The impact of rising food prices has been felt over the past few months, and your Thanksgiving feast may be no exception.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service show that the main dishes — turkey, roast beef, and chicken — have seen the steepest price increases over the past year.
According to USDA data, turkey prices rose from $1.28 per pound in September 2024 to $2 per pound in November 2025, a 56.25% increase. Meanwhile, the cost of roast beef rose from $7.58 to $9.04 per pound (up 19.26%), and chicken breast rose from $3.97 to $4.17 per pound (up 5.04%), according to BLS data.
Not all proteins are more expensive, though. Ham and egg prices dropped by 1.52% and 8.63%, respectively.
What about other food items? Sugar prices rose 2.97% from September 2024 to September 2025, while cheese (5.58%), milk (4.12%), beer (1.83%), and wine (0.07%) also saw increases during that same period.
However, it’s not all bad news at the grocery store. Some foods actually became cheaper. Macaroni showed the largest decrease, falling from $1.43 to $1.20 per pound, a 15.38% drop. Flour (-1.75%), bread (-5.55%), and butter (-4%) also declined in price.
According to Datasembly, a market research company that surveys weekly prices at 150,000 U.S. stores, said a basket of 11 Thanksgiving staples costs $61.14, or 7.09%. more than last year.
However, the American Farm Bureau Federation claimed in its annual survey that the average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in 2025 is expected to be $55.18, about 5% lower than in 2024.
Of course, every Thanksgiving table looks a little different, and your total depends on what’s on your menu. Use our interactive calculator below to estimate the cost of your dinner based on the dishes and ingredients you plan to serve.
All average prices from September, except turkey which is from November. Prices for ham, chicken, roast beef, eggs, macaroni, flour, sugar, bread, cheese, butter, milk, potatoes, beer and wine from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices for turkey, apples, green beans, carrots, corn and sweet potatoes from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
