Thanksgiving Expected To Be Most Expensive Holiday In History, American Farm Bureau Says
WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Expect to pay more to feed your loved ones this Thanksgiving.
Prices are up due to a number of factors.
Sharon, from Wall Township, walked out of the food store looking at her receipt.
"Everything seemed a lot more expensive," she told CBS2's Meg Baker.
The American Farm Bureau says this Thanksgiving will be the most expensive holiday in history.
Multiple causes are in play -- inflation, a broken supply chain caused by a worker shortage and bad weather.
Carl Gould is a business expert with 7 Stage Advisors in Butler.
"The consumer price index is up about 5% right now ... You should expect things to be 5-10% more expensive," he said.
Turkeys will cost you extra because the price of corn, which they eat, has gone up. Last year, because of the pandemic, fewer people held large gatherings so prices were kept low to attract buyers.
Manufacturers are still trying to catch up after shutdowns. There is a shortage of aluminum roasting pans, so you may want to buy now.
Shoppers who spoke to CBS2 say they have noticed supply chain issues.
"I feel that the shelves are a little bit scarce and prices are a little bit higher," Tammy Sablom, of Wall Township, said.
It's not just dinner items -- baking goods, like vanilla and pumpkin, increased.
"The food bill is definitely more than it was last year. We're just going to try to get through and have a nice Thanksgiving anyway because we want to have what we want to have and we just have to cut corners somewhere else," Sharon DeHope, of Spring Lake, said.
A tip to save?
"I do ask everyone to bring at least one item," DeHope said.
Also, many food stores offer a free turkey if you spend a certain amount on groceries this month.
Gould says this could be a year to get creative.
"Coming from an Italian family, as I was growing up, you know, Thanksgiving for me was as much about pasta as it was a turkey," he said.
Most people who spoke to CBS2 say they are sticking to their normal traditions despite the rise in cost, but will think ahead about non-perishable items, so they don't pay extra for buying things last minute.
CBS2's Meg Baker contributed to this report. This story first appeared on October 26, 2021.