BALTIMORE — While there's been a lot of talk about the high price of groceries, Thanksgiving dinner is expected to cost five percent less than last year.
According to the Maryland Farm Bureau, a holiday feast for 10, including all the traditional classics, will total $55.18, averaging out to $5.52 per person.
A reduction in turkey prices appear to be the key catalyst behind the overall drop.
For example, the average price of a 16-pound frozen turkey is $21.50, down $1.34 per pound (16 percent) from last year.
“It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal,” said American Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D. “Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”
Per the USDA Maryland farms produce over 100,000 turkeys annually.
Area grocery stores are also helping lower retail costs by offering meal deals.
Food Lion is featuring a complete Thanksgiving meal for 10 people for under $40.
The package consists of a 14-pound frozen turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and pies.
Target's Thanksgiving special feeds four people for under $20, which the chain says is their lowest price ever.
The White House also issued a press release touting cheaper Thanksgiving prices.
President Donald Trump highlighted how Walmart is charging 25 percent less than in 2024 for a meal that feeds 10 people.
Aldi and Lidl have also slashed prices by $7 and $10 respectively.
"Americans are seeing across-the-board price declines for the holiday staples, with dinner rolls down 22%, frozen vegetables down 15%, and items like turkeys, stuffing, gravy mix, fresh cranberries, and pumpkin pies all costing less," the White House said.
Below is a full list of average prices, showing what items have gone up or down, courtesy of the Farm Bureau.
- 16-pound turkey: $21.50 or $1.34 per pound (down 16.3%)
- 14-ounces of cubed stuffing mix: $3.71 (down 9%)
- 2 frozen pie crusts: $3.37 (down .8%)
- Half pint of whipping cream: $1.87 (up 3.2%)
- 1 pound of frozen peas: $2.03 (up 17.2%)
- 1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.56 (down 14.6%)
- Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.61 (down 4.7%)
- 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.16 (up .1%)
- 1 gallon of whole milk: $3.73 (up 16.3%)
- 3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $4.00 (up 37%)
- 1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): $1.36 (up 61.3%)
- 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.28 (down 2.8%)
“We are blessed to live in a country that is capable of producing such an abundant food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. “Despite modest declines in the cost of a Thanksgiving meal, I know food prices are a real concern for many families, including in rural America. We lost 15,000 farms last year because of factors including historically low crop prices, high supply costs and trade uncertainty, which continue to squeeze farmers and ranchers. Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and reliance on other countries for our food.
