CNBC: This year’s Thanksgiving dinner is historically affordable
Utilizing information based on a nationwide survey of grocery prices from the American Farm Bureau Federation, CNBC reported that this year’s Thanksgiving dinner will be historically affordable. They estimate that on average, it would cost $58.08 to feed 10 individuals. Since shoppers will not see this when looking at the prices at the store, CNBC argued from the “adjusted for inflation” angle.
From CNBC:
The costs of this year’s holiday feast — estimated at $58.08 for a 10-person gathering, or $5.81 a head — dropped 5% since last year, the lowest level since 2021, according to a nationwide survey of grocery prices by the American Farm Bureau Federation, which represents millions of U.S. farmers. But the picture improves further when adjusted for inflation.
“If your dollar had the same overall purchasing power as a consumer in 1984 … this would be the least expensive Thanksgiving meal in the 39-year history of the AFBF Thanksgiving survey, other than the outlier of 2020,” the authors wrote.
For plenty of households, it doesn’t feel that way.
A defining feature of the post-pandemic recovery, and the 2024 election, is the divergence between Americans’ sour views of the economy and its underlying strength. Many shoppers understandably focus on price levels — the dollar value of the things they buy — rather than those purchases’ inflation-adjusted, or “real,” costs. The latter is the true test of affordability, since it reflects an often underappreciated piece of the inflation puzzle: wage inflation.
And indeed, while Thanksgiving food prices are up 19% since 2019, according to the AFBF, federal data shows median household wages growing by about 25% during the same period.
Additional Reading:
Feng, J. (2024, November 24). Thanksgiving dinner is historically affordable this year. CNBC. Link.
Category: Society
I’ll call bullshit on 58 bucks
the turkey alone was 33 bucks and I’m not feeding ten people.. the inflation the last 4 years has been insane
and is much higher then reported by the lame stream media
Hundred percent.
They think people are stupid.
They also think that everybody NEEDS to believe everything that they say.
If they are watching cnbc and cnn they ARE stupid
Let me summarize…
And…
When the economy massively improves under Trump, they will claim it is a dividends from the good policies of the Biden/Harris administration.
I can already hear the sheep blathering.
I got a breast. Just the breast. $23.00
A breast in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Bidenomics. The underlying premise is “Are you gonna believe what you see, or what I tell you? C’mon man, I ain’t lyin’!”
I now know how someone with dementia thinks
I’ve had 4 years of Biden
Yeah. Must be counting on the PhD liberals not coming to Grandma’s. Ok with me. That reduces the grocery bill! Isn’t it sad that we can’t have reasonable discussions about current issues? That ice is too thin for me. Happy Thanksgiving Ladies and Gentlemen. I’m thankful for each and every one of you!
Each time I see a glimmer of hope the MSM and Dems are taking honest stock of why it has gone so historically wrong for them, I see something like this. The sad part is, there are idiots out there saying, “oh, okay, it must be true”.
Median household wages are up %25 because people had to get a second job to pay the bills.
Either that or the kids had to move back in because they couldn’t afford a house anymore themselves.
$58.08 for 10 people?? WTF are you feeding them, ramen noodles and vienna sausages??
Rice bowels
“Bowels”?
It’s funnier that way
Uuuuuh? Think I’ll pass on that.
Wow…this tastes like shit!
2lbs of Turkey per person = 20lbs bird @ $0.99 per pound (Costco – butterball) = $19.80; Cranberry sauce = 2x Bag @$1.99/bg + 2x Navel Orange@ $0.77/ea = $3.52; Mashed Potatoes = 5lbs bag @$2.68 (skip the milk and butter and just mash with water); Green bean Casserole = Green beans $3.98 per bag + Can of Campbell’s Soup @$2.40 + Panko Bread Crumbs @$2.08 = $
8.46 ; Rolls = Flour$8.12/5lbs bag+ $4.42/12+ Yeast $1.88/3pckt+ milk$2.08/1/2gal = $16.50/2dzn; 2x box Stuffing = $1.98/box= $3.96 for a grand total of $54.92 which leaves you $4 for a box of wine or dessert!!!
Where’s the pie(s)??
