According to the latest Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index®, a survey of the shopping habits and food beliefs held by Iowans, nearly 40 percent of Iowa families consume turkey once per week.  So, a national study that highlights the affordability of turkey, is great news for so many grocery-shopping Iowans who plan to put turkey on their family table this Thanksgiving.

The American Farm Bureau survey shows a whole Thanksgiving feast for 10 people will be $48.90, less than $5 per person. This includes all the traditional “fixings” of turkey, bread stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie. “When adjusted for inflation, the year’s actual cost is $19.37,” says IFBF Director of Research and Commodity Services Dave Miller. “It’s a true testament to the American farmer that they can continue to provide safe food that is affordable for families to enjoy.”

 Although turkey tends to be the star of the show, the survey also looked at the price of Thanksgiving meals that include ham, green beans and russet potatoes. With 96 percent of Iowans reporting in the Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index® that their household eats pork weekly, more families may opt for a ham dinner, but it will come at a higher cost of approximately $6 per person.

New this year, the survey also looked at popular meal delivery services to see how prices compared to store bought groceries. Although there may be some convenience in having food delivered to your door, it bumped prices up to $8 per person. “If grocery shoppers are looking for the best value for their Thanksgiving meal,” says Miller, “a store-bought turkey is still the way to go.”

The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1968, and its menu has been unchanged for consistent comparison. It is an informal gauge of price trends around the nation using volunteer shoppers in every region of the United States.