HOLIDAY BUDGET · THANKSGIVING 2026
How Much Does Thanksgiving Dinner Cost in 2026? Budget, Per-Person Math and a Menu Planner
The classic Thanksgiving dinner for 10 cost $55.18 in the Farm Bureau's last survey, about $5.52 a person. Real tables cost more, because they have drinks, a second protein and more guests than the survey's ten. This guide gives the 2026 numbers we know so far, the per-person math, how big a turkey to buy, and a calculator that prices your own menu before you shop on November 26.
THE SHORT ANSWER
How much does Thanksgiving dinner cost?
For the basic menu the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) tracks every year, a 16-pound turkey with stuffing, rolls, sweet potatoes, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and milk, the 2025 cost for 10 people was $55.18, or $5.52 per person. That was the third yearly drop in a row. For 2026 the early signals point slightly up: we estimate about $56 to $58 for the same meal, roughly $5.60 to $5.80 a person. Most real dinners land between $75 and $130 for 10–12 guests once you add a ham, mashed potatoes, drinks and a second dessert.
$55.18
AFBF survey, November 2025; down 5% from $58.08 in 2024.
$5.52
The same meal divided by 10 guests. The 2022 record was $64.05 for 10.
$56–$58
The 2025 menu with USDA's October 2026 price forecasts applied. Not an official figure.
$77.09
AFBF's expanded menu for 10 in 2025, $21.91 more than the classic one.
THANKSGIVING 2026
What's different about the cost this year
The Farm Bureau's 2026 survey isn't out yet (its volunteer shoppers check prices in the first week of November and results are usually published the week before Thanksgiving). Until then, these are the most recent official numbers that move the bill:
Food at home +1.8%
The BLS consumer price index for groceries was 1.8% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, while overall inflation was 3.7%. USDA forecasts grocery prices up 2.3% for all of 2026.
Wholesale turkeys stayed expensive
USDA expects frozen whole hens to average about 175 cents a pound wholesale in late 2026, roughly the same as late 2025 (172 cents) but far above early 2025. Bird flu returned to commercial turkey flocks in August and September.
Vegetables up, dairy and eggs down
USDA forecasts fresh vegetables +5.8% and sugar and sweets +6.5% for 2026, while dairy is −0.4% and eggs −29%. PwC expects cranberries up about 15% after a smaller harvest.
Retail turkey prices at Thanksgiving don't follow wholesale prices closely, because many grocers sell turkeys at a loss to bring shoppers in, often with a minimum purchase. That's why the AFBF turkey fell 16% in 2025, to $1.34 a pound, while wholesale prices were climbing. PwC's 2026 holiday outlook expects turkey to cost nearly 8% more than last year and a typical family's Thanksgiving to run about $90, up from $88.
THE BENCHMARK
The classic Thanksgiving menu for 10, item by item
These are the 12 items the Farm Bureau prices every year. Use them as a floor: it's a basic, store-brand, no-coupons menu, and it leaves out drinks, appetizers, butter for the potatoes and most of what people actually add.
| Item (AFBF 2025) | Price for 10 | Change vs 2024 | 2026 direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-lb frozen turkey ($1.34/lb) | $21.50 | −16.3% | Flat to +8% (wholesale flat, PwC +8%) |
| 3 lb sweet potatoes | $4.00 | +37% | Up (fresh vegetables +5.8%) |
| 30-oz can pumpkin pie mix | $4.16 | +0.1% | Slightly up |
| 1 gallon whole milk | $3.73 | +16.3% | Flat to down (dairy −0.4%) |
| 14-oz cubed stuffing mix | $3.71 | −9% | Slightly up |
| Misc. ingredients (coffee, butter, flour, onions, eggs, sugar) | $3.61 | −4.7% | Mixed (eggs down, sugar up) |
| 1 dozen dinner rolls | $3.56 | −14.6% | Slightly up |
| 2 frozen pie crusts | $3.37 | −0.8% | Slightly up |
| 12-oz bag fresh cranberries | $2.28 | −2.8% | Up (PwC: about +15%) |
| 1 lb frozen peas | $2.03 | +17.2% | Slightly up |
| Half pint whipping cream | $1.87 | +3.2% | Flat to down |
| 1 lb veggie tray (carrots, celery) | $1.36 | +61.3% | Up |
| Total for 10 people | $55.18 | −5% | Our estimate: $56–$58 |
By region the same 2025 menu cost $50.01 in the South, $54.38 in the Midwest, $60.82 in the Northeast and $61.75 in the West, which is 12% above the national average. The calculator below lets you apply your region.
