Good News/Bad News About Cost of Your Thanksgiving Dinner

The annual look at how much your Thanksgiving dinner will cost came out this week from the Agri-Food Institute. There's some good news and some bad news in the outlook this year.

Let's start with the bad news...

What Prices Are Up For This Year's Thanksgiving Dinner?

Where to begin? Prices have gone up on most of your side dishes.

- Potatoes: Russet potatoes are up 3.9%

- Sweet potatoes: The price is up 4%

- Canned Green beans: It's a bad year to be serving canned foods. Canned green beans are up 30%. I would go fresh, they taste better and cost less.

- Canned pumpkin: I told you it was a bad year. Canned pumpkin is up 30%

- Canned cranberries are up 60% Wow! 

How About Some Good News? Are Any Prices Down From Last Year?

Sure, there are a few relative bargains when compared with last year's Thanksgiving meal prices.

- Romain lettuce prices are down 10% Would it kill you to eat a Caesar salad?

- Fresh cranberries, prices are down 20%! Go fresh with the cranberries this year.

- Turkey: This is the best news of the day. Turkey prices have dropped significantly, with estimates ranging from 10 to 22% lower than last year.

- Overall price of Thanksgiving: The study shows that the overall price for Thanksgiving dinner for a party of 10 is down by about $2 to around $70.

Sorry, More Bad News

It will cost more to have a glass of wine or a beer. The good news is it won't cost that much more.

- Beer: Beer prices are up by 5%.

- Wine: Wine prices are up by 1%.  Only1%? That's all? Fill the glasses!