(Courtesy of National Turkey Federation)

The average cost of a Thanksgiving feast is pegged to rise 14% in 2021, according to the results of an annual surveyby the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The organization, which has been tracking Thanksgiving meal prices for 36 years, has estimated that ingredients for a dinner designed to feed 10 people will run $53.31, up from $46.90 in 2020. In Illinois, the meal will take an even bigger bite out of wallets, averaging $58.15, according to cost surveys conducted by the Illinois Farm Bureau.

The shopping list for the informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk. The items have remained consistent over the decades for ease of comparison.

Prices are reported by shoppers who visit grocery stores across the country between late October and early November. Many grocers have since begun deeply discounting items such as frozen turkeys, the Illinois Farm Bureaunoted.

“Consumers can still rest assured that there are bargains to be found in their local grocery stores,” said Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr.

A number of factors have contributed to higher food prices this year, according toVeronica Nigh, senior economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Supply chain issues are a factor but so is another side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

“The trend of consumers cooking and eating at home more often due to the pandemic led to increased supermarket demand and higher retail food prices,” said Nigh.

In the spirit of cost cutting, this might be the year to finally give cranberry sauce a heave-ho from the Thanksgiving menu.

(American Farm Bureau Federation)

Contact Patty Wetli:@pattywetli| (773) 509-5623 |[email protected]