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A More Costly Thanksgiving Dinner
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- Created on Sunday, 20 November 2011 16:30
- Written by Press Room
The cost of Thanksgiving Dinner is going to cost more this year – 13 percent more, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. The average cost of a traditional dinner for 10 is averaged at $49.20 — $5.73 more than last year. Impacting the cost the most is the cost of the turkey itself – up 25 cents a pound over a year ago. A 16-pound turkey—is $21.57 this year, or about $1.35 per pound.
Even with the increase, the meal "remains a bargain, at just under $5 per person," said the AFBF President Bob Stallman, a rice and cattle producer from Texas. "The quality and variety of food produced for our dinner tables on America's diverse farms and ranches sets us apart from our contemporaries around the world. It is an honor for our farm and ranch families to produce the food from our nation's land for family Thanksgiving celebrations."
The AFBF survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray, coffee and milk,sufficient to serve a family of 10.
Retailers are being more aggressive about passing on higher costs for shipping, processing and storing food to consumers, although turkeys may still be featured in special sales and promotions close to Thanksgiving.
A gallon of whole milk increased in price by 42 cents per gallon, to $3.66—in Montana, it was $3.89. Other items that showed a price increase from last year were: a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix, $3.03, up 41 cents, and $3.59 in Montana. Two nine-inch pie shells, $2.52, up 6 cents; a ½ pint of whipping cream, $1.96, up 26 cents; one pound of green peas, $1.68, up 24 cents; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.88, up 24 cents; a dozen brown-n-serve rolls, $2.30, up 18 cents; three pounds of sweet potatoes, $3.26, up 7 cents; and fresh cranberries, $2.48, up 7 cents.
A one-pound relish tray of carrots and celery declined by a penny to 76 cents, while a combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter) decreased in price, to $3.10.
