Thanksgiving Meal Costs Are Far Higher This Year Than Before Biden Was President

The Thanksgiving meal is stressful to plan in and of itself, with worries over who to invite, accommodating various dietary needs, and ensuring that all items are purchased and ready to be cooked.

But even worse is the sticker shock at grocery store, which is still raising blood pressures across the country as prices remain at record highs.

Mainstream media and the Biden administration have tried to paint this year’s Thanksgiving meal as more affordable and an indicator that things might not be as bad as Americans think.

But the average American taxpayer and the farmers who provide the food for the nation know better. Thanksgiving is far more expensive today than it was before Bidenflation.

It’s still bad

Look to any major media outlet, and the reporting on the cost of feeding family and friends for Thanksgiving paints a deceptively rosy picture.

The focus on the 4.5% decrease in Thanksgiving meal costs from last year is meant to distract from the reality that it is still way too expensive to host a meal on the day dedicated to gratitude.

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey found that the average cost to feed ten people at Thanksgiving this year is $61.17 per person. That’s a grocery bill that is over $600. 

So costs are down compared to last year. Great! Until we look at the costs in 2021, which was $53.31 per person.

Or if you really want a gut punch, look to 2019: $48.91 per person. Do the math.

Potluck style might be the best option this year for families, as carrying that bill individually is utterly insane. 

Celebrating mild achievements like a “cooling” or “leveling off” of inflation does little to assuage the fears of middle to low-income families desperate to provide shelter, food, and the occasional seasonal merriment. After all, you don’t thank the firefighter if he is the one who set the house on fire in the first place.

According to the Consumer Price Index, food prices increased 2.1% last month. And for all the talk of turkey prices going down, there is plenty this Thursday on the dining room table that went up this year:

• 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix up 3.7% 
• dinner rolls up 2.9%
• veggie tray up 2.3%

The pain at the register is equally felt by the farmers who provide the staples for America’s Thanksgiving feast.

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Thank a farmer

The American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall said of this year’s survey:

“Growing the food families rely on is a constant challenge for farmers because of high fuel, seed, fertilizer and transportation costs, just to name a few.”

The price for fuel and fertilizer for farmers is 60% to 130% higher than in 2021. But it’s not just these two staples of farming that are crippling for this industry.

Overall, farm production expenses have increased for American farmers by 28% from two years ago. The harsh economic conditions farmers are forced to operate in have a ripple effect throughout the country.

In addition to the rising costs of operating and maintaining a farm it is increasingly difficult to expand in the industry let alone break into it. Thanks to Chinese corporations and executives such as Bill Gates gobbling up farmland, the price per acre is rising while the land availability is decreasing. 

Finally, ridiculous stringent ESG initiatives are further choking out the farming industry as they attempt to keep up with lowering methane levels produced by cattle and reducing fertilizer needed to do literally anything on a farm. 

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A moment of gratitude

It can be challenging to find things to be thankful for when your business is struggling, your bank account is dwindling, and your family is in financial distress. But it is more vital to find gratitude when things seem dark and lost than it is to do so when things are bright and easy.

Give thanks this holiday season for whatever your family can afford to feast on this weekend. Say thank you to a farmer and a local small business owner for the services and goods they provide. 

Reflect on the strength of our nation that even when the assault on truth, free speech, and the American dream seems unrelenting, there are still those who stand guard and defend these ideals and principles. Your eyes aren’t lying to you; life is hard and far too expensive these days.

But trust in our uncanny ability to bounce back as a nation, and if your family has to skip a side dish or two this year, don’t sweat it. Thanksgiving isn’t about the food; it’s about being grateful for what you have, thanks to those who have come before you.