Americans Mark Thanksgiving with Lower Meal Costs

Americans across the country gathered for Thanksgiving on Thursday, marking the holiday with traditional turkey feasts, family meals, and innovative ways to repurpose leftovers, as dinner costs continued to decline for the third straight year.

The American Farm Bureau Federation reported that a meal for 10 people, including staples like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, averaged $55.18 this year, a 5 percent drop from 2024 and well below the record high of $64.05 set in 2022. Turkey prices fell compared to the previous year, providing relief to households amid broader economic pressures. Farmers raised about 200 million turkeys on roughly 2,500 farms nationwide, many family-operated, despite challenges like bird flu risks. President Donald Trump continued the long-standing tradition by pardoning two North Carolina turkeys, Gobble and Waddle, in a Rose Garden ceremony on Tuesday. During the event, he referenced last year's pardons by former President Joe Biden, joking about an autopen's use without confirming any formal review.

Regional tastes shaped menus, highlighting the holiday's diversity. Data from delivery services showed the South favoring sweeter sides...