Fill Up The Cart
On my to-do list today is “stop at the grocery store”—not for the holiday, just the normal weekly trip, but there’s no way I’m going grocery shopping tomorrow.
For those of you planning a holiday feast, you’ll be glad to know that the American Farm Bureau Federation has released its 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey…and nationwide, it appears the cost to consumers will be down.
Obviously, that’s not good news for producers, who no doubt are getting squeezed so the processors and retailers can keep their profit margins high.
Presume the classic holiday feast for 10…that will run you $55.18 nationally this year, $5.52 per person. It’s a little cheaper here in the Midwest, only $53.38—nearly two dollars cheaper.
The average price for a 16-pound turkey is down more than 16 percent from last year. The Farm Bureau says that while the wholesale price for fresh turkey is up from last year, stores are featuring deals to get people back to buying turkey in the wake of bird flu outbreaks and much higher prices not long ago.
In addition to turkey, the survey includes stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
Vegetables are way up…that veggie tray, which some of us will skip anyway, is up more than 61 percent in price from last year; sweet potatoes are up 37 percent, in large part due to hurricane damage last year to North Carolina.
Stuffing, pie crusts, rolls, and cranberries are all down in cost from last year; peas, pumpkin pie mix and milk are among the remaining items that are up in cost.
So there’s cost. Just let me know what time you’re serving lunch.
