Farm Bureau: Thanksgiving Meal Will Cost Less This Year

The annual market basket survey says Hoosiers can expect to spend approximately 10 percent less at the grocery store this Thanksgiving.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) – Hoosiers can expect to pay less for their Thanksgiving meal this year.

The Indiana Farm Bureau’s annual market basket survey shows that Hoosier shoppers can expect to spend approximately 10 percent less at the grocery store this Thanksgiving.

According to this year’s pricing survey, the average cost for a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people, including 12 traditional food items, is $42.66. That comes out to $4.26 per person.

The item that most significantly contributed to this reduction in cost is the Thanksgiving staple, turkey. Last year, shoppers found that a 16-pound turkey cost $21.47 ($1.34 per pound), on average. This year, that same turkey should cost approximately $16.32 ($1.02 per pound), which is 24 percent cheaper than 2018.

Other items expected to decrease in price are ingredients for stuffing, pumpkin pie filling mix, and frozen peas.

Items that may be a little more expensive include sweet potatoes, rolls, fresh carrots, celery and fresh cranberries.

Indiana’s survey is completed in conjunction with a national survey administered by the American Farm Bureau Federation. AFBF found that the national meal average for 10 people is $48.91 which is approximately 13% more than Indiana’s average meal price this year. Nationally, a total of 141 volunteer shoppers in 39 states participated this year.