Hair pie with mama later = free
Just mash taters with water???
What small town were they in when they came up with $58?
At the VOV homestead the 10-12 showing up here are encouraged to bring only a hearty appetite and we start with appetizers, adult beverages where appropriate, a main meal, and a variety of dessert options…all funded by the wife and I because we have been fortunate in this life and choose to share that good fortune…I can assure the $58 figure must be for a very small bird, some veggies and not much else…
Our cost is significantly higher, but we do have a lot of add-ons to make the day a more pleasant and fulfilling experience and we send everyone home with food as well…so we choose to spend quite a bit more…but even if I distill it down to the basic “meal” I seem to figure a cost factor of double that $58…
Turkey even at the one dollar a pound I paid was half the $58….unless the stuffing is just bread crumbs and butter I’m thinking the cheapest I might be able to get away with is $75 or so…
We’ll spend closer to $400 but we feed everyone all day long…so $35-$40 a person seems fair…with desserts, appetizers, snacks, beverages, etc…and everyone has a great day…
I hope all of you have a wonderful day as well, may your holiday be filled with family(whether blood or chosen) and joy.
Same here, VOV. Those like us that came up economically disadvantaged, and knew hard hungry times in the past, are prone to share generously now that we can afford it…and are glad to do so. NOBODY goes hungry when The Gun Bunny is around, whether it be @ Fire Base Magnolia, or when I am here @ my daughter’s place and we are covered up with Soccer Mom/Dad’s and their broods.
I never claimed to be good at maff, but I’m hell on ‘rithmetic! Those that keep up know that I favor the K Roger store for big shopping orders and have available Publix, Harvey’s, Ingles, and The Pig…among others. I absolutely refuse to do business Wally World or Sams. I’m a damn good shopper and keep up with the “Sale” cycles, buying depth on products when they are “On Sale”. Just a few years past, a spiral sliced ham would run $1.49-1.79 a #. Unsliced whole/halfs would be $.99-1.29 #. Turkey were in the .49-.69 # range. Eggs $.99-1.29, milk $1.99 gallon, bread $1.49-1.99 a loaf. As of Monday the “On Sale” prices were $2.49 for spiral slice, $1.79 for 1/2 ham, turkey was $1.49, eggs, milk, and bread were $3.99 a unit. Not to mention the jump in sugar, cereal, crackers, canned goods, gas, etc… These idjits must be using that “new/fuzzy” maff.
His Blessings be upon all of us as we give Thanks with Loved Ones for what we have.
“Those like us that came up economically disadvantaged, and knew hard hungry times in the past, are prone to share generously now that we can afford it”
That is the truth of it good sir…I didn’t have food security at all as a kid…my folks were good people but there were a lot of us and my dad worked construction which didn’t cover the expenses at times…but they figured out how we wouldn’t starve…even if we were eating all manner of weird organ meats and other items we could turn into sausage…
A generosity of spirit and a sense of service to our fellow family/friends/acquaintances seems to follow….
Enjoy your holiday and like you I remain thankful for still being here, and for the wonderful connections I’ve made with friends and family throughout the years!
I just paid about 50 bucks for a large fresh turkey breast. So I dispute the numbers that add up to $58. But maybe there is somewhere in the country that you could feed a full turkey dinner that would feed ten adults for $ 58.
3 bucks in change for one Lean Cuisine turkey/cinnamen apples meal. have 16 MRE’s left from Florida Hurricane season but at my age with the sodium and other added stuff, will do maybe one a week or two.
TV dinners, maybe?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C-6mI708yWc&pp=ygURenogdG9wIHR2IGRpbm5lcnM%3D
Thank you VOV. And a wonderful time will be shared by all. Your family will enjoy the fellowship and all that delicious food. That is how we gathered at my sister and bil’s lovely home on Lake Tuscaloosa for many years, each being the “Best Ever!”. My guy and I made a two gallon jar full of ambrosia, 100 deviled eggs (that’s 50 + eggs!), 20 pounds of potato salad, frozen cole slaw, green beans slow cooked with pork bacon, asparagus casserole, two dozen pecan mini pies, 3 lemon ice box pies! BiL smoked a big ole pork something and sister’s turkey, dressing and gravy was so tender the babies could nibble it! Oh, my goodness, it was the best eveah!
