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By: Charlotte Reames

With inflation continuing to rise, many might be surprised by the cost of their groceries as Troup County residents get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday. 

The average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in 2024 is estimated to cost Americans around $58, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. 

The average cost for Troup County residents does not quite meet the country’s average at about $30 for the basic essentials, including a 16-pound turkey, pumpkin pie, green beans, stuffing and cranberry sauce. 

While the traditional centerpiece of every Thanksgiving meal is the turkey, declining demand has caused the cost to decrease since 2022. 

Back in 2022, the American Farm Bureau data reported that the cost of the Thanksgiving meal had increased 13.5 percent from the year before. In their data, they included the familiar 16-pound turkey, potatoes, ham, dinner rolls and a gallon of milk.  

Two years ago, the higher cost was partially caused by the decreased supply of turkey due to an outbreak of the bird flu, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), as previously reported on the Valley Times-News. 

According to an article by Morningstar MarketWatch, the cost of a 16-pound turkey has decreased from $1.71 per pound in 2023 to $1.68 per pound. This year, the decreased cost of turkey is thanks to decreased demand. More and more shoppers are turning to alternative meats for the centerpiece of their Thanksgiving meal, like pork and beef.

At the Walmart Supercenter in LaGrange, bargain shoppers can find a frozen turkey for .88 cents per pound.

An 8-inch pumpkin pie at Walmart on New Franklin is currently at $4.57 while a sweet potato pie can be found for the same price. Thanksgiving sides like canned green beans and corn cost about the same at $1.25 a can.

As for stuffing, a Stovetop Turkey mix costs $1.98 at Walmart and serves six. Canned cranberry sauce also costs $1.98. 

Here is a breakdown of costs for traditional Thanksgiving foods at Walmart in LaGrange:

Turkey: .88 cents per pound (A butterball is a bit more expensive at $1.04 per pound)

Pumpkin pie: $4.57

Sweet potato pie: $6.28

Green beans (canned): $5.28 for 4 in a value pack or $1.25 for a can

Stovetop turkey stuffing: $1.98

Cranberry sauce (canned): $1.98