Cost of Thanksgiving dinner rises, still under $50 for 10 people
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 29th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $49.41, a 37-cent increase from last year’s average of $49.04.
The AFBF survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10. There is also plenty for leftovers.
The big ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at $21.65 this year. That’s roughly $1.35 per pound, a decrease of less than 1 cent per pound, or a total of 11 cents per whole turkey, compared to 2013.
As in the past, Americans will enjoy foods during their Thanksgiving Day celebrations that possibly originated on a Fresno County farm or ranch. “We have the benefit of living with the most productive farmland in the world right in our backyard,” said FCFB CEO/Executive Director Ryan Jacobsen. “A diverse variety of wholesome, fresh food is available to us that’s grown locally and highly sought after by the rest of the country and world. Nothing beats produce from our region,” he added.
The star of the Thanksgiving meal – the turkey – is one of Fresno County’s top 10 crops (poultry). In 2013, it was ranked as the number three crop, valued at more than $548 million, according to the Fresno County Department of Agriculture 2013 Agricultural Crop and Livestock Report.
Fresno County typically produces many other food items that appear on Thanksgiving dinner tables. Popular food items produced here include: almonds, asparagus, broccoli, cotton (used for table linens), grapes (raisins, table and wine), garlic (fresh and processed), honey, lettuce (head and leaf), milk/milk products, olives, onions (fresh and processed), oranges, persimmons, pistachios, pomegranates, sweet corn and wheat.
Fresno County also has commercial acreage of sweet potatoes, green beans, fresh and processed carrots, mushrooms, pumpkins and several herbs, including basil, chives, ginger and parsley.
This is the 29th year AFBF has conducted the price survey. Farm Bureau’s survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons. The survey can be found online at: http://www.fb.org/index.php?action=newsroom.news_article&id=191.
