Copyright scrippsnews
Early projections show Thanksgiving staples will cost less this year compared with 2024.An analysis from Wells Fargo estimates a typical Thanksgiving dinner for 10 will be about 2% to 3% cheaper in 2025.This comes despite higher inflation and overall food costs. The consumer price index shows food is about 2.7% more expensive than a year ago.That increase is largely driven by items such as beef, lunch meat, fish and seafood, coffee, and sugar and sweets. Other grocery staples, including turkey, have seen either modest price increases or price drops.According to Wells Fargo, an all–store-brand Thanksgiving dinner for 10 would cost about $80, while name-brand products would cost about $95. Mixing national and store brands could help shoppers save more.RELATED STORY | Think mashed potatoes rule Thanksgiving? Think againThe analysis included turkey, stuffing, frozen vegetables, prepared mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh cranberries, dinner rolls, salad mix, pumpkin pie, and whipped cream.Private-label dinner rolls are about 22% cheaper this year, and turkey, prepared gravy mix, and fresh cranberries are down about 3% to 4%. Some products, such as salad mix and whipped cream, are more expensive.Politics of Thanksgiving dinnerEarlier this week, President Donald Trump promoted Walmart's annual Thanksgiving meal report, which he said showed a feast for 10 costing $4 per person, down from $7 last year."So Walmart, which everybody trusts — and I trust — they’re not looking to do anything except give numbers, and they have for many years. They talk about the cost of Thanksgiving and the cost of living through Thanksgiving and enjoying Thanksgiving. For Joe Biden, it was 25% more than it is for me at a later time," Trump said.However, Walmart’s 2024 meal included different components, such as Hawaiian rolls, mini marshmallows, and sweet potatoes. That means it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but rather an example of how to create a Thanksgiving meal on a budget.
