Cost Of Thanksgiving Dinner Down, Still Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels

The cost of Thanksgiving dinner is down a bit in 2024 compared to last year, but families are still paying nearly 20% more than before the pandemic. One way to save is to do some research while making your shopping list. Things like fresh cranberries and whipped cream are likely to cost you more, while experts say sweet potatoes will cost 26% less than last year.

The cost of Thanksgiving is giving shoppers something to be thankful for this year. Jane Leake picked up her turkey on Friday at Phelps Market.

"I think it was $25. It's $1.09 a pound, which I think is really good, I really do,” Leake said.

She'll be at her daughter's house for the holiday, and everyone will pitch in to make dinner more affordable.

"There's usually 20 to 25 of us and everybody brings food, so this is all I have to bring,” she said.

Phelps Store Manager Eddie Trueblood said while the overall cost of Thanksgiving is down, some items will cost more.

"Most of the items this week in the ad are comparable to last year. There's a few of them higher and a few of them lower,” Trueblood said.

Some people are able to get their turkey for free thanks to the rewards system at Phelps.

"You can collect points all year long and build them up. And you can, they do not ever go away,” Trueblood said. “And you can save them until November, and everybody's kind of aware that we have giveaways."

The American Farm Bureau Federation said the average cost to feed 10 people a Thanksgiving meal has gone down consistently since 2022, at just over $58 this year. When you look across the country, Oklahoma falls in the most inexpensive region.

"Turkeys are down,” Trueblood said. “They're down, some are between 10 and 12%, most likely on, per pound; they fluctuate year to year, but they were down this year."

With the cost of the turkey down, all that's left to do is serve it up.

"This will go home and go in my refrigerator and it'll be ready for me to cook on Wednesday,” Leake said.

At Phelps, they expect next Wednesday to be very busy, not just because it's the day before Thanksgiving, but because seniors get 10 percent off on Wednesdays. Phelps will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Reasor’s is offering a special Thanksgiving deal right now. Brookshire, which owns Reasor’s, said shoppers can feed 10 people for less than $50 if you buy certain discounted brands.