Reduced prices for Thanksgiving shoppers

Jonesboro, Arkansas – Thanksgiving shopping is in full swing, and this year’s customers may save a few bucks at the register.

On Wednesday, November 20, the American Farm Bureau published its annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey.

According to the survey, a family of ten will spend about $58.18, which is 5% less than the average of $61.17 spent in 2023.

Although the price of food has increased, there is only one reason why spending has decreased, according to Michael Pakko, chief economist of the Arkansas Economic Development Institute.
“You have to talk about turkey when it comes to Thanksgiving, and the price of turkey is really what drives the changes in Thanksgiving prices from year to year,” he stated.

Could your cost at the register decrease in tandem with the price reductions for turkey?

To discover out, K8 News visited Jonesboro’s Bill’s Fresh Market.

In order to determine if individuals are saving more money or spending more, reporter Alejandra Hernandez utilized the AFB poll to compare prices between 2023 and 2024.

Customers will have to choose between purchasing a name brand or a store.

Although the store brand is still the less expensive choice, Pakko stated that the time has come to think about the name brand.

He stated, “Those prices are coming down a little bit because the name-brand items might have gotten a little past their price point.” “Store brand or generics are getting more expensive, so if you care about quality, it might be a little less expensive to use the name brand instead of the generics.”

Processed foods are another factor to take into account. Although they might be simpler, they might also be more expensive.

“The prepared foods, such as pre-made rolls and stuffing croutons.” Compared to some of the more basic goods, those items have been somewhat more affected by inflation because labor and transportation expenses are still on the rise, according to Pakko.

Hernandez made her way to the checkout line after zigzagging through the store.

The final amount was $52.43, which is roughly $5 less than the American Farm Bureau average.
Shanece Jones, a customer, reported that she is feeding roughly eight people with the same amount of food she received last year.

In comparison to the previous year, I definitely spent an additional $50 to $60 on my ham this year. However, I will admit that I purchased a bit more—possibly just a small amount of meat to prepare this year,” she remarked.

Jones’ Thanksgiving meal will include some mac and cheese and ribs, and the cost of some of those items will increase.

“I think I spent about $15 more on my ham last year than I usually do because the cost of the milk and other ingredients was a little bit higher,” she added.

Choose a smaller turkey, use store-brand products, and prepare your own stuffing if you’re shopping this week for Thanksgiving dinner. You’ll most likely have a few extra bucks on Black Friday if you do that.