Feasting for $5

This Thanksgiving, for ten diners to feast on turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie and the rest of a traditional dinner will cost about fifty dollars for all the diners, according to a survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The annual survey places the average cost of a classic Thanksgiving feast for ten at $49.48, making it just under $5 per person. The cost increased 28 cents – less than 1 percent –from last year’s estimated cost.

The survey asked volunteers in 35 states to shop for a list of traditional Thanksgiving items that would feed ten people. Shoppers looked for the best deals, but were not allowed to use coupons. The list of foods included: turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, coffee and milk.

Items that dropped slightly in price include; three pounds of sweet potatoes, $3.15, down 11 cents; one gallon of whole milk, $3.59, down 7 cents; fresh cranberries, $2.45, down 3 cents; and one pound of green peas, $1.66, down 2 cents. The centerpiece item is the one that cost the most. Coming in at $22.23, a 16-pound  turkey cost roughly $1.39 per pound, an increase of about 4 cents per pound compared to 2011.

The Farm Bureau notes that this is an informal gauge of prices, but it does indicate how the cost of foods has changed over the years. The menu has remained the same since the first survey conducted in 1986. Back then, feeding your ten Thanksgiving diners cost an average of almost $29. But when accounting for inflation, according to the Farm Bureau, food costs have stayed about the same.

Source: American Farm Bureau Federation.“Cost of Classic Thanksgiving Dinner Up Slightly This Year.”