Components of the traditional Thanksgiving meal will be more expensive and in some cases, harder to find.
The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates that the average feast – turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk – will cost $53.31 for a family of ten, a 14% increase over last year. Most of that increase will be taken up by the turkey, which is up 24% from last year.
The traditional meal may also be slightly harder to find. According to IRI, in-stock rates for almost all of the components have decreased. In-stock rates for the week ending Nov. 7, compared to last year, were:
- Whole bird turkey: This year, 64%; last year, 86%
- Pies: This year, 68%; last year, 78%
- Liquid gravy: This year, 73%; last year, 85%
- Cranberry sauce: This year, 79%; last year, 89%
Processing companies quoted by CNN say some retail locations may run short of their products but that overall demand should be satisfied. Kraft Heinz said that it plans to ship about 30% more Philadelphia Cream Cheese than usual in November and December.
Factors cited by the American Farm Bureau include economic and supply chain disruptions, especially with transportation; inflationary pressure, and difficulty in predicting demand.
