Thanksgiving dinner is getting cheaper: The estimated cost of a traditional holiday meal for 10 people has fallen 17.3%, from $166.69 in 2025 to $137.93 in 2026, according to a new analysis by Self Financial.
Turkey prices are driving the savings: The cost of turkey for 10 people has plunged 48.1%, from $57 last year to $29.60 this year, while mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce are also significantly cheaper.
Not everything costs less: Six traditional Thanksgiving dishes have increased in price, including stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and bread rolls.
Americans preparing Thanksgiving dinner this year may find something extra to be thankful for at the grocery store: The cost of the traditional holiday feast has dropped substantially from last year's record high
.A new study by financial technology company Self Financial estimates that preparing Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people will cost $137.93 in 2026, compared with $166.69 in 2025. That's a savings of $28.76, or 17.3%.
The decline is particularly welcome after years of rising grocery prices that have strained household budgets.
However, the savings aren't evenly distributed across the Thanksgiving menu. While turkey prices have fallen sharply, several popular side dishes are becoming more expensive.
Turkey prices lead the decline
The biggest reason Thanksgiving dinner is less expensive this year is the centerpiece of the meal. According to Self Financial's analysis, the estimated cost of turkey to feed 10 people has fallen from $57 in 2025 to $29.60 this year, a decline of 48.1%.
That $27.40 reduction accounts for nearly all of the $28.76 decline in the total cost of the meal.
Other traditional Thanksgiving dishes have also become considerably less expensive. Mashed potatoes, for example, are estimated to cost $6.90 this year, compared with $13.27 in 2025, a 48% decline.
Cranberry sauce has experienced an even steeper percentage drop, falling from $5.30 to $2.11, a reduction of 60.2%.
Pumpkin pie is also slightly cheaper, with its estimated cost declining 8.5%, from $7.30 to $6.68.
Macaroni and cheese and corn have registered smaller price decreases.
Some Thanksgiving favorites are getting more expensive
Despite the overall decline in Thanksgiving dinner costs, consumers may experience some sticker shock when shopping for certain side dishes. The study found that six of the 12 traditional dishes included in its analysis cost more this year than last year.
Bread rolls posted the largest percentage increase, rising 39.5%, from $4.05 to $5.65.
Stuffing increased 23.2%, from $12.45 to $15.34, making it one of the more expensive side dishes on the menu.
Sweet potato casserole rose 21.3%, from $12.51 to $15.18, while green bean casserole increased 8.7%, from $8.83 to $9.60. Pecan pie also became more expensive, rising 9.2% to $15.14, while salad costs increased 2.9% to $4.48.
The mixed price changes illustrate why consumers may not feel that grocery inflation has disappeared, even when the total cost of a particular meal declines.
Thanksgiving dinner costs nearly nine times what they did in 1960
Self Financial's research also examined how Thanksgiving dinner prices have changed over more than six decades.
In 1960, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people cost just $15.63. By 2026, that figure had risen to $137.93, an increase of 782.3%.
Some dishes have experienced especially dramatic increases. Stuffing, which cost just 78 cents to prepare for 10 people in 1960, now costs $15.34, an increase of nearly 1,867%. Pecan pie has risen from 75 cents to $15.14, an increase of more than 1,900%. Bread rolls, meanwhile, have increased from 35 cents to $5.65.
Turkey prices have also risen substantially over the decades. A turkey sufficient to feed 10 people cost an estimated $3.83 in 1960, compared with $29.60 today.
However, the study notes that household incomes have also increased considerably over that period, helping offset some of the burden of higher food prices.
The historical comparisons are based on actual dollar prices, rather than prices adjusted for inflation.
Why Thanksgiving dinner estimates vary
The Self Financial study uses a relatively extensive holiday menu that includes turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, bread rolls, macaroni and cheese, corn, salad, pumpkin pie and pecan pie.
Researchers calculated the quantities of ingredients needed to prepare each dish for 10 people, using recipes and historical food-price information.
The menu was based on a YouGov survey identifying popular Thanksgiving foods, allowing researchers to make comparisons across multiple decades. That helps explain why Self Financial's estimate is considerably higher than some other Thanksgiving dinner surveys.
For example, a separate analysis by the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute estimates that a Thanksgiving meal for 10 will cost $78.93 this year, down 0.4% from 2025. The Wells Fargo estimate uses a different menu and pricing methodology, making the two studies difficult to compare directly.
How consumers can keep Thanksgiving costs down
For households trying to stretch their holiday budgets, the findings suggest that careful menu planning could produce meaningful savings.
Consumers can reduce expenses by comparing turkey prices at several grocery stores, watching for holiday promotions and avoiding purchases of ingredients they won't need.
Making fewer side dishes may also help. Stuffing, sweet potato casserole and pecan pie are among the more expensive items in Self Financial's menu, each costing more than $15 to serve 10 people.
Shopping early for nonperishable ingredients and choosing store brands instead of national brands may provide additional savings.
The study's broader message is that Thanksgiving dinner is becoming more affordable compared with last year, but the relief is concentrated in a handful of foods.
For families planning a traditional holiday feast, the turkey may be a bargain this year. The trimmings, however, could still add up quickly.