THANKSGIVING COST CALCULATOR
What will your Thanksgiving dinner cost per person?
Enter your guests, pick what's on the menu and add what the survey leaves out. Side dishes are priced from the Farm Bureau's 2025 averages, adjusted to our 2026 midpoint (+3.3%) and your region. Children count as half a portion.
TURKEY MATH
How much turkey per person, and when to start thawing
The usual rule, repeated in USDA-based extension guides, is about 1 pound of whole turkey per person, or 1.5 pounds if you want leftovers. Most of a whole bird's weight is bone, so 1 pound raw gives roughly half a pound of meat. For a boneless turkey breast, half a pound per person is enough. The Farm Bureau's 16-pound bird for 10 people works out to 1.6 pounds each, a leftovers-sized turkey.
A frozen turkey needs about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds, and it can stay in the fridge one or two more days after it thaws. For Thursday, November 26:
Forgot? Cold-water thawing takes about 30 minutes per pound, with the water changed every 30 minutes, and the bird has to be cooked right after. For more than 24 pounds of turkey, two smaller birds cook faster and more evenly than one huge one.
A WORKED EXAMPLE
Twelve guests, leftovers and a ham: what it really costs
Eight adults and four children are ten portions. With leftovers that's a 15-pound turkey; at $1.45 a pound it's $21.75. The classic sides scaled to ten portions, at our 2026 midpoint, add $34.79. That's the Farm Bureau-style dinner: $56.54, or $4.71 per guest.
Classic dinner
- 15-lb turkey $21.75
- Classic sides $34.79
$4.71 per guest
+ Ham, potatoes, beans
- AFBF expanded menu
- scaled to 10 portions
$79.17 so far
+ Drinks & appetizers
- Cider, sodas, coffee
- A cheese and cracker tray
Never in the survey
Real total
- 12 guests
- Leftovers included
$9.93 per guest
The same dinner in the West, where the survey menu costs 12% more, comes to about $126. Wine or a bakery pie moves it more than any turkey price change will: a $20 bottle of wine is nearly the price of the whole turkey.
THE METHOD
Seven ways to keep the Thanksgiving bill down
1. Count portions, not guests
Children, light eaters and people leaving early eat less. Counting kids as half a portion often saves a pound or two of turkey and a side dish.
2. Buy the turkey early, on a store deal
Many grocers discount turkeys, or give one free, with a minimum purchase in the weeks before Thanksgiving. Buy frozen when the deal appears and let the freezer hold it.
3. Make it a potluck on purpose
Assign sides and desserts by name. Hosting drops from $100+ to the turkey and two sides, and guests usually prefer bringing something specific to guessing.
4. Price meal bundles against your list
Some stores advertise complete dinners for 10: Aldi listed a basket with a 16-lb turkey under $39 this year. Compare it with your own list; bundles rarely include drinks or a second protein.
5. Drinks are the hidden line
The survey has a gallon of milk. Your table probably has cider, soda, coffee and wine. Set a drinks budget, or ask guests to bring their own.
6. Plan leftovers as meals
Leftovers are only savings if they get eaten. Plan two meals from them (sandwiches, soup) instead of buying groceries for the weekend.
7. Shop from one list, once
The second and third trips to the store add impulse buys. A written menu with quantities per guest, priced before you go, is the cheapest tool here. That's the spreadsheet below.
Cooking vs. eating out
Restaurant prices rise faster than grocery prices: the BLS index for food away from home was 3.5% higher in September 2026, against 1.8% for groceries, and USDA forecasts the same 3.5% for the year. A home-cooked dinner at $8–$12 a guest is still a fraction of a restaurant Thanksgiving buffet. Hosting also comes right before the biggest shopping weekend; if you're planning both, our Black Friday budget guide covers the next day.
