What do the Components of a Thanksgiving Dinner Cost?

Each year the American Farm Bureau Federation releases a price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving dinner table. This year, the average cost of feasting stands at $48.91, which constitutes 1-cent increase from last year’s average.

The most costly item by far is the turkey, which this year costs an average of $20.80. Yet, the price of the big bird is at its lowest since 2010. Since most other ingredients on the Farm Bureau's shopping list have seen slight price increases, the price of the entire meal remained relatively stable this year. In the previous years, the average price of Thanksgiving dinner had actually been decreasing.

The shopping list of the survey includes all ingredients and foods in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10. 250 volunteers checked prices in grocery stores in 38 states for the Farm Bureau.