LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — If you’re gathering around the table for Thanksgiving, you won’t have to gather up as much money to pay for it.
The American Farm Bureau Federation released its 38th annual survey, which provides a look into the average cost for a 2023 feast.
The average price for a dinner feeding 10 people is down 4.5% from 2022, reaching an average of $61.17.
Hunt Sweitzer, who’s planning on celebrating the holiday this year with his family, is glad he’s able to save a couple of bucks.
“I feel as though there are a lot of discounts around Thanksgiving for that particular meal that are helpful,” he said. “I’ll typically pay probably around $100. You know, turkeys are a great deal around Thanksgiving and that helps.”
Officials with Michigan Farm Bureau said it all starts with the main dish.
“The biggest item is the turkey, which has come down in price, and that’s about half of the value of the whole meal anyways,” said Loren Koeman, lead economist at Michigan Farm Bureau.
Koeman added that it’s largely due to last year’s battle with avian influenza, which limited the supply.
“Turkey supplies were pretty tight and so that’s come back. Farmers have produced a lot of turkeys, they’re ready for purchase, and you’ll probably find some better deals than we found on our survey because there’s a lot of promotions around the Thanksgiving time as well,” Koeman added.
Stuffing, peas, rolls with butter, and more are included on the list. They all contribute to a price of around $6.20 per person.
The total price is still 25% higher than it was in 2019, which officials said highlights the high supply costs and inflation have had on food prices since before the pandemic.
