Christopher Walljasper, Tom Polansek

CHICAGO (Reuters). Thanksgiving dinner this year will run Americans an average 14% higher, in what is the largest annual rise in 31 years. The American Farm Bureau Federation reported that shoppers could still get deals in grocery shops.

As the global pandemic grips supply chains, and as the economic impact of the COVID-19 summer wave fades, rising food and gasoline prices squeeze U.S. customers.

Farm Bureau represents U.S. agriculture and points out that inflation and supply-chain disruptions have caused the Thanksgiving dinner average to cost $53.31 per person, up from $46.90 per head in 2020. Farm Bureau shoppers compared prices in grocery stores for dinner rolls, turkey, and cranberries between Oct. 26-Nov. 8. This cost was calculated using Farm Bureau shoppers.

Sherry Hooker (a retired 69-year-old woman who was shopping in Chicago’s Jewel-Osco on Thursday) said, “The cranberry Sauce, the stuffing…all those things that were traditional have gone up.”

GRAPHIC: Thanksgiving dinner price jump https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-THANKSGIVING/MEAL/akvezmyrxpr/chart.png

Farm Bureau stated that it is difficult to predict demand for turkey due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Farm Bureau reported that the average turkey price has increased 24% to $1.50 a pound from 2020.

The overall price of the meal has increased 6.6% without turkey. This is consistent with the 6.2% rise in the U.S. Consumer Price Index for October. It was the largest annual increase since November 1990. However, it’s a little higher than the 5.4% increase year-over-year for the Labor Department measure of food costs at home.

According to Farm Bureau data, Thanksgiving expenses are now up for the first year since 2015. They’re also 7% more than last year.

Cinda Shaver (62), from Chicago said that she spends $120 per week on shopping for her two friends at Aldi discount supermarket. This is an increase of $90 for similar items previously.

The holiday season is still a good time to be a cook, but you can still get deals for your kitchen.

Reuters visited two supermarkets on Thursday and found that prices varied widely. At a Big Y supermarket in Newtown Connecticut, the same item basket was only $40.11. This includes frozen turkey at 99 cents a pound.

Jewel-Osco Chicago had frozen turkeys generically manufactured for just 49 cents a pound.

Farm Bureau reported that the price of whole turkeys was checked by its buyers two weeks before major supermarket chains started offering them at lower prices. Farm Bureau stated that from Nov. 5- 11, the per-pound average sale price of whole frozen turkeys was $1.07. This dropped to 88 cents between Nov. 12- 18.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released a statement saying that they are positive that all who want a turkey for Thanksgiving will be able, as well as that large birds will cost only $1 less than last year.

According to government data, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported that Thanksgiving staples prices are up by about 5% over last year. It tracked the prices of sweet potatoes, russet potato, and cranberries as well as one gallon of milk.

Hooker will, however, not reduce the amount she serves at Thanksgiving because of rising prices. Hooker said that she would “bite the bullet” and continue to have traditions.

She said, “It is once per year.”