Central Oregonian

What’s that turkey dinner going to cost you?

Surprisingly, not that much more than it did two years ago

CENTRAL OREGONIAN

A turkey dinner with all the trimmings is going to cost the average consumer less than $2 more than it did in 2010.

Jason Chaney

November 19, 2012

This week, people throughout Crook County will undoubtedly gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving with a hearty, turkey-laden feast.

Many will likely give thanks for a host of things, but as they do so, they could probably include the price of the meal among them.

Survey results compiled by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) show that the price of Thanksgiving dinner remains relatively inexpensive for people throughout the country. Survey data found that the cost of a “classic Thanksgiving dinner” for 10 people costs $49.48 this year on average. The dinner includes a 16-pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, and pumpkin pie. Survey participants could count store brands and sale prices, but were asked not to include promotional coupons or special deals.

“At just under $5 per person, the cost of this year’s meal remains a bargain,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.

The same dinner costs considerably less in Crook County. By taking advantage of the best deals at Ray’s Food Place, Ericksons Thriftway, and Wagner’s Price Slasher (the three stores in Prineville who carry all of the survey items), a person could purchase the same dinner ingredients for $41.19 — a difference of $8.29.

Although the price for Thanksgiving dinner has remained relatively low nationwide, it has increased slightly since last year. In 2011, the same meal ingredients cost $49.20 — a difference of just 28 cents. By contrast, the cost rose from $43.47 to $49.20 — a $5.73 uptick — from 2010 to 2011. The Central Oregonian did not compile 2011 statistics for Crook County, but in 2010, the same meal cost $39.64 locally, which represents an increase of $1.55 during the past two years.

The AFBF said turkey prices, which have risen about 4 cents to $1.39 per pound, generated the bulk of the increase this year. In Crook County, the lowest cost for a turkey found was $1.29.

“A slight increase in demand for turkey is responsible for the moderate price increase our shoppers reported for the bird,” said AFBF Deputy Chief Economist John Anderson.

Oregon Farm Bureau Communications Director Anne Marie Moss attributes the cost of Thanksgiving dinner locally to the state’s farmers and ranchers. She noted that it is possible for a family to prepare a Thanksgiving meal made entirely of agricultural products grown in Oregon.

“When you sit around the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day — or any day — remember to give thanks for Oregon’s family farmers and ranchers, who provide us with such a high-quality, nutritious, and safe agricultural bounty,” she said.