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Thanksgiving prices are cheaper than last year, but other groceries are still more expensive
A new survey suggests a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people is 5% cheaper compared to last year.
MINNESOTA, USA — Your Thanksgiving trip to the grocery store may be more affordable than you’d expect.
Every year the American Farm Bureau Federation tracks the prices of 12 Thanksgiving staples, including turkey, dressing, dinner rolls, and frozen peas.
According to this year’s survey, eight of the twelve food items are cheaper this Thanksgiving.
Sweet potatoes are seeing the steepest price drop with the average price nationwide 26% cheaper than last year.
A gallon of whole milk is also 14% cheaper this year, and canned pumpkin and turkey are both 6% cheaper as well.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people will cost around $58, a 5% drop compared to last year.
However, once inflation is considered, the American Farm Bureau says the prices this year are the lowest they have seen since they started their annual survey 39 years ago.
“We’re always surprised to see that food prices are going down maybe when we aren’t necessarily feeling that way,” Minnesota Farm Bureau Education Coordinator Pam Debele says.
The survey results suggest the average trip to the grocery store may be cheaper when it comes to Thanksgiving staples, but Debele says the prices for other grocery items may still be higher than in years past.
“There are twelve items on this list that maybe aren’t things that we normally eat every meal,” Debele says.
Plus, the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association says many grocery stores will sell popular Thanksgiving items like turkey for a loss as a strategy to lure in potential customers
“Turkey is the biggest loss leader this time of year,” Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Executive Director Ashley Kohls says.
“What you see for prices in the grocery store for turkey, frozen turkey especially, does not match what current markets are for turkey.”
The latest Consumer Price Index also shows prices for “Food at Home” have gone up 1.1% since last October.
Some specific grocery items have experienced even higher price increases this year.
The latest CPI report shows egg prices have increased 30% since last October, oranges have gone up by 7.2%, and some condiments have seen a 22% increase this year.
Besides surveying food prices around Thanksgiving, the American Farm Bureau Federation also surveys food prices a few weeks before the 4th of July holiday.
This year’s survey suggests the average 4th of July BBQ for 10 people cost around $71.22 which is higher than last year’s cost of $67.73 which marks a 5% increase and a 30% increase over the last five years.
So, enjoy these lower Thanksgiving prices while you can, because they won’t last forever.
Travis Boyd’s journey to his Minnesota Wild debut reads like a Minnesota folk tale. A trek through snowy traffic in dress shoes, making it just in time for warmups.
ST PAUL, Minn — For Hopkins native Travis Boyd, the path to his Minnesota Wild debut, quite literally, involved walking through a storm. But after battling back from a devastating pectoral injury and weathering the uncertainties of the Arizona Coyotes’ relocation to Utah, a little Calgary snowfall wasn’t going to stop him from living out his childhood dream.
“I had my gear bag over my shoulder, trudging through the snow, cars barely moving on the road beside me,” Boyd recalled, a smile creeping across his face as he sat in the Wild locker room. “But honestly, it felt perfect. Like everything that led to this moment had prepared me for one more challenge.”
The former University of Minnesota standout’s journey to wearing forest green has been anything but straightforward. Last season, a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him just as he was finding his rhythm with the Coyotes, forcing him to watch from the press box as the franchise played its final games in Arizona before the announced move to Utah.
“That injury tests you mentally as much as physically,” Boyd explained. “You can’t even lift your arm above your shoulder for weeks.”
When the team’s relocation to Utah was announced, Boyd was a free agent and still recovering from his injury. He decided it was time to find a new home, but it only led him back home to Minnesota. Boyd signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Wild in the off-season. He’s been playing in Iowa for the AHL Wild affiliate all year.
Over the weekend, he got the emergency call up to play for the Wild after two-star players were out with injuries. He took three different planes to get to Calgary from Iowa.
After he landed and got his bags at 12:30 p.m., Boyd hoped into a car with the team’s services manager. Calgary’s notorious winter weather slowed traffic to a standstill around the Saddledome, Boyd found himself stuck in gridlock with game time quickly approaching. Rather than risk being late, he shouldered his equipment bag and set out on foot, trekking three blocks through the traffic in only a suit and dress shoes.
“I had maybe 15 minutes to get dressed once I got there,” Boyd said, shaking his head with a smile. “But you know what? It felt like coming full circle. From playing youth hockey in Hopkins to wearing the ‘M’ for the Gophers, and now this — walking through a snowstorm to play for the Wild. It’s very Minnesotan.”
The video of his snowy sprint became more than just a viral moment—it was a symbol of Boyd’s resilience. His ultimate goal remains clear: “I know I’m an NHL player. I just gotta continue playing, and I know things will start to come back. They already are.”
Travis Boyd’s journey to his Minnesota Wild debut reads like a Minnesota folk tale. A trek through snowy traffic in dress shoes, making it just in time for warmups.
ST PAUL, Minn — For Hopkins native Travis Boyd, the path to his Minnesota Wild debut, quite literally, involved walking through a storm. But after battling back from a devastating pectoral injury and weathering the uncertainties of the Arizona Coyotes’ relocation to Utah, a little Calgary snowfall wasn’t going to stop him from living out his childhood dream.
