WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)’s 40th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey, the cost of this year’s feast was 5 percent lower from 2024, marking the third straight year of price declines.

“Our members have been reporting prices for 40 years,” Faith Parum, AFBF economist, told Farm World. “The largest change (over the years) is most of them shop online now. Our survey lets the shopper decide if they want to visit in-store, or they can navigate to their local grocery store of choice to look up the items. Other than that, it is the same basket and quantities.”

The annual survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of Thanksgiving staples that make up a classic holiday feast for 10, which is $55.18, or about $5.52 per person, federation officials said in a Nov. 19 news release.

“This is a 5 percent decrease from 2024,” officials said. “Three years of declines don’t fully erase dramatic increases that led to a record-high cost of $64.05 in 2022. The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – dramatically decreased in price, which helped bring down the overall cost of dinner.

“The average price for a 16-pound frozen turkey is $21.50,” officials added. “That is $1.34 per pound, down more than 16 percent from last year. While the wholesale price for fresh turkey is up from 2024, grocery stores are featuring Thanksgiving deals and attempting to draw consumer demand back to turkey, leading to lower retail prices for a holiday bird.”

According to the survey, AFBF volunteer shoppers checked prices the first week of November. Grocery stores often feature whole turkeys at even lower prices in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. In fact, the most recent USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data said the average per-pound feature price for whole frozen turkeys declined further during the second week of November.

“It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal,” Parum said in the news release. “Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”

The shopping list for AFBF’s survey included turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, all in quantities sufficient for 10 servings, officials said. Half the ingredients in the survey declined in price, including dinner rolls and stuffing. Low wheat prices helped bring down the cost of items requiring flour, officials added.

The survey showed other items such as 14 ounces of cubed stuffing mix was $3.71 (down 9 percent); two frozen pie crusts: $3.37 (down 8 percent); and one dozen dinner rolls, $3.56 (down 14.6 percent). But the survey showed items like fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes increased: a veggie tray was up more than 61 percent and sweet potatoes were up 37 percent, with natural disasters partly contributing to the increase.

For example, North Carolina, which is the largest grower of the nation’s sweet potatoes, suffered hurricane damage, according to the survey: “We’ve seen a reduction in prices for about half our items,” Parum told Farm World. “Frozen turkey prices are down, and this year, the turkey is the smallest share of the bill than ever before. This shows that our sides are moving more into the spotlight.

“In that vein, we see high volatility of produce prices,” she added. “Sweet potatoes and the veggie tray are up this year due to natural disasters, transportation costs, and labor shortages. However, because these prices are volatile, shoppers may see lower prices in their own stores.”

In recognition of changes in Thanksgiving dinner traditions, officials said the AFBF survey also included boneless ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans, in an expanded menu. Adding these foods to the classic Thanksgiving menu increases the overall cost by $21.91, to $77.09.

The survey, however, indicated the continued shortage of farm workers and rapidly increasing farm wages also played a role in rising produce costs: “It’s important to note that fresh vegetables and potatoes are traditionally low-cost items, so an increase of just a few cents can dramatically affect the cost change percentage year-to-year,” officials said.

This year’s national average cost was calculated using surveys completed with pricing data from all 50 states, and Puerto Rico. AFBF analysis revealed regional differences in the cost of the meal. The cost for the classic Thanksgiving meal was the most affordable in the South at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.38; the Northeast at $60.82; and the West at $61.75.

In addition, the expanded meal (e.g., classic meal plus boneless ham, Russet potatoes and green beans) was the most affordable in the South at $71.20; the Midwest at $76.33; the Northeast at $82.97; and most expensive in the West at $84.97, the survey indicated.

“We are blessed to live in a country that is capable of producing such an abundant food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said Zippy Duvall, AFBF president. “Despite modest declines in the cost of a Thanksgiving meal, I know food prices are a real concern for many families, including in rural America.

“We lost 15,000 farms last year because of factors including historically low crop prices, high supply costs and trade uncertainty, which continue to squeeze farmers and ranchers,” he said. “Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and reliance on other countries for our food.

“We urge Congress to address the challenging economic conditions facing farmers to ensure farm families can continue growing the food we all rely on, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year,” he added.