The cost of a classic Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people fell to $55.18, a 5% decrease from 2024, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) 40th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey. Despite the decline, prices remain well above pre-pandemic levels, reflecting ongoing pressures on U.S. farmers and the broader food supply chain.
AFBF’s Annual Thanksgiving Award Check
Each year, volunteer shoppers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico track grocery prices for holiday staples. Since 1986, the basket has included key items such as turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie mix, sweet potatoes, rolls, milk and vegetables. The survey highlights what Americans can expect to pay at grocery stores during Thanksgiving week.
Mixed price trends: Turkey down, sides up
This year’s Thanksgiving basket shows a combination of savings and price peaks:
Items that went down in price and items that went up in price:
Item category Price trend vs. 2024 NotesTotal cost$55.18Down 5% from last year, still above pre-pandemic Turkey↓Down 16%; 39% of total meal cost Stuffing cubes↓9% dropFresh cranberries↓2.8% dropDinner↓14.6% dropSweet potatoes↑Up 37%Frozen peas↑Increased carrot-celery veggie tray↑Up 61%Whole milk↑Enhanced whipped milk mix→UnchangedPie crusts→Unchanged
Adding more favorites brings the total cost to $77.09
When items like ham, hash browns and green beans, which were added to the 2018 survey, are included, the total cost rises to $77.09, or $7.71 per person. This expanded basket is only slightly cheaper than last year, only 28 cents.
Added ItemTrendTotal Cart PriceHam↑ Russet Potato↑ Frozen Green Beans↑ Total updated meal price (10 people)—$77.09Cost per person—$7.71Change vs 2024-down $0.28
The smallest cost share in Turkey in the last 25 years
The 16-pound turkey now accounts for just 39% of the cost of the classic meal — the bird’s lowest share since 2000. Turkey prices are down 16% from last year due to lower demand for turkey outside of Thanksgiving and falling prices for frozen birds, which remain the holiday standard. Americans now consume 13 pounds of turkey a year, nearly 3 pounds less than six years ago.
Share of Turkey’s Annual Cost of Food in Turkey Price Notes 2024~43% (Average) – Long Term Average 202539%$21.50 for a 16 pound birdLowest share since 2000; price down 16% Consumption in Turkey – £13/person/year £3 down from six years ago
Why are attachments more expensive?
The biggest price jumps came from high-producing countries.
Item Percent Increase Root Causes Vegetable Tray (Carrots + Celery)+61%Labor shortage, weather fluctuationsSweet potatoes+37%North Carolina Hurricane DamageFresh Vegetables (General)↑High Labor + Fuel + Fertilizer CostsMilk (Milk and Cream)↑Higher Production Costs
These increases are due to factors such as:
Hurricane damage in major producing states such as North Carolina
Higher costs for fertilizers, fuel, labor and machinery
Item Percent Increase Root Causes Vegetable Tray (Carrots + Celery)+61%Labor shortage, weather fluctuationsSweet potatoes+37%North Carolina Hurricane DamageFresh Vegetables (General)↑High Labor + Fuel + Fertilizer CostsMilk (Milk and Cream)↑Higher Production Costs
Ongoing labor shortages
Weather outages and transport delays
Since production starts at a lower price, even small increases in costs create large year-over-year percentage changes.
Stuffing, rolls and cranberries help keep costs down
Some traditional staples helped ease the overall bill:
ItemPrice ChangeDinner rolls-14.6%Stuffing-9%Fresh cranberries-2.8%Frozen turkey↓ 16%
However, the declines were offset by a sharp increase in production items.
Regional price differences
The cost of Thanksgiving dinner varies widely across the United States:
The price of a classic Thanksgiving dinner for 10
RegionCostNotesWest$61.75HighestNortheast$60.82 Midwest$54.38 South$50.01The lowest
The West is consistently ranked as the most expensive region.
Thanksgiving in 2025 November 27th
Thanksgiving in 2025 will be celebrated on Thursday (November 27). Rooted in a 1621 harvest shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, the holiday is a national day of thanksgiving established by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Families across the United States gather for a traditional turkey dinner, reflect on the year’s blessings, and celebrate with parades, football games and social events.
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