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Eat Up! The Average Thanksgiving Dinner Costs A Little Less This Year

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The American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey on the price of traditional Thanksgiving foods revealed a drop in the average price of dinner for families.

“Since 2015, the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner has declined steadily and is now at the lowest level since 2010,” AFBF Chief Economist Dr. John Newton said in a statement.

The survey, which counted up the cost of classic Thanksgiving foods like turkey, sweet potatoes, bread rolls, cranberries, pumpkin pie mix and more, indicates that the average cost of this year’s meal for 10 is $48.90.

That’s less than $5 per person, and a 22 cent decrease from the previous year’s average of $49.12.

Thanksgiving dinner’s staple, the turkey, also costs slightly less this year, coming in at $21.71 for a 16-pound turkey and down three percent from 2017.

The AFBF survey revealed that this is the lowest price one can buy a turkey since 2014.

“Thanks to an ample supply, turkey remains affordable for consumers, which helps keep the overall cost of the dinner reasonably priced as well,” Newton said.

The biggest price drops were for the turkey, a gallon of milk at $2.92, a three pound bag of sweet potatoes at $3.39, a one pound bag of green peas at $1.47 and a dozen rolls at $2.25, according to AFBF.

Adjusting for inflation, this cost of this year’s dinner is signifcantly more affordable than it was in 1986, when it was $65.73, AFBF found. (RELATED: US Adds 250,000 Jobs In October, Wage Growth Breaks 3 Percent For First Time In Nearly A Decade)

“Thanksgiving continues to be an affordable meal for Americans across the country at less than $5 per person for that classic meal,” Newton said. “Food prices have been relatively flat in the U.S. for a number of years.”

The AFBF found these prices by having 166 volunteer shoppers in 37 states find the best prices in grocery stores without using coupons or special purchase deals.

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