The Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner 2009

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Put this on your list of things to be thankful for this year: the average cost of this year’s turkey dinner and all the fixings will take a smaller bite out of your wallet. The cost of a Thanksgiving dinner has declined 4 percent from last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual study. The AFBF has been conducting the informal price survey for 24 years, and estimates households can put a turkey dinner and all the fixings on the table this year for 10 guests for $42.91, or

2009 Cost: $18.65The centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, the turkey, has declined in price this year. The AFBF estimates the cost of a 16-pound turkey at $18.65, or roughly $1.16 per pound. That’s a 3-cent decline per pound, or 44 cents a turkey, from last year.

2009 Cost: $2.69Milk, at $2.86 a gallon was the biggest contributor to the lower cost of this year’s meal. The price fell 92 cents from a year ago. But the cost of other items fell as well. A half pint of cream will cost $1.55 this year, compared with $1.70 a year ago. The average cost of miscellaneous ingredients such as onions, eggs, sugar, flour, butter and coffee fell 19 cents to $2.50 from $2.69 a year ago.

2009 Cost: $2.65Some items will put a  slightly  bigger dent in your wallet. A 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing will cost $2.65 this year, compared with $2.57 a year ago.

2009 Cost: $3.12There was no change in the average cost of sweet potatoes. If you buy three pounds, they should cost about $3.12.