The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2026 Thanksgiving dinner survey is expected the week before Thanksgiving, which falls on November 26. Until then, the clearest benchmark is the 2025 survey, which priced a classic dinner for 10 at $55.18, or about $5.52 per person, down 5% from 2024 and the third straight yearly decline.
Key Takeaways
- A 16-pound frozen turkey averaged $21.50 in the 2025 survey, or $1.34 per pound, down more than 16% from 2024.
- The Thanksgiving meal peaked at $64.05 in 2022, and three years of declines have not fully reversed that increase.
- The classic meal cost $50.01 in the South and $61.75 in the West in 2025, a gap of more than $11.
- Adding ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans raised the 2025 total by $21.91, to $77.09.
- Sweet potatoes rose 37% and the veggie tray 61.3% in 2025, even as the overall meal got cheaper.
The 2026 Farm Bureau Survey Arrives the Week Before Thanksgiving
The Farm Bureau’s Thanksgiving dinner survey is the benchmark many families, reporters and economists use to track holiday food costs. The 2025 edition, the 40th, came out on November 19, a week before the holiday. With Thanksgiving falling on Thursday, November 26, 2026, the 41st survey is likely to follow the same timing.
The survey is informal, but it is built for consistency. Volunteer shoppers collect prices in early November, checking both in-store and online listings, and the 2025 national average drew on pricing from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The classic menu has stayed the same since the first survey in 1986, so each year’s total can be compared directly with the last.
What a $55.18 Thanksgiving Dinner Included
The Farm Bureau’s classic menu covers turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, all in quantities to serve 10 people. In 2025, the 16-pound turkey made up $21.50 of the $55.18 total.
The rest of the list added up quickly. A 14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing mix cost $3.71, a dozen dinner rolls $3.56, two frozen pie crusts $3.37 and a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix $4.16. Three pounds of sweet potatoes cost $4.00, a gallon of whole milk $3.73, a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries $2.28, a pound of frozen peas $2.03, a half-pint of whipping cream $1.87 and a one-pound veggie tray $1.36. Miscellaneous ingredients for preparing the meal added $3.61.
Turkey Drove Three Straight Years of Declines
Turkey explains most of the recent drop in the Thanksgiving dinner cost. The 2025 survey found the average 16-pound frozen bird at $1.34 per pound, down 16.3% from the year before. Wholesale prices for fresh turkey were actually higher than in 2024, but grocery stores ran Thanksgiving promotions to draw shoppers back to turkey, which pushed retail prices down.
Supply and demand both played a role. Farm Bureau economist Faith Parum said farmers were still rebuilding turkey flocks hit by avian influenza, while overall demand had also fallen. Even so, the declines had not erased the run-up of earlier years. The $55.18 total sat 13.8% below the 2022 peak of $64.05.
Some Side Dishes Cost More Even as the Total Fell
The overall decline hid sharp increases on several items. About half of the ingredients in the 2025 survey got cheaper, and half got more expensive. Sweet potatoes rose 37%, the veggie tray 61.3%, frozen peas 17.2% and whole milk 16.3%.
Flour-based foods moved the other way. Dinner rolls fell 14.6% and stuffing fell 9%, helped by low wheat prices. Because fresh vegetables and potatoes cost only a few dollars, small price changes can produce large percentage swings, which is why these items often stand out in the survey results.
Where Families Live Changes the Thanksgiving Bill
The Thanksgiving dinner cost varies noticeably by region. In 2025, the classic meal cost the least in the South at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.38, the Northeast at $60.82 and the West at $61.75. Families in the West paid nearly 12% more than the national average for the same menu.
For households planning a budget, the regional figures are a more useful guide than the national number. A family in the South and a family in the West buying the same 12 items could see a difference of more than $11 at the register.
The Expanded Menu Adds About $22
The Farm Bureau also tracks an expanded menu that reflects how many families actually celebrate. Adding boneless ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans to the classic list raised the 2025 cost by $21.91, to $77.09 for 10 people. Households that serve both turkey and ham should plan around that higher figure.
What to Watch When the 2026 Numbers Arrive
When the 41st survey comes out, three parts of the bill will show which direction holiday food costs are moving. The first is turkey, which has driven the overall total for three years. The second is flour-based items such as rolls, stuffing and pie crusts, which follow wheat prices. The third is fresh produce, where small changes can swing percentages sharply. Comparing those categories against the 2025 figures will show whether the three-year decline continues.
FAQs
How Much Did Thanksgiving Dinner Cost in 2025?
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2025 survey priced a classic Thanksgiving dinner for 10 at $55.18, or about $5.52 per person, down 5% from 2024.
When Will the 2026 Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey Be Released?
The Farm Bureau typically releases its survey the week before Thanksgiving. The 2025 survey came out November 19, and Thanksgiving 2026 falls on November 26.
How Much Did a Thanksgiving Turkey Cost in 2025?
A 16-pound frozen turkey averaged $21.50 in 2025, or $1.34 per pound, down more than 16% from the year before.
Which Region Has the Cheapest Thanksgiving Dinner?
In 2025, the South had the lowest cost at $50.01 for a classic meal for 10. The West had the highest at $61.75.
What Was the Highest Thanksgiving Dinner Cost in the Farm Bureau Survey?
The survey peaked at $64.05 in 2022. Costs have declined each year since, reaching $55.18 in 2025.
