Thanksgiving meal cost down this year

Survey: Cheaper turkey to keep grocery bill low

Turkey averaged 89 cents a pound in this year’s survey, down 34 cents — or 28 percent — from a year ago.

Falling turkey prices mean that cooking a traditional Thanksgiving meal this year will cost less than $40 in Arizona, down more than $6 from a year ago, according to the Arizona Farm Bureau.

The bureau surveys the costs of groceries throughout the year. The fall survey assesses the cost to prepare a traditional turkey dinner with common side dishes for 10 people. This year’s survey found the cost to be $39.82, or about $4 a person.

Turkey averaged 89 cents a pound in this year’s survey, down 34 cents — or 28 percent — from a year ago. For a 16pound turkey, that means saving close to $5.50. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says turkey prices are low thanks to an uptick in supply this year.

“We’re confident that Arizona’s turkey prices during this holiday season are quite competitive,” said Julie Murphree, the Arizona Farm Bureau’s outreach director.

The survey uses a shopping list that includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray including carrots and

celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, plus coffee and milk.

The same items are purchased year after year to make the annual comparison.

The whole-meal price hit a high in 2008 when it cost $52.81. In 1993 the entire grocery list cost just $24.99, according to the survey.

Buying an organic-labeled turkey this year will cost $2.99 a pound on average, and while an entirely organic meal costs about twice that of a traditional meal at $93.51, that’s a slight decline from a year ago, according to the bureau.