NORFOLK, Va. - Just how expensive is it to making a Thanksgiving meal?
The American Farm Bureau Federation says the cost of Thanksgiving dinner is actually the lowest it has been in five years!
The average cost for the feast in 2017 is $49.12, which is $.75 lower than the 2016 average of $49.87!
The most expensive item is, of course, the turkey. A 16-pound turkey costs about $22.38, or $1.40 per pound, a decrease of $.02 per pound compared to 2016.
Foods showing the largest decreases this year in addition to turkey, were a gallon of milk, $2.99; a dozen rolls, $2.26; two nine-inch pie shells, $2.45; a 3-pound bag of sweet potatoes, $3.52; a 1-pound bag of green peas, $1.53; and a group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour), $2.72.
Items that increased modestly in price were: a half-pint of whipping cream, $2.08; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.81; a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix, $3.21; a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries, $2.43; and a 1-pound veggie tray, $.74.
After adjusting for inflation, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner is $20.54, the lowest level since 2013.
