This Year's Holiday Feast Will Cost A Little Less

A price drop in Thanksgiving essentials, such as turkey and pumpkin pie, will save you a little more money during this year's holiday season.

According to an informal price survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the average cost for a 10-person Thanksgiving dinner this year is $49.87, compared to $50.11 last year.

The grocery items included in the holiday feast survey were turkey, bread, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, veggie trays, pumpkin pie, whipped cream, coffee, and milk.

"Consumers will pay less than $5 per person for a classic Thanksgiving dinner this year," said Dr. John Newton, the federation's director of marketing intelligence.

On average, a 16-pound turkey costs $22.74 this year, a 30-cent drop from 2015. Additionally, a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix, one gallon of milk, and a one-pound tray of celery and carrots saw price drops as well to $3.13, $3.17, and 73 cents, respectively.

"Due to a significant expansion in global milk production, prices fell to the lowest levels since 2009, leading to lower retail milk and dairy product prices," Newton said. "Additionally, this year's pumpkin prices are slightly lower following the production decline and higher prices seen in 2015."

The 2016 survey was conducted by 148 volunteer shoppers who checked prices of Thanksgiving dinner staples at grocery stores in 40 states.