Thanksgiving dinner costs 3 percent more this year

UNITED STATES-Can you believe it? “That is the centerpiece of the meal, and is the centerpiece of our market basket”.

Why does the price come down at the one time of the year when demand for the product spikes the most – before a holiday that’s literally dubbed “Turkey Day”?

Some prices went up and some went down. Otherwise, eating turkey at other times of the year means your wallet will get plucked for more money. So fast-twitch muscle, that’s the breast meat; that’s the muscle that’s used for fight or flight, the adrenaline, the muscles that the turkey doesn’t use very often during its lifetime.

A turkey weighing 16 pounds is around $23.04.

The exception? Fresh turkeys.

Most birds that will be sold fresh were hatched after the outbreak passed, and wholesale prices have been rising. “Having a glass of milk with your turkey dinner costs less than a year ago, and at the farm, milk prices are the lowest in 5 years”. Supply also may be tight – though hardly scarce – so Elam suggests locking in your order early. There is also plenty for leftovers.

The turkey event previous year drew about 200 people and raised $6,000, she said.

If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure it’s completely thawed before you brine it. Palma recommends brining for a minimum of 24 hours, and even longer if you have a bigger bird or an artisanal, farm-fresh turkey.

And how about those pumpkins? But market leader Libby’s still expects canned pumpkin supplies to last through Thanksgiving and the shortage probably won’t be felt until after the holiday baking season, says company spokeswoman Roz O’Hearn.

Wal-Mart certainly isn’t anxious. And two nine-inch pie shells were $2.47. Overall, the estimated cost of feeding 10 people on Thanksgiving rose just 70¢, or 2% compared to past year.

Another major driver of the survey is the cost of a gallon of whole milk.

That said, it’s important that you don’t let the turkey get too salty.

Don’t worry, not everything is more expensive.

“Breaker egg prices, which are used for pasteurized egg products, are still super high”, he said.

Its 30th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this years feast for 10 is $50.11, a 70-cent increase from last years average of $49.41.

Let the turkey rest for about 30 minutes before you’re ready to carve it for your meal.

In some areas, prices are even cheaper.

Prices across the country – based on a survey of more than 20,500 retail supermarkets – are an average of 90 cents per pound, according to a USDA National Retail Report on Turkey.

A relish tray, the average price is 79 cents, ours $3.68.

And air ticket sales are basically flat compared to previous year, with a mere 0.3 percent or 69-cent average increase, according to the Airlines Reporting Corp., which processes ticket transactions for airlines and travel agencies.