A basic turkey dinner for four is expected to cost more this Thanksgiving, but experts say there are ways to make your holiday meal more affordable. The average cost of a basic turkey dinner for four is expected to reach $35.72 this year, up 10 per cent from 2025, according to the latest Thanksgiving food price analysis from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab. Swapping turkey for another protein, however, may not necessarily save money. The study found that a basic ham dinner for four was $34.87 in 2025. This year, that same meal is expected to cost $36.37. “It doesn’t matter what protein you decide to go with, you’re going to be paying more,” said Sylvain Charlebois of Dalhousie’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab. Turkey, carrots and potatoes are among the foods expected to contribute to a higher Thanksgiving grocery bill. But shoppers looking to save do have options. Buying local could help cut costs Jeff Stewart, an Elora-based chef and executive director of Food Day Canada, said shoppers may be able to find savings by looking to local farms and markets. “One thing is the harvest,” he said. “And we have an abundance right now of things that you would typically associate with Canadian food and Thanksgiving.” Buying local can also reduce some of the transportation costs built into food that has travelled long distances, Stewart added. “Excessive amounts of transportation, gas or diesel, if something is being shipped from, say, California or something is being shipped from way far away, that is automatically baked into the price.” Don’t buy more food than you need Another way to stretch a Thanksgiving budget is to avoid buying more than your family will actually eat. For smaller gatherings, that could mean choosing a smaller turkey instead of paying for a larger bird and potentially ending up with more leftovers. “If you don’t need a full 20-pound turkey and you’re going to have too much left over, then maybe get a smaller turkey,” Stewart suggested. Reducing food waste can ultimately make those grocery dollars go further, he added. You don’t need everything on the table While Thanksgiving can come with a long list of traditional dishes, Stewart said families do not necessarily need to have every traditional item on the table to have a memorable meal. The key, he said, is making the most of what’s available locally, buying what you need and avoiding unnecessary waste. Because Thanksgiving isn’t about having everything, it’s about having the people who matter most around your table.
