Thanksgiving dinner will cost less this year compared to the last two years, according to the Minnesota Farm Bureau.

The bureau’s shared its Thanksgiving meal survey in a Monday release.

“The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of Thanksgiving staples that make up a classic holiday feast for 10, which is $55.18 or about $5.52 per person,” the Bureau stated. “This is a 5% decrease from 2024. Three years of declines don’t fully erase dramatic increases that led to a record-high cost of $64.05 in 2022.”

The bureau reported that the average price of a turkey dramatically increased. The average price for a 16-pound frozen turkey is $21.50, That is $1.34 per pound, down more than 16% from last year.

“While the wholesale price for fresh turkey is up from 2024, grocery stores are featuring Thanksgiving deals and attempting to draw consumer demand back to turkey, leading to lower retail prices for a holiday bird,” the bureau stated.

The price data was compiled by volunteer shoppers checking prices the first week of November, the Bureau stated.

It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal,” AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D., was quoted. “Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”

The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, all in quantities sufficient for 10 servings.

Half of the ingredients in the survey declined in price, including dinner rolls and stuffing. Low wheat prices helped bring down the cost of items requiring flour.

16-pound turkey: $21.50 or $1.34 per pound (down 16.3%)

Here are the listed individual prices.

• 14-ounces of cubed stuffing mix: $3.71 (down 9%)

• 2 frozen pie crusts: $3.37 (down .8%)

• Half pint of whipping cream: $1.87 (up 3.2%)

• 1 pound of frozen peas: $2.03 (up 17.2%)

• 1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.56 (down 14.6%)

• Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.61 (down 4.7%)

• 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.16 (up .1%)

• 1 gallon of whole milk: $3.73 (up 16.3%)

• 3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $4.00 (up 37%)

• 1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): $1.36 (up 61.3%)

• 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.28 (down 2.8%)

While it’s encouraging that some prices of food items are declining, there are some people in southwest Minnesota that are struggling to afford even the basic food items. For them, every day is a struggle to put food on their tables.

For that reason, we salute the organizations and hundreds of volunteers who take time out of their Thanksgiving celebration by offering community dinners throughout southwest Minnesota.

In New Ulm, The 37th annual New Ulm Community Thanksgiving Dinner is set for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the lower level of St. Mary’s Church, 417 S. Minnesota St.

After all, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about — sharing a meal with not only our families, but with our neighbors as well.

According to U.S. history, the first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 when the English colonists shared a harvest feat with the Wampanoag people.

In this time of intense political division, maybe sharing a community dinner will help cure what divides us.

Leave our political views at home and pass the turkey serving platter.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!