Thanksgiving Dinner Is Now More Affordable In Minnesota

For the third year in a row, Minnesotans are getting a little holiday gift before the turkey even hits the table: a cheaper Thanksgiving dinner, which means that your feast might just be the most affordable part of the season this year.

Why Thanksgiving Is Cheaper Again in Minnesota This Year

The Thanksgiving holiday is a uniquely American tradition, filled with tons of food and a gathering together with family and friends as we express our gratitude. According to the National Archives Museum, the First Thanksgiving was held back in 1621 near Plymouth, Massachusetts, to mark 'a successful harvest' that year.

If it seems like Thanksgiving is late again this year, you're right-- it is. The Farmers' Almanac notes that since 1941, Thanksgiving has been held on the fourth Thursday in November. And with the holiday falling on Thursday, Nov. 27th this year, that makes it one of the latest dates possible for Thanksgiving. (Last year's date of November 28th was the *absolute* latest date.)

JUST REVEALED: 11 Phrases That Mean You're At A Thanksgiving Dinner in Minnesota

New AFB Survey Shows Thanksgiving Dinner Costs Drop for 3rd Year

But despite its lateness again this year, at least your Thanksgiving dinner here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes will cost you less again this year. That's the word from the annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey by the American Farm Bureau (AFB), which found that overall, costs are down again from 2024, coming in at a total of $55.18 or about $5.52 per person for a 10-person dinner.

If you're wondering just what's included in the cost estimate, the shopping list for AFB's informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, all in quantities sufficient to serve a gathering of 10.

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To figure out this year’s national average cost, the AFB said it looked at pricing information from Minnesota and all 49 other states plus Puerto Rico. AFB volunteer shoppers then checked prices in person and online using grocery store apps and websites, and looked for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or combined purchase deals, the survey said.

What’s Behind Falling Thanksgiving Prices in Minnesota?

Overall, the AFB found costs for those items are down another 5 percent this year, after prices in 2024 were down 5 percent from the previous year. What's driving prices down for the third year in a row? The AFB said it's mainly due to the star of the show, turkey:

The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – dramatically decreased in price, which helped bring down the overall cost of dinner. 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.

The AFB survey noted that half of the ingredients in this year's dinner went down in price, including dinner rolls and stuffing. However, items like fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes went up. Prices for a veggie tray are up more than 61 percent, while sweet potatoes are up 37 percent, the survey said.

Of course, after Thanksgiving, next up is Christmas, right? It's a holiday filled with nostalgia, especially as we look forward to getting our holiday celebrations back to normal. So keep scrolling to take a look at which toy was the big thing during Christmas the year you were born!

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