JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missourians are paying less than a majority of the country for their Thanksgiving dinner this year according to the annual marketbasket survey by the Missouri Farm Bureau.
Since 1986 the American Farm Bureau has surveyed prices for ingredients that comprise the classic Thanksgiving Day meal, including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, peas, relish tray, cranberries, rolls with butter and pumpkin pie. Milk and coffee are included for beverages. In an effort to compare prices year-over-year, the list relies on prepackaged items rather than family recipes.
This year Missouri Farm Bureau shoppers found that a meal for 10 people with leftovers would cost $46.67, or $4.67 per person. Significant price declines were seen in turkey, sweet potatoes, cubed stuffing and cranberries. The average price per pound for turkeys recorded in the survey was $1.31 compared to $1.56 last year. Cranberries dropped from $2.41 for a 12-ounce bag to $2.24; sweet potatoes dropped from $1.14 per pound to $0.87; and stuffing mix dropped from $2.41 to $2.19.
The national average for this classic meal was $48.91, or $4.89 per person. Missouri consumers are paying less for most items, with the exception of turkey, frozen pie shells, whipping cream and whole milk. These prices are collected prior to Thanksgiving week so that shoppers gather everyday prices as opposed to special Thanksgiving deals at retailers.
