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Less than three weeks until Thanksgiving, millions of American families are getting ready for one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year, while wondering if the traditional turkey and its sides will be more expensive than in 2024.
The president Donald Trump recently stated that Thanksgiving dinner will be 25% cheaper this year, based on a promotional basket from Walmart.
"Walmart announced that this year's dinner cost will be 25% lower than last year's," stated during a conference alongside Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán. From the official White House account, the message was reinforced with a tweet that read: “Making Thanksgiving Great Again”.
However, an analysis by the Associated Press warns that the comparison is not entirely accurate. While the 2025 Walmart basket costs less than $40 and promises to feed ten people (about $4 per person), it includes fewer items than the 2024 basket, which cost around $56 for eight diners.
The economist David Anderson from Texas A&M University explained that “this is not a fair comparison,” since the new package contains only 15 items compared to 29 last year, excluding desserts like pecan pie, marshmallows, and other traditional side dishes.
Other chains like Lidl, Aldi, Target, and Schnucks have also launched offers with lower prices, although with changes in the included products. According to a report from Wells Fargo, the average cost of a dinner for ten people has decreased by between 2% and 3% compared to last year, depending on whether national or generic brands are chosen.
Despite the promotions, the wholesale price of turkey has increased by up to 75% since October 2024, although large retailers like Walmart managed to secure lower prices through prior contracts.
In summary, although the offers give the impression that celebrating Thanksgiving will be cheaper, experts warn that the reduction is due more to the limited contents of the baskets than to an actual drop in prices.
Thanksgiving 2025 will be more austere, but not necessarily cheaper.
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