by J.D. Davidson
Ohioans will pay less for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year than the rest of the nation.
The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation released its survey of prices for a shopping basket filled with a turkey, milk, pumpkin pie mix and the rest of the items that make a traditional Thanksgiving table to feed 10.
The price for Ohioans came in at $59.24, below the national average of $61.17, about $3 lower than last year but about 25% higher than in 2019.
Ohio shoppers should expect higher prices for things like cranberries, rolls and turkey compared to the national average, while prices are lower for peas, milk, sweet potatoes, whipping cream and pumpkin pie.
Nationally, the American Farm Bureau Federation expects the cost to feed 10 for a traditional dinner will be $3 less than last year.
The bureau showed a traditional cost in 2023 to be $61.17, a 4.5% decrease from last year but still 25% higher than the same meal in 2019.
“Traditionally, the turkey is the most expensive item on the Thanksgiving dinner table,” said bureau senior economist Veronica Nigh. “Turkey prices have fallen thanks to a sharp reduction in cases of avian influenza, which have allowed production to increase in time for the holiday.”
The bureau’s shopping list includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
“While shoppers will see a slight improvement in the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner, high inflation continues to hammer families across the country, including the nation’s farmers,” bureau President Zippy Duvall said. “Growing the food families rely on is a constant challenge for farmers because of high fuel, seed, fertilizer and transportation costs, just to name a few.”
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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square.
