November 26, 2014
www.gfb.org
Vol. 32 No. 47
AFBF: THANKSGIVING MEAL COST INCREASES LESS THAN 1 PERCENT The national average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 10 increased less than 1 percent this year from last, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) 29th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Price Survey. The informal survey, conducted from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12 by 179 volunteer shoppers from 35 states, shows the national retail cost of menu items for a classic Thanksgiving dinner is $49.41, a 37-cent price increase from last year’s average of $49.04. That makes the cost per person $4.94, less than the cost of most fast-food meals. A total of 22 shoppers from across Georgia participated in this year’s survey. The average cost for a Thanksgiving meal in Georgia came in at $47.72, which is $1.69 less than the national average. The shopping list for the AFBF survey included the following items in quantities sufficient to serve 10 people with plenty of leftovers: turkey, bread stuffing, cranberries, green peas, rolls, a relish tray of carrots and celery, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and beverages of whole milk and coffee. Survey participants were asked to look for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals. Farm Bureau does not make any scientific claims about the data but uses it as an informal gauge of price trends across the nation. The national average price of the big-ticket item – a 16-pound whole turkey – came in at $21.65 this year, contributing the most to the cost of the meal, but 11 cents less than last year. The Georgia shoppers paid an average of $20.16 for a 16-pound turkey. Nationally, foods showing the largest increases this year were sweet potatoes, dairy products and pumpkin pie mix. Sweet potatoes came in at $3.56 for three pounds. A half pint of whipping cream was $2; one gallon of whole milk, $3.76; and a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix, $3.12. A one-pound relish tray of carrots and celery ($.82) and one pound of green peas ($1.55) also increased in price. A combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour) rose to $3.48. Visit http://www.gfb.org/agnews/story.asp?RecordID=5168 to see how Georgia prices compared to the national prices. The national average cost of the dinner has remained around $49 since 2011. The stable average price reported this year by Farm Bureau for a classic Thanksgiving dinner tracks closely with the government’s Consumer Price Index for food eaten at home, which indicates a 3-percent increase compared to a year ago.