Thanksgiving meal costs more in US

The cost of a Thanksgiving meal will be 20 percent higher than the national average in New York state for anyone planning to cook a turkey with trimmings this holiday, the New York Farm Bureau found.

A meal for 10 people in New York will cost an average of $66, or about $6.60 per person. That is bucking the national trend, which is $55.18 on average, or about $5.52 per person, a 5 percent decrease from 2024.

In New York City, shoppers from different boroughs said that the prices they'd seen at their local grocery stores and supermarkets were definitely higher this year, especially for holiday staples like turkeys, yams and vegetables.

Lisa Smith, 77, a retiree living in Brooklyn, New York, will spend Thanksgiving with her son, daughter-in-law and grandson. She said everyone invited to dinner will bring a dish to help split the cost.

"I'm invited to my grandson's family's Thanksgiving. So, I'm going to bring a dish," she said.

"The cost of vegetables and a turkey is way too high for most people. I have a pension, so … I can pay for my groceries. But they've eaten up a lot of my other expenditures, travel, or, you know, getting transportation, as it's tough for older people to get around."

Major retailers such as Walmart, Target and others are offering low-cost meal deals. ShopRite will give shoppers with a Price Plus club loyalty card a free turkey or ham if they spend $400 from Oct 26 to Nov 27.

Food costs are a key sticking point for US President Donald Trump's administration, which campaigned on lowering costs.

In New York, the average cost of buying a 16-pound (7.25 kilogram) frozen turkey will be $28.27, while nationwide the average price for a 16-pound frozen turkey will be $21.50, down more than 16 percent from last year, the American Farm Bureau Federation found.

"Here in New York … we continue to experience issues like labor shortages, rapidly increasing farm wages and rising production costs, which affect prices in the grocery store, as well as a higher-than-average cost of living," New York Farm Bureau Director of Communications Amanda Powers said in a statement.

At an Ideal Food Baskets supermarket in Brooklyn, a 21-pound turkey cost $32.19. Three pounds of golden sweet potatoes displayed in front of the store were priced at $2. Nationwide, yams are more expensive this year due to inflation and tariffs, which raised production costs for farmers.

Angel Hernandez, 53, from Queens, New York, will spend Thanksgiving with his 10-year-old son, as he is separated from his partner. He is finding the cost of food "too high", especially a turkey.

"I don't have much family here as I'm from Honduras," Hernandez said. "When I go to the supermarket, it is too high. I want to make Thanksgiving nice for my son, special for the two of us, but prices are too much."

An analysis by Deloitte's 2025 Thanksgiving Index suggests that "costs have not decreased, like they did last year, but have instead risen at a more normal historical rate".

It estimates the cost of turkey, sides and sparkling cider for around eight people will be $76.50, up 0.6 percent from 2024 but below the food-at-home inflation rate shown in the October Consumer Price Index.

Meanwhile, other popular vegetables, such as collard greens and roasted brussels sprouts, will cost $9 for eight people.

Ella Sauter, 28, now living in Brooklyn, New York, was out shopping and counted herself lucky to get help buying food. She said that some of her friends, however, are feeling financial strain ahead of Thanksgiving.

"I work in food services, so I get most of my food from my job. I feel really grateful that my job keeps me fed, because otherwise I would be spending a good portion of my paycheck on food."

belindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com