Thanksgiving average costs over $50

The USDA’s latest weekly survey of advertised retail prices for the consumers’ choice of frozen turkey hens dropped 18 cents per pound from the previous week and remained just a penny cheaper per pound than past year in the week before Thanksgiving, as observed by the National Turkey Federation.

NTF estimates Americans eat 46 million turkeys for Thanksgiving, and most of those birds are flash-frozen, produced and contracted for grocers beginning in March – before the onset of the avian influenza outbreak.

The biggest increase this year is in the cost of a 16-pound turkey, which went up by $1.39, to $23.04.

However, turkey prices are dropping as Thanksgiving draws closer, the group said.

“We’re now starting to see retailers feature turkeys aggressively for the holiday”, Anderson added, which has meant turkey prices have fallen “sharply” to rates lower than a year ago.

Where in the world can a person get a sumptuous meal of turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk all for about five dollars?

AFBF’s report found three other items in addition to turkey that rose in price from past year.

According to the USDA, this week, frozen turkeys are 90 cents per pound.

The average costs vary depending on where you live. This year’s survey totaled over $50 for the first time.