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If you haven&#8217;t planned what you&#8217;re cooking for Thanksgiving dinner this year, a new report gives Canadians some insight into how much the grocery bill could be.
Last week, the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University served up its annual cost analysis of a typical Thanksgiving dinner for four, revealing a minor increase from the previous year.
&#8220;Beyond being a cherished tradition, this annual meal has also become a window into the state of our food economy,&#8221; states Agri-Food Analytics Lab Director Sylvain Charlebois in the <a href="https://agrifoodanalyticslab.substack.com/p/thanksgiving-turkey-gets-cheaper" target="_blank">report</a>. &#8220;The results for 2025 are in, and they tell a story of stability, with subtle but important shifts beneath the surface.&#8221;
The study finds that the average cost of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for four in Canada in 2025 is $32.48, compared to $32.30 in 2024, a less than one per cent increase of just 18 cents.
<div id="attachment_2200857" style="width: 1534px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2200857" class="size-full wp-image-2200857" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.01.08-PM.png" alt="Thanksgiving dinner" width="1524" height="942" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.01.08-PM.png 1524w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.01.08-PM-500x309.png 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.01.08-PM-1024x633.png 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.01.08-PM-1200x742.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1524px) 100vw, 1524px" />Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University</div>
&#8220;In an era where Canadians have grown accustomed to headline-grabbing spikes in grocery bills, a flat holiday meal cost comes as a relief,&#8221; reads the report.
However, it adds that this changes once you break down the grocery bill. According to the analysis, the main event of Thanksgiving dinner — the turkey — is cheaper this year.
It states that a seven-pound frozen bird costs $10.43, down from $11.69 in 2024. Other common turkey day ingredients, like carrots, have also seen a sharp price decline, costing nearly half the price compared to last year, at just $0.91 per pound.
While there have been some price cuts, there have also been some price hikes, particularly in ingredients for side dishes.
&#8220;A ten-pound bag of potatoes, indispensable for mashed or roasted accompaniments, has jumped from $5.99 to $6.99, one of the largest increases in our basket,&#8221; reads the study.
<div id="attachment_2200860" style="width: 1554px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2200860" class="size-full wp-image-2200860" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.10.33-PM.png" alt="Thanksgiving dinner" width="1544" height="852" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.10.33-PM.png 1544w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.10.33-PM-500x276.png 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.10.33-PM-1024x565.png 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.10.33-PM-1536x848.png 1536w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.10.33-PM-1200x662.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1544px) 100vw, 1544px" />Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University</div>
Cranberries, stuffing, and gravy have also seen price increases. According to the report, the cost of gravy has risen by nearly 45 per cent.
Fortunately for the sweet tooths out there, pumpkin pie prices have been stable at $5.99.
So, why does the cost of one Thanksgiving dinner matter?
&#8220;Thanksgiving dinner is more than just a meal — it is a reflection of household economics. A relatively stable cost reassures families that traditions remain within reach,&#8221; Charlebois argues. &#8220;The shifting composition of the basket reminds us that consumers need to stay agile.&#8221;
He gives the example of a family willing to make cranberry sauce from fresh berries or gravy from scratch to save money. He says the drop in carrot prices also offers Canadians an opportunity to prepare more nutritious sides.
&#8220;In this sense, the Thanksgiving table becomes a lesson in adaptation. Canadian households, facing a high cost-of-living environment, are learning to pivot: swap canned for fresh, lean on discounted proteins, and adjust menus based on what’s most affordable,&#8221; writes Charlebois.
This may be helpful advice, especially as food prices <a href="https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/food-inflation-canada-2025" target="_blank">remain above the general rate of inflation</a>.
The lab&#8217;s analysis draws from more than 10,000 flyer data points across Canada.
How much will your Thanksgiving dinner come out to? Let us know in the comments.
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The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University served up its annual cost analysis of a typical Thanksgiving dinner for four.