Giving Thanks: Turkey Dinner Price Falls 4%

According to the survey, the cost of a 16-pound turkey, at $18.65 or $1.16 a pound, reflects a decrease of 3 cents a pound, a total of 44 cents per turkey.

Milk, at $2.86 per gallon, dropped 92 cents and was the largest contributor to the overall decrease in the cost of the 2009 Thanksgiving dinner.

Other items showing a price decrease this year were: a half pint of whipping cream, $1.55; a dozen brown-and-serve rolls, $2.08; a 1-pound relish tray of carrots and celery, 72 cents; and a 12-ounce package of fresh cranberries, $2.41. A combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter) also dropped in price, to $2.50.

Items that increased slightly (less than 5%) in price this year were: a 14-oz. package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.65; two 9-inch pie shells, $2.34; and a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix, $2.45.

Two items, green peas and sweet potatoes, stayed the same in price at $1.58 for one pound and $3.12 for three pounds, respectively.

"Food is still relatively affordable," says Stefphanie Gambrell, a domestic policy economist at AFBF. "Even in these down economic times, there is still a way to save some money. When you look at a meal for 10, it comes out to about $4.29 per person. That is still a lot cheaper than you can get a meal at most fast-food restaurants."

-- Reported by Joe Mont in Boston.

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