$44.61 ... average Thanksgiving dinner cost for 10 people

[dan_nc]

http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...811260436/1117

The American Farm Bureau Federation conducts an informal price survey every year of the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people.

The average national cost for a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people this year is $44.61.

When the 179 people from 38 states involved in the AFBF survey shopped they were checking prices for turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, carrots and celery for a relish tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, coffee and milk.

"When you break down the price per person, the cost is $4.61 per person," said Tammy Roberts, a nutrition and health education specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

I heard about this from my aunt during Thanksgiving supper, and everyone at the table seemed really skeptical that you could really feed 10 people with $44.61 worth of groceries. Thoughts?

And yeah, I did notice that $44.61/10 is actually $4.461 and not $4.61.

[Oddity]

[...]they were checking prices for[...]

Perhaps they simply checked prices for all those items listed, however, purchased only the turkey?

[darkeyed_daisy]

I don't believe this is accurate at all.

[dan_nc]

The article from Forbes explains the details behind the numbers a bit more.

http://www.forbes.com/wineandfood/20..._1119food.html

[cmoore]

I read the article.
No way.
You'd have to get your turkeys (need more than 1 for 10 guests) for free or at a deep grocery store sponsored discount. Saving stale bread for a month to make stuffing and making all the sides and pies from scratch. Maybe scraping the innards of your Halloween pumpkins to start the filling.

[darkeyed_daisy]

Since I do less shopping these days, I use the little carry baskets to grab what I need.

I can spend $100 not even over flowing my little basket.

A thanksgiving dinner for 10 would not even begin to fit in my little basket....

Anyways, the article is right in that prices are increasing. Toilet paper for example: $5.00 for my brand. $5.00 to flush down the toilet....I don't understand it. The cheap stuff doesnt break down and clogs the pipes.

I guess we may be heading back to the days of using the sears n roebuck or corn cobs......

[betheny]

I think my 15 pd turkey was $20. Hubs spent $60 on the rest. Some I already had at home. Some was left over. I could have fed 10, I think... fed 6.

I think it has to be at least $60.

2 pies.
2 pans stuffing
green bean cass w/ bacon
sweet potato streusel
turkey, natch
Bet brining the turkey was $10!
mashed ptatoes
gravy
cranberry relish
rolls.

Everything but rolls and pie crusts were from scratch. I have stuffing and cranberry relish left for Christmas.

The article figures an 8 item meal, I guess I had 10.

[Sue Pendleton]

Well, other than the pie we tend to make our dinner, or my spouse does now, from scratch. Oh he does use prepackaged corn bread dressing and regular dressing bread for the stuffing now too. I always tore up a loaf of wheat the night before like my grandma taught me and made a batch of cornbread two days out.

But the cost of a semi-organic bird is nuts. By semi I mean not injected with a lot of soup to up the weight and try to keep a bred for breast meat bird from drying out.

DD, TP will continue going up in price as long as we want to remain semi-civilized. LOL Look for coupons on your favorite brand's website.

[Sue Pendleton]

Yea, I never understood the green bean casserole thing Beth. Sweet potatos like it sounds like you make them hit the table as do mashed potatos for the gravy. We waited on the cranberries this year for a leftovers dinner. Decided to try and find a recipe for a cold diabetic cranberry salad Grandma T used to make. Seems it's really popular now that people have food processors. Cranberries are chopped fine not cooked and a lot of other stuff goes in. Always liked it even if she made it for my one uncle with diabetes. Just wish I had gotten her oyster dressing recipe too.

[betheny]

Sue, my Mom's cranberry relish is what you're looking for! You chop them up (1 bag), add black cherry or cherry jello (use sugar free), pecans, chopped pineapple, I use a cup of sugar but splenda will work. Orange/juice optional. You HAVE to make it the day before, at least. It has to sit. It has the consistency of pickle relish. It's delicious.

And yes, food processors really help, but Mom made it longggg before.

I found the secret to dry white meat, too. It = brining the turkey. I have never seen a moister turkey than since Kaprikorn taught me to brine.

My green bean cass is different, it's a recipe from the Houston Chronicle a decade ago. Still green beans and crm of mushroom soup, but add bacon, onion soup mix and oregano. It has to sit overnight too.

The sweet potatoes are for my husband. His family does candied yams, yuck.