Thanksgiving dinner will cost 14% more this year, annual survey finds

Overall food prices are up for the last year, and that means paying more for Thanksgiving dinner.

In its 36th annual survey, the American Farm Bureau Federation revealed Americans will pay 14% more for the Thanksgiving feast.

Disruptions in the supply chain, inflation and food demand since the pandemic are driving up the cost.

"These include dramatic disruptions to the U.S. economy and supply chains over the last 20 months; inflationary pressure throughout the economy; difficulty in predicting demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and high global demand for food, particularly meat," said Veronica Nigh, senior economist for the bureau.

On average, a Thanksgiving meal for 10 will cost $53.31, or $6.41 more, than last year's average of $46.90.

The cost for a 16-pound turkey, the survey found, is $23.99, up 24% from last year. However, many grocery stores now have turkeys on sale at bargain prices and consumers will likely pay less for them.

At discount grocery chain Lidl, 12 items used to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal can be purchased for less than $30, the Germany-based chain said in a statement this week.

The 12 items, including a 13 pound turkey, bagged stuffing, a gallon of whole milk, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie mix, can feed up to 10 people, said Lidl, which has 21 stores on Long Island.

"As the prices for food rise across the country, Lidl is continuing to give shoppers the ability to put more on the table this holiday season," Stefan Schwarz, Lidl U.S. chief product officer, said in a statement. "For less than $30, shoppers at Lidl can provide family and friends a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings. We are proud to be part of this holiday tradition."

The farm bureau surveyed prices from Oct. 26 to Nov. 8. But this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture data, grocery stores began advertising lower prices later than usual.

The price for whole frozen turkeys averaged 88 cents per pound the week of Nov. 12-18, a decline of 18% in just one week, according to the USDA's national retail turkey report.

"Taking turkey out of the basket of foods reveals a 6.6% price increase compared to last year, which tracks closely with the Consumer Price Index for food and general inflation across the economy," said Nigh.

The Farm Bureau survey factored in enough stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, coffee, and milk to feed 10 people with leftovers. Costs for nearly all those ingredients increased.

A package of two frozen pie crusts is up 20% and a dozen dinner rolls will cost consumers 15% more this year. The only item that decreased in price was a 14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing averaging $2.29, down 19% from last year.

The Farm Bureau surveys pricing through volunteer shoppers by checking prices in person and online in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. — with Tory N. Parrish