AP file photo A plate of roasted turkey and gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots is part of the Thanksgiving feast.mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots appears in Concord, N.H., on Oct. 2, 2012. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research looks at the state of the country's Thanksgiving favorites. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead, File)

The price of typical items eaten on Thanksgiving has increased 6% since last year.

According to the New York State Farm Bureau’s 2023 Market Basket Survey, the average price for a Thanksgiving dinner this year is $70.70, which includes a 16-pound turkey and other common items. The Farm Bureau’s survey is done by volunteer shoppers who found turkey prices averaged $2.12 per pound at the beginning of November, 23 cents more than last year. Other price increases over last year include pumpkin pie mix and frozen peas, but other items have actually decreased like whipped cream and fresh cranberries.

Steve Ammerman, New York Farm Bureau director of communications, said this year’s hike is not as bad as previous years.

“We definitely saw a 6% increase as reported by our volunteer shoppers at stores, but while there was an increase it is a far lower increase than last year,” Ammerman said. “While there is still inflation, it is not as high and is not rising as fast or severely.”

The average cost of a Thanksgiving meal jumped 26% from 2021 to 2022. The survey is done by the Farm Bureau each year to help get a sense of where prices are in the country and also to see what farmers are dealing with as well.

“The prices also reflect what farmers are seeing; they have to battle inflation as well,” Ammerman said. “Farmers only receive 14% of what stores receive for food. A strong food price is something we can be thankful for.”

Ammerman added that the survey also shows what the country is dealing with economically, from year-to-year, and it is a reminder to consumers as to what prices will look like before they go shopping.

“Having the ability to comparison shop can help,” Ammerman said. “One store may charge more than another, so if you have the ability to go to a different store near you you can, or you can pull it up online and compare prices there.”

Chain grocery stores often now have apps that will give coupons and discounts, and Ammerman said sometimes frozen foods might be cheaper than fresh. Ammerman also suggested thinking about buying store brands instead of name brand foods.

While it is hard to know at this point if inflation will become a yearly thing for Thanksgiving dinner items, even on a small scale, Ammerman said there is a positive side.

“We can take solace in the fact that it is a decrease from last year,” he said. “It’s not a drop but it is not a large spike. Energy is a big part of food production and gas prices are going down, so as the energy costs decrease that should ease some of the pressure.”

Ammerman also thanked farmers for providing the food for Thanksgiving.

“I want to reinforce that farmers are why we get to have food on the table,” he said. “We appreciate the work they do and are very thankful for them.”