As Thanksgiving costs fluctuate, shoppers can still enjoy a traditional meal for under $6 per person by leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to create budget-friendly shopping lists and find the best deals. Additionally, apps like Flip and prepackaged meal deals from retailers such as Walmart and Aldi offer affordable, convenient options to help families save money and time during the holiday.
As Thanksgiving approaches, many families are looking for ways to keep the cost of their holiday feast down. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average price for a full Thanksgiving meal for 10 people, including turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie mix, is just over $55 this year. This is a decrease from $58 last year and significantly lower than the $61 it cost in 2023. Despite some price fluctuations, shoppers can still enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal without breaking the bank.
Food industry analyst Phil Lempert, known as the supermarket guru, points out that while turkey prices have risen by 40%, with frozen wholesale turkeys averaging $1.32 per pound compared to 97 cents last year, frugal shoppers can still manage to feed a person for under $6. Other popular items like cranberries and green beans have seen price increases of 6% and 32%, respectively. However, staples such as lettuce, milk, soft drinks, and potatoes have remained relatively stable, and prices for butter, bread, and eggs have actually decreased.
Tariffs continue to impact the cost of some imported goods, including olive oil, cheeses, wines, and even aluminum cans, which affects canned pumpkin prices. These factors contribute to the overall cost of Thanksgiving ingredients, but shoppers can mitigate expenses by planning carefully and taking advantage of deals. One innovative way to do this is by using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with meal planning and price comparison.
AI chatbots like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot can act as personal shopping assistants. They can help create budget-friendly shopping lists, suggest recipes that accommodate dietary restrictions, and even find the cheapest turkeys and other ingredients nearby. For example, Microsoft Copilot was used to generate a Thanksgiving shopping list for eight people under $50, including a dry brine turkey, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and box stuffing. These AI tools can also organize grocery lists by store sections to make shopping more efficient.
Additionally, shoppers can use apps like Flip to access weekly grocery store circulars and compare deals across local and national stores. Prepackaged meal deals from retailers such as Walmart, Aldi, and Ladle offer complete Thanksgiving meals for families of 10 for $40 or less, including turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pie, and sides. These tips and tools can help families save money and time while enjoying a festive Thanksgiving feast.