80

2011

$49.38

2012

$51.05

2013

$48.12

2014

$46.93