Even with price hike, feast could be a bargain for Oklahomans

BY STEVE LACKMEYER

Published: November 15, 2008

The price is up again for a Thanksgiving Day meal, but it’s no more than the drop consumers recently have seen for a single gallon of gasoline.

The American Farm Bureau Federation reports that the price for a classic Thanksgiving Day dinner, including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the trimmings, for a party of 10 will run $44.61.

That’s up $2.35 from the price that was revealed in last year’s survey.

The survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk.

At Oklahoma City-based Homeland stores, the moderate price jump doesn’t seem to be dampening turkey sales, marketing director Kelly Epperson said.

Stores have seen only one noticeable change in Thanksgiving Day meal preparation over the past few years, she said.

"We are seeing a big increase in the sale of fresh turkeys,” Epperson said.

"In the past two to three years, we’ve seen sales of fresh turkeys taking off, but we don’t know why.”

It could be worse, experts say

The American Farm Bureau Federation began its survey 23 years ago, and turkeys were the largest contributor to the overall meal cost increase.

"Food prices rode the energy price roller coaster up during the first half of 2008, and as the year winds down, energy prices have moderated somewhat, but food prices have not come down,” said Jim Sartwelle, an economist with the Farm Bureau.

Consumers could have seen prices spike even higher. The National Turkey Federation estimates 46 million turkeys will be eaten on this Thanksgiving Day holiday.

Meat producers have been struggling this year with higher costs for key ingredients such as corn, soybeans and oil, part of why the cost of beef and chicken has risen.

Turkey producers are facing the same pressures, but they lack the same economies of scale and must plan a year in advance for the day each year they count on the most.

Sherrie Rosenblatt, spokeswoman for the National Turkey Federation, said retailers will heavily advertise turkey at prices where they may not make any money on the deal, hoping shoppers are drawn in by the lower price and will buy lots of other products.

"The components of this classic Thanksgiving dinner cost less compared to 1988 when the effects of inflation are removed,” Sartwelle said.

"Even at these slightly higher prices, the cost per person for this special meal remains lower than what Americans pay for most ‘value meals’ at fast-food outlets.”

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