EXCEL & GOOGLE SHEETS
A Thanksgiving menu and budget planner in a spreadsheet
The calculator above is the quick version. A sheet keeps the menu, the shopping list and the real receipts in one place, and it works for next year too. Put your portions in B1 (adults plus half the children) and pounds of turkey per portion in B2. Then make a menu table: A dish, B cost for 10 portions, C checkbox "on the menu", D actual spent.
| What you want | Formula (Excel 365 and Google Sheets) |
|---|---|
| Turkey to buy, whole pounds | =ROUNDUP(B1*B2,0) |
| Days of fridge thawing (4 lb a day, safe side) | =ROUNDUP(B3/4,0) |
| Day to move it to the fridge | =DATE(2026,11,26)-B4 |
| Cost of a dish for your portions | =IF(C6,B6/10*$B$1,0) |
| Planned total and per guest | =SUM(E6:E20) and =E21/(adults+children) |
| Actual vs. plan | =SUM(D6:D20)-E21 (red when above 0) |
Add a column for who's bringing each dish, and the same sheet becomes the potluck sign-up. Keep the file after the holiday: next year's actuals column tells you what this year really cost.
For the rest of the year, see how to save money on groceries, with budgets by household size.
READY-MADE TEMPLATE
A meal planner with a grocery list
If you'd rather not build the sheet, a meal planner does the menu-to-shopping-list part for you. Plan the Thanksgiving week's meals (including what to do with leftovers), set serving sizes for the number of guests and get one grocery list to shop from. Check the product page for current features.
Meal Planner Template for Google Sheets & Excel
The current listing describes weekly meal planning, adjustable serving sizes, leftover tracking and a grocery list built from the meals you plan, with optional nutrition tracking.
- Holiday menu and the week around it
- Serving sizes for your guest count
- One grocery list, no second trip
Planning Christmas right after? The Christmas Planner Spreadsheet for Google Sheets & Excel keeps the holiday budget, gift list and meals in one file. Saving for the holidays month by month? The Sinking Funds Tracker Template Excel & Google Sheets tracks each goal.
Product features and compatibility are listed on the product page and may change. The templates don't include price data; the prices in this article are survey averages.
FAQ
Thanksgiving dinner cost questions
How much does Thanksgiving dinner cost in 2026?
The official Farm Bureau figure for 2026 comes out the week before Thanksgiving. Its 2025 survey priced the classic dinner for 10 at $55.18. Applying USDA's October 2026 food price forecasts to that menu gives about $56 to $58 for 2026. A dinner with a ham, extra sides and drinks usually costs $75 to $130 for 10–12 guests.
What is the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner per person?
$5.52 per person for the Farm Bureau's classic menu in 2025, and roughly $5.60 to $5.80 in 2026 by our estimate. With a second protein, drinks and appetizers, plan on $8 to $12 per guest.
How much turkey do I need per person?
About 1 pound of whole turkey per person, or 1.5 pounds for leftovers. For 10 guests that's a 10- to 15-pound bird. For a boneless breast, half a pound per person is enough. Count young children as half a portion.
When should I start thawing my turkey for Thanksgiving 2026?
Allow 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds. For Thursday, November 26, put a 12- to 16-pound turkey in the fridge by Sunday, November 22, and a 20- to 24-pound one by Friday, November 20. Cold-water thawing takes about 30 minutes per pound.
Are turkey prices higher in 2026?
Wholesale turkey prices are high: USDA expects frozen hens to average about 175 cents a pound in late 2026, similar to late 2025 and far above early 2025. Store prices at Thanksgiving are often discounted, so the retail price may rise less; PwC expects turkey to cost nearly 8% more than last year.
Is it cheaper to cook Thanksgiving dinner or eat out?
Cooking is almost always cheaper. Even a full home dinner with drinks costs about $8 to $12 per guest, and restaurant prices were rising faster than grocery prices in 2026: 3.5% a year versus 1.8% for food at home in September.
Sources and further reading
- American Farm Bureau Federation: Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner Declines (November 19, 2025)
- American Farm Bureau Federation: 2024 Thanksgiving dinner survey (November 20, 2024)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Food Price Outlook, summary findings (updated October 23, 2026)
- USDA ERS: Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook, October 2026 (LDP-M-388, October 16, 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index, September 2026 (released October 14, 2026)
- ABC11: Thanksgiving food forecast, with PwC's 2026 outlook and store meal deals (October 16, 2026)
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension: How to thaw a turkey (based on USDA FSIS guidance)
Checked October 29, 2026. The 2026 range is our calculation from the sources above, not an official survey result. Store prices vary by location and promotion; the calculator uses national averages. This article is general information, not financial advice.