“I had my gear bag over my shoulder, trudging through the snow, cars barely moving on the road beside me,” Boyd recalled, a smile creeping across his face as he sat in the Wild locker room. “But honestly, it felt perfect. Like everything that led to this moment had prepared me for one more challenge.”
The former University of Minnesota standout’s journey to wearing forest green has been anything but straightforward. Last season, a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him just as he was finding his rhythm with the Coyotes, forcing him to watch from the press box as the franchise played its final games in Arizona before the announced move to Utah.
“That injury tests you mentally as much as physically,” Boyd explained. “You can’t even lift your arm above your shoulder for weeks.”
When the team’s relocation to Utah was announced, Boyd was a free agent and still recovering from his injury. He decided it was time to find a new home, but it only led him back home to Minnesota. Boyd signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Wild in the off-season. He’s been playing in Iowa for the AHL Wild affiliate all year.
Over the weekend, he got the emergency call up to play for the Wild after two-star players were out with injuries. He took three different planes to get to Calgary from Iowa.
After he landed and got his bags at 12:30 p.m., Boyd hoped into a car with the team’s services manager. Calgary’s notorious winter weather slowed traffic to a standstill around the Saddledome, Boyd found himself stuck in gridlock with game time quickly approaching. Rather than risk being late, he shouldered his equipment bag and set out on foot, trekking three blocks through the traffic in only a suit and dress shoes.
“I had maybe 15 minutes to get dressed once I got there,” Boyd said, shaking his head with a smile. “But you know what? It felt like coming full circle. From playing youth hockey in Hopkins to wearing the ‘M’ for the Gophers, and now this — walking through a snowstorm to play for the Wild. It’s very Minnesotan.”
The video of his snowy sprint became more than just a viral moment—it was a symbol of Boyd’s resilience. His ultimate goal remains clear: “I know I’m an NHL player. I just gotta continue playing, and I know things will start to come back. They already are.”
Rachel Thompson started the North St. Paul Christmas Tree Project in 2020 as a way to help her neighbors during the holidays.
NORTH ST PAUL, Minnesota — Rachel Thompson wasn’t sure she would be here again this year.
“I wasn’t. I really vacillated. I went back and forth. Not because I don’t think the need is there. The need is always there,” Thompson said. “But I didn’t want to burden the people of my community by every year asking people to donate hundreds of gifts and thousands of dollars. I had put a post up asking if people were still interested and it was just a resounding, ‘Yes.'”
Thompson started the North St. Paul Christmas Tree Project in 2020 during the pandemic as a way to help her neighbors during the holidays. She set up a tree in her front yard — full of lights, ornaments and gift tags full of holiday wishes from families who live in either North St. Paul, Oakdale or Maplewood.
“The generosity that people have. People want to help other people,” Thompson said. “The sheer amount of giving that people will put out there is amazing to me every single time.”
This year, 23 families will be given gifts through the NSP Christmas Tree Project. Rachel worked with some social workers at local schools to find the first seven families and the rest came in as requests. The project is also giving gifts to those at Polar Ridge Senior Living in North St. Paul.
Thompson has noticed more requests for basic needs like clothes but she also wants kids to receive toys and is fulfilling some bigger wishes. Thompson typically recommends people keep gifts around $25-$40. But, for example, in one case a 16-year-old boy was requesting a sewing machine. Before turning down the request, Thompson turned to Facebook and asked if anyone had a gently used sewing machine they would be willing to donate.
“A lady said, I’ll buy a new one. I’ll deliver it to you wrapped on your delivery days. So I got that. I have someone else who bought a Game Boy and someone who bought a bike,” Thompson said.
Over five years, the NSP Christmas Tree Project has helped more than 100 families celebrate the holidays.
“It’s great to help,” said Katherine Nierenhausen of Oakdale who picked a tag with a request from a 5-year-old girl for a Barbie House.
Nierenhausen and her neighbor, Tami Bartholomew, stopped by Monday morning to pick up some tags.
“My sister used to do this every year,” Bartholomew said. “She taught my kids when they were little. We would go adopt a family. So now that they’re older, we’re trying to keep the tradition going.”
“It is without a doubt one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. Probably the thing I’ll be most proud of,” Thompson said. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a hero of mine and one of my favorite quotes from her is ‘leave tracks’… If you’re going to do something, leave tracks. This is the track that I can leave and the tracks that my community can leave by helping others. We have to take care of people. It’s fundamentally important to take care of those around you.”
People can stop by 2727 9th Ave E. North St. Paul to grab a tag off the tree anytime until Dec. 8. All you have to do is pick out a tag, buy the requested gift item, wrap the present and bring it back to Thompson’s home with the tag attached. Drop off days/hours include Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Dec. 7 and 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thompson then takes gifts off-site.
On Dec. 7, Thompson will be hosting a hot chocolate and cookie bar at her home from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until they run out. Anyone who donates that day will get their name put into a raffle for a hand-knit blanket made by Thompson’s mother.
Those who want to financially contribute, can Venmo: @Rachel-Thompson-122.
You can reach Thompson at NSPChristmasTreeProject@gmail.com.
