Thanksgiving shoppers will pay less for dinner staples this year compared to last: survey
CHERRY HILL, N.j. - Days before Thanksgiving and shopping carts seem to be louder than normal or maybe just more noticeable as people rush around to get last minute favorites.
"We love butternut squash," said Laura Wentz who added mashed potatoes as her favorites. Her son Van said it’s the turkey for him.
FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson met them on the first stop of a three-store tour in Cherry Hill to find out people’s favorite dishes.
Whether they shop closest to home or wherever they can get the best prices and what the holiday bill looks like this year compared to last.
"I don't think it was much more expensive," said Wentz.
At the second grocery store, Eleise Gilchrist said her bill was less than 100 dollars this year.
"My bill was less this year. It's never been this less for me and it's the same amount of people and pretty much the same amount of food," she said.
In fact, she says everything she wanted was cheaper.
"The turkey, the protein was less and my veggies was less," she said.
What Gilchrist found is on par with a survey by the American Farm Bureau Federations which says lower turkey prices are leading the way for a more affordable holiday dinner.
Thanksgiving dinner 2023: Breaking down the cost of the average holiday feast
While the prices of some popular Thanksgiving dinner items have decreased, the overall average price of this year’s holiday feast is still higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey says the average meal with the turkey and trimmings will cost 4.5% less than last year.
Gilchrist said if the price isn't right at her regular store, she'll shop around for her necessities.
"Stuffing mix, cake mix, the cookie mix, the vanilla flavors, the cookies, lemons and green peppers," she said.
At the third and final grocery store, Evelyn Fiori said she hadn't seen the price breaks at all.
"More expensive this year. Especially the dairy products, meats, vegetables and I mean just four ears of corn was over four dollars," she said. So this may not be her last stop.
"If I can't find it here, then I'll go someplace else," she said about finding lower prices.
The biggest price drops according to the survey included whipping cream, fresh cranberries and frozen pie shells.