Overview
- The American Farm Bureau Federation pegs the national average at $55.18 for a classic meal for 10, down 5% year over year and the third straight annual decline.
- A 16-pound turkey averages $21.50, down 16.3% and representing 39% of the basket’s total, with volunteers surveying prices in early November.
- State snapshots diverge: California’s classic meal runs $72.61, Tennessee’s longer 22-item list averages $128.50, and Indiana’s total is $53.62, a 0.6% uptick from last year.
- Several sides are pricier even as staples ease, including sweet potatoes up 37%, a carrot-and-celery tray up 61.3%, and frozen peas up 17.2%, while items like stuffing mix, dinner rolls and cranberries cost less.
- Retailers are pushing discounted bundles that complicate comparisons, with Aldi offering a $40 package and Walmart holding a roughly $4-per-person deal that trims items from last year’s bundle.