Oh, and Tums and Rol-Aids.
Y’all have a great day and know I am very thankful for each and everyone of YOU!
Gaslighting.
Didn’t work last time.
Working even less this time.
Here.
Those ain’t cheap anymore
So what if they’re labeled “Best if used before Dec 2012”.
Freezer burn is a myth.
My Sister buys them from Publix, nice cheap meal Had sweet/sour chicken last night trying to get some chow into me after last weeks 4 day hospital stay.
We bought some Panera’s Potato Soup at Publix, not highly seasoned and good with toasted Fr bread. You might like to try?
Hope you are feeling stronger every passing day.
Hopefully all carriers (Comcast, DirectTV, Cox Communications, etc) and broadband services dump all the MSM outlets. I heard COMCAST is about to dump MSNBC.
(If it happens, we won’t have to hear about their manufactured bullshit stories anymore.)
Amen
Elon Musk buys it, puts on Alex Jones, Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, Dan Bongino…
Yes, I have heard from multiple sources that Comcast is about to dump MSNBC like it was yesterdays’ MRE turd, and deservedly so. IMHO the entire mainstream media has whored itself out to the point of no return of their credibility.
Most of those MSM peeps are multi millionairs so am sure they aren’t worried except the other peeps that work there don’t make that much. Will see how many alphabet stations have layoffs.
You can’t feed ten people at McDonalds for $58, hell you might feed 4 or 5 but no way ten.
In Williams Az back in march of this years
2 happy meals one 1/4 pounder meal and a Mc chicken meal 4 shakes cost us 71 bucks
I don’t go to McDonalds anymore
Talk about a rip-off
Is that red pump the gas that we use to drive to the Gulag? Sleepy Joe is covering up some of the label. Move over Joey!
We are around $1.43/L
It’s was up near $2 when Russia – Ukraine kicked off nearly 3 years ago.
Steven Crowder did the math on his show earlier this week. It’s actually over $360 dollars for dinner and that 19% more expensive is JUST from last year.
They weaved certain factors into reducing the cost substantially during a very small timeframe to make it seem like it’s that cheap, among other things.
It should be for The False Commander “Phony” Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics) this year considering the amount he has stolen from the American Taxpayer based upon his highly questionable and potentially felonious Native American, Navy SEAL and LEO claims.
I’m curious that Commissar hasn’t showed up yet to tell us how we’re all wrong about this, and that the economy has never been better..
Well, wherever you are Commissar, since I know you’re reading this, I sincerely hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Word is he’s “tied up”.
Here’s something way more liberal and successful than he’s ever done (and probably don’t even know about) just for him on the Thanksgiving occasion:
This is the first Thanksgiving for my wife’s brother, his wife, and their son (27) now that they have finally arrived from the Philippines in September. They got their green cards within 2 weeks of arrival. We bought a turkey and then were gifted another by our nephew’s new employer, an adult home care provider. As they are used to eating Lechon, a traditional roasted pork dish for holidays, we also have a honey baked ham for them to try.
*It _only_ took 24 years and 6 months from submitting paperwork and paying their fee(s) for their immigration interview at the US Embassy in Manila and approval. Niece (26) will come shortly as she is finishing her last semester of college to be a Physical Therapist. Nephew is prepping for taking Firefighter exam while waiting for his Philippine Hospital Radiological Technician and Emergency Medical Technician license(s) to be approved locally.
Best of luck to all of them Berliner, and a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
You don’t hate the MSM enough.
As the late, great Richard Pryor once said, “I don’t care what you THINK you saw, I was not fucking her. Now you gonna believe me,or your lying eyes.”
I’ll hit the Osan Commissary and get prices on the following:
20lb Turkey
Box of taters
3 cans yams + bag of marshmellows
2 bags gravy mix
2 boxes stove top stuffing
2 cans chicken base (for stuffing)
2 cans cranberries
1 apple pie
1 pumpkin pie
Will also post gas prices, went to Camp Humphreys Commissary & Gas station but didnt record prices or actually buy this stuff today.