KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The University of Tennessee Extension found that the cost of ingredients for a typical Thanksgiving dinner in the Volunteer State has risen by 10.5% this year — but why?
The consumer economics leadership team with UT’s Extension, led by Professor Ann Berry, surveyed grocery stores across Tennessee between Oct. 16 and Nov. 1 to find out how much families can expect to spend on their ingredients this year. Though the grocers surveyed said shoppers might be able to find better prices closer to the actual holiday, the total cost of a holiday meal for 10 was expected to be about $128.50 compared to $116.26 last year.
The survey included 22 items on the shopping list meant to make the following menu:
- Traditional turkey and stuffing
- Cranberry sauce
- Ham
- Mashed potatoes
- Sweet potato casserole
- Green bean casserole
- English pea salad
- Deviled eggs
- Pumpkin pie with whipped cream
- Rolls
The team acknowledged that some families may serve different dishes, like a cornbread dressing instead of stuffing, but the survey was meant to provide a baseline cost on popular dishes. Supercenters saw the lowest average cost at $103.16 while independently-owned grocers cost about $118.45 on average. The highest cost for holiday dinner was found at conventional supermarkets and came in at $153.64…