Price of Turkey Dinner Still Affordable

      

Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers says a traditional Thanksgiving meal is still affordable, although the cost has slightly increased compared to last year.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumers can still prepare a reasonably priced traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year, but it's going to cost them a little more than last year. According to the Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers (AFPD), the average price to purchase and prepare the ingredients for a traditional turkey dinner for 10 people is $41.14 ($4.11 per person)--up from $39.70 for 10 or $3.97 per person in 2008.

The cost is based on a standard turkey dinner and includes all the traditional trimmings: stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, green salad, fruit salad, cranberry sauce, rolls, and pumpkin pie. Beverages were excluded.

"We have surveyed retailers since 1994 and found that prices kept relatively consistent until 2005, when transportation costs began to inflate food prices," says Jane Shallal, President and CEO, AFPD. However, she adds that, "even with increasing energy and transportation prices, retailers are still keeping costs to consumers as low as possible."

The survey prices reflect the average cost of items that can be purchased at supermarkets in the Metro Detroit area the week prior to Thanksgiving. Shallal says that many of the items on the traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu are on sale during this time. Actual prices vary from store to store.

"Many supermarkets offer one or more brands of turkeys and some are selling them at below costs in hopes of encouraging shoppers to come into their store for their Thanksgiving Day purchases. Shoppers can also look to some of the grocers' loyalty programs to cut the price of their dinner even further," says Shallal. "We urge customers to clip coupons and search the ads to check for when items they need are on sale. If you start early enough, you can save even further on groceries for your Thanksgiving day celebration."

The Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers is the voice of the food, beverage and fuel industries in Michigan and Ohio. The association's annual Turkey Drive will provide 28,800 meals to needy Detroit-area families this Thanksgiving.

A graph that details the costs for a traditional turkey dinner for the past 14 years is available at www.afpdonline.org.

SOURCE Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers