Delaware farmers produce most of what's on traditional Thanksgiving menu
The American Farm Bureau Federation's 31st annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year's feast for 10 is $49.87, a 24-cent decrease from last year's average of $50.11. The big ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at a total of $22.74 this year. That's roughly $1.42 per pound, a decrease of 2 cents per pound, or a total of 30 cents less per whole turkey, compared to 2015.
In Delaware, a frozen tom turkey is generally a little more than that, unless purchased on sale. "Consumers will pay less than $5 per person for a classic Thanksgiving dinner this year," said the federation’s Director of Market Intelligence Dr. John Newton. "We have seen farm prices for many foods – including turkeys – fall from the higher levels of recent years. This translates into lower retail prices for a number of items as we prepare for Thanksgiving and confirms that U.S. consumers benefit from an abundant, high-quality and affordable food supply."
The federation survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.
Delaware Farm Bureau Women's Committee Chair Mary Bea Gooden noted that almost everything on the list is produced right here in Delaware. There are at least two turkey farms, T.A. Farms in Wyoming and Wright Brothers Turkey Farm in Delmar. Delaware has plenty of cows providing milk, cream, whipped cream and butter. Many Delaware fields were recently dotted with orange pumpkins, and there were lots of sweet potatoes grown, too, although less visible. Delaware farmers grow some 3,000 acres of peas for processors. Carrots are no longer grown here commercially, but are produced for farmers markets. The celery grown in Delaware has stronger flavor than that commonly used in stuffing; neighbor farmers in Pennsylvania grow that kind. Delaware has acres and acres of waving wheat for bread, stuffing and pie crust. There is one cranberry grower in Delaware. That's everything on the list except coffee. "I'm glad to see the prices come down," said Gooden. "I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving with my family, and I'm glad Delaware farmers are able to produce so much of the traditional meal."
Foods showing the largest decreases this year, nationally, in addition to turkey,4// were pumpkin pie mix, milk and a veggie tray with celery and carrots. A 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix was $3.13; a gallon of milk, $3.17; a one-pound veggie tray of celery and carrots, $0.73; and a group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour), $2.81.
Items that increased modestly in price were a dozen brown-and-serve rolls, $2.46; two nine-inch pie shells, $2.59; one pound of green peas, $1.58; 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, $2.39; a half-pint of whipping cream, $2.00; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.67; and a three-pound bag of fresh sweet potatoes, $3.60. A total of 148 volunteer shoppers checked prices at grocery stores in 40 states for this year's survey. Farm bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals, such as spending $50 and receiving a free turkey.
Shoppers with an eye for bargains should be able to purchase individual menu items at comparable prices. Another option for busy families is ready-to-eat Thanksgiving meals for up to 10 people, with all the trimmings, which are available at many supermarkets and take-out restaurants for around $50 to $75.
The Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. While the farm bureau does not make any scientific claims about the data, it is an informal gauge of price trends around the nation. The farm bureau's survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons.
