Things to be thankful for today: family, friends, perhaps a day off and a sumptuous feast.
Things to be, uh, less thankful for: a 10.9 percent increase in the cost of that feast.
A home-cooked dinner for 10 will cost an average of $42.26, up from last year’s $38.10, according to an American Farm Bureau Federation survey.
Start with the turkey — up more than 12 percent to $17.63 for a 16-pounder.
“The inventory of birds in cold storage is relatively small this year,” said Jim Sartwelle, a Farm Bureau economist. “This has helped drive up the average retail turkey price.”
Wholesale turkey prices are down 4 percent from last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but near-record costs for fuel to transport the fowl have more than wiped out those savings.
Getting to Grandma’s for dinner this year will cost Colorado motorists an average of $3.09 a gallon for self-service regular, up sharply from last year’s $2.20, according to AAA.
Also pushing holiday meal costs up are soaring dairy prices and a 12.7 percent rise in pumpkin-pie mix.
Fed up with increases? Then load up on the stuffing and relish tray, both of which recorded modest decreases from last year.
The Farm Bureau survey does not include the cost of nonmilk libations. Some hosts may consider that a necessary expense, given the inevitable presence of an insufferable relative or neighbor.
Despite the price increases this year, the inflation-adjusted cost of an average Thanksgiving dinner has gone down 9 percent over the past 20 years, according to agriculture advocacy group Farmers Matter.
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation
Steve Raabe: 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com
