Classic Thanksgiving Dinner For 10 Rings In At $49

WASHINGTONFeeding a family of 10 a traditional home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner this year will set back consumers just shy of $50 or a little less than $5 per serving, down 44 cents from 2012, according to results of the American Farm Bureau Federations (AFBF) 28th annual survey.

The AFBF survey shopping list included turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty of leftovers.

The average cost of this years feast, including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings, is $49.04down 44 cents from 2012. The cost of nine items decreased and three increased, according to the 12-item survey, which has been conducted annually since 1986.

The big ticket itema 16-pound turkeycame in at $21.76 this year. That was roughly $1.36 per pound, a decrease of about 3 cents per pound, or a total of 47 cents per whole turkey, compared to 2012. The whole bird was the biggest contributor to the final total, showing the largest price decrease compared to last year. Slightly higher turkey production for much of the year, coupled with an increase in birds in cold storage, may be responsible for the moderate price decrease, said John Anderson, AFBFs deputy chief economist.

In addition to the turkey, other items showing lower prices this year included a dozen brown-n-serve rolls at $2.18; 1 pound of green peas at $1.54; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing at $2.67; fresh cranberries at $2.42; a half pint of whipping cream at $1.85; and two nine-inch pie shells at $2.49. A combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter), increased to $3.20. A 1-pound relish tray of carrots and celery increased to 81 cents.

Items showing a moderate price increase from last year included 3 pounds of sweet potatoes at $3.36; one gallon of whole milk at $3.66; and a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix at $3.10.