COVID-19 Sends Thanksgiving Meal Costs Soaring In MD, Nationwide

MARYLAND — This Thanksgiving could provide full bellies but considerably lighter wallets given the rising cost of food in Maryland and across the country.

The American Farm Bureau Federation's 36th annual Thanksgiving survey indicates the average cost of a typical holiday meal for 10 is $53.31 — a 14 percent increase from last year's average of $46.90.

That's due in no small part to skyrocketing turkey costs. According to the Farm Bureau, a 16-pound bird's average cost is $23.99 — about $1.50 per pound, a 24 percent rise over last year's price.

But prices for other items on the meal menu also have risen. Farm Bureau senior economist Veronica Nigh cited disruptions to the nation's economy and supply chains over the past 20 months, inflation, difficulty in predicting demand during the pandemic and a higher global demand for meat worldwide.

Additionally, "The trend of consumers cooking and eating at home more often due to the pandemic led to increased supermarket demand and higher retail food prices in 2020 and 2021, compared to pre-pandemic prices in 2019," Nigh said in a release.

Items purchased by volunteer shoppers for the federation's survey included turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk. The purchases were made with the goal of serving a gathering of 10 and also having plenty of leftovers.

The cost for those items hasn't risen as drastically as turkey prices. Here's what the foundation shoppers paid for the meal and how much prices have risen for individual items:

• 16-pound turkey: $23.99 or about $1.50 per pound (up 24 percent)
• 2 frozen pie crusts: $2.91 (up 20 percent)
• 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $3.64 (up 7 percent)
• Half pint of whipping cream: $1.78 (up 2 percent)
• 1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.05 (up 15 percent)
• 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.98 (up 11 percent)
• 1 gallon of whole milk: $3.30 (up 7 percent)
• 1 pound of frozen peas: $1.54 (up 6 percent)
• 3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $3.56 (up 4 percent)
• 1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): 82 cents (up 12 percent)
• Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.45 (up 12 percent)
• 14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing mix: $2.29 (down 19 percent)

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, millions of people in the United States experienced food insecurity and hunger, many for the first time.

Before the pandemic, 35.2 million people in the United States were considered food insecure, according to Feeding America, the nation’s largest food relief organization. This year, that number could grow to nearly 42 million people.

In Maryland, about 640,180 people were considered food insecure prior to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Feeding America.

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to break the bank, especially if you plan to host a small group of family members over the holiday. While these may not help in every situation, there are tips, tricks and shortcuts available to help U.S. families enjoy a delicious holiday dinner on a budget.

Here are a few:

Watch For Free (Or Discounted) Turkeys

Nationally, some grocery stores are recognizing the challenges facing U.S. families in 2021 and are offering turkeys and other Thanksgiving staples at wildly low prices. Some stores are giving away turkeys, while some are throwing one in if you purchase a ham.

Also, grocery savings app Ibotta is one-upping free turkey offers this year by offering a way to get an entire Thanksgiving dinner for free. Just shop at Walmart and you could get 100 percent cash back on certain purchased items.

Shop Early

Buy canned cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie filling and other canned goods the week before Thanksgiving when they typically are on sale.

Deviate From The Classics

Creating your own Thanksgiving traditions can mean just as much, if not more, to your family.

Don't feel as though you have to cook turkey the traditional Thanksgiving way, especially since not everyone is a fan of turkey. (A survey from Instacart reveals that a lot of people actually dislike classic turkey.) You can roast turkey legs, which are available at a fraction of the cost of a whole bird. Also, instead of a classic turkey, grill turkey burgers.

You can also go rogue and skip turkey altogether. See which meats are on sale the week of Thanksgiving and plan your menu around that. If it’s sausage or ground beef, have an Italian feast for Thanksgiving. If it’s chicken, make chicken and noodles. Don’t feel bad about changing things up.

Stick To Simple Recipes

Don’t spend time considering complex recipes requiring dozens of ingredients. Stick to simple dishes that everyone loves. For instance, you can make a basic scalloped corn that many people enjoy. Or you could do a simple sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes or a green bean casserole. None of these requires extremely fancy or expensive ingredients.

Also, you don’t need a dozen ingredients to make food taste spectacular. Certain ingredients make all the difference: a lemon, an orange and some spices go a long way when it comes to taking roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce and other dishes from ordinary to holiday meal-worthy.

Make It BYOS (Bring Your Own Side)

As long as you let guests know in advance, most won’t mind bringing something to dinner. This leaves you with turkey as your sole responsibility while potatoes, vegetables, cranberries and dessert can be assigned to others in the family.

If you absolutely enjoy cooking the entire meal, consider cost-sharing. Ask family members to pitch in toward the overall cost of dinner.

Not Sure What To Cook?

Here are some helpful roundups of budget-friendly Thanksgiving recipes:

• Food Network
• Cooking Channel
• Food & Wine
• All Recipes
• Better Homes & Gardens

If You Can, Donate

Perhaps Thanksgiving dinner isn’t among your list of worries this year. If so, consider donating a Thanksgiving meal to local food banks. The Feeding America network includes over 200 food banks throughout the United States that work with food pantries and soup kitchens to reach communities. Once you find a food bank near you, be sure to check drop-off information, operation hours and the most-needed items.

FIND FOOD
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"The Impact of Coronavirus On Food Insecurity"

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Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2021, more than 42 million Americans won’t have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations.* Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

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