By Jamie Martin
The cost of Thanksgiving dinner is seeing a slight reduction this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual survey.
The survey, which assesses the price of traditional Thanksgiving items, indicates that a meal for ten people now averages at $58.08, or roughly $5.80 per person. This represents a 5% decrease from last year, yet prices remain nearly 20% higher than five years ago.
The survey highlights mixed trends in food pricing. While overall costs have declined slightly, specific items like stuffing and dinner rolls have seen an increase of about 8%.
Cranberries experienced the largest hike, with prices up 12% from last year, aligning more closely with historical norms after a significant drop the previous year.
These fluctuations reflect broader economic conditions, with inflation slowing but not sufficiently to return prices to pre-pandemic levels.
The ongoing economic pressure affects not only consumers but also farmers and ranchers, who face higher costs for supplies amid predictions of a nearly 25% drop in net farm income compared to two years ago.
This dynamic underscores the interconnected challenges of food production and pricing in today's economic landscape.
Photo Credit: american-farm-bureau-federation
Categories: National