Overview
- The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 40th annual check pegs a classic 10-person meal at $55.18, the third straight yearly decline and down from the 2022 peak of $64.05.
- Turkey led the drop, with a 16% cut to $21.50 for a 16‑pound bird, now about 39% of the meal’s cost, even as wholesale costs remain elevated due to avian influenza and input pressures.
- Relief is uneven: stuffing, dinner rolls and cranberries are cheaper, while sweet potatoes rose about 37%, a veggie tray jumped roughly 61%, and peas as well as milk and cream increased.
- Regional gaps persist, with the West averaging $61.75 and the South $50.01; California’s estimated tab is about $72.61 for the same basket.
- Retailers are promoting low-cost bundles — examples include Walmart around $40 and Lidl at $36 — though several offers feature fewer items or more private-label goods, complicating comparisons.