PORTSMOUTH, Va. — This weekend, people will head to the grocery store to get their usual Thanksgiving dinner staples.
Sweet potatoes, cranberries, stuffing and of course, turkey
Kelcy Albrecht in Portsmouth said she's preparing for a traditional Thanksgiving with family.
"We’re shopping for a turkey. We’re gonna deep fry it."
Meanwhile, Trevor Pierre is trying new recipes for his Friendsgiving.
"I’m actually picking up some ingredients for spiced apple cinnamon cider, macaroni and cheese and cinnamon toast crunch cheesecake, which I’m really excited to make."
Either way, food prices are up this holiday season.
"My grocery bill has been significantly higher from last year," Albrecht said.
According to the Farm Bureau’s annual survey, this year’s average price for a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 in the U.S. is $53.31. That’s a 14% increase from 2020.
That number is even higher specifically in Virginia, at $63.66.
"I’m kind of going more towards the Kroger-branded stuff because it’s a little bit cheaper than the name brand stuff, because everything has gone up, but I’m not gonna let it stop my holiday," explained Pierre.
Looking at some Thanksgiving staples, nationally, a three-pound bag of sweet potatoes is up 4% from last year at $3.56.
A 12 oz. bag of cranberries is $2.98. That's up 11%.
A dozen dinner rolls come to about $3.05, which is up 15%.
Turkey is up 24% from last year, at $23.99.
Even ham is up 18%, at $10.87.
Ten years ago, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner was $49.20.
The Farm Bureau report says the reason for the increase in prices is disruptions to the supply chain, inflation and high demand for food.
But those prices haven’t stopped foods banks, churches and other organizations in our area from making sure folks in need have food for the holidays.
"It just feels good to have somebody that cares that if my money is short, I can still eat," says Carolyn Harris, who took home a turkey at the Norfolk Sheriff's Office giveaway earlier this week.
To shave off a few dollars from your grocery bill, experts say to start shopping early, use coupons and "shop in your pantry" first.