Thanksgiving Dinner will cost slightly less this year in Indiana

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- This Thanksgiving, The Indiana Farm Bureau says shoppers can be thankful for slightly lower prices this year when shopping for a holiday feast.

Shoppers across the Hoosier State can expect to spend 2% less than in 2023, which is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic prices.

The Farm Bureau holds a market basket survey year after year.

This year their results revealed Hoosiers will spend $53.31 to feed ten people around the table.

The total market basket price of $53.31 includes a 16-pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, a carrot and celery veggie tray, whole milk, cranberries, whipping cream, ingredients for pumpkin pie and miscellaneous baking items.

According to INFB Chief Economist Todd Davis, a main driver of the decrease in Indiana is the lower cost of the turkey, which is also less than the national average this year. Shoppers can expect to pay approximately $1.33 per pound for a whole turkey, or $21.22 for a 16-pound bird, which is about 17% less expensive than the national average of $25.67.

“Indiana ranks third in turkey production, with more than 8.4 million turkeys in the state, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Census of Agriculture,” said Dr. Davis. “The turkey accounts for about 44% of the Thanksgiving dinner, so with Indiana in the heart of turkey production and with retail turkey prices down, it isn’t surprising that the turkey is more affordable this year, specifically in the Midwest. The concentration of turkey production in this region provides lower processing and marketing costs, which gets the turkey from the farm to the hands of the consumer efficiently.”

Another item that is less expensive this year is pumpkin pie filling. The cost for a 14-ounce package comes to $3.78, which is approximately 22% less than last year in Indiana. Pumpkin pie filling in Indiana is also about 9% less expensive than the 2024 U.S. average. Again, this can be attributed to Indiana’s proximity to pumpkin production, ranking second in pumpkin production in the country, according to USDA’s Census of Agriculture.

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