Thanksgiving dinner will include a hefty price ticket this 12 months as double-digit meals inflation pushes up the price of all the things from turkey to potatoes.
The value of a basic roast turkey dinner with all of the fixings — stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, inexperienced beans, pumpkin pie and drinks — now is available in at a complete value of $203.95 for a household of 4, with some leftovers.
That’s up about 12 per cent from $181.75 final 12 months, in accordance with figures gathered from Statistics Canada and grocery retailers.
Food inflation hit 10.8 per cent in August in contrast with a 12 months earlier than — the quickest improve in grocery costs since 1981.
Some Canadians are responding to increased grocery costs by making menu modifications to save cash.
A brand new survey discovered almost 1 / 4 of respondents plan to change their Thanksgiving meal attributable to increased meals costs.
“Canadians are making compromises and revisiting their menu plans due to meals inflation,” stated Sylvain Charlebois, Dalhousie University professor of meals distribution and coverage.
A ballot by the college’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab performed by Angus Reid on Sept. 30 discovered 22 per cent of respondents stated they’d be making modifications to their Thanksgiving menu attributable to meals prices.
Feeling the pinch
Meanwhile, some Canadians is perhaps struggling to cobble collectively a Thanksgiving meal in any respect.
“Things are actually tough on the market,” stated Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada. “There are more individuals turning to meals banks than ever earlier than in our historical past.”
Many meals banks in Canada might be providing the fixings for a celebration meal, she stated.
Yet the problem for meals banks is that as demand for his or her service rises, some individuals in the neighborhood who might have donated previously are feeling stretched and may not be able to offer as a lot, Beardsley stated.
“Food banks have seen fairly a major decline in meals donations over the pandemic,” she stated. “We’re heading into Thanksgiving and the vacation season in want of more group help.”
Meanwhile, some Canadians are planning smaller celebrations this weekend to maintain Thanksgiving prices down — a tricky resolution after two years of pandemic restrictions on massive gatherings.
“Turkey is fairly expensive, so individuals trying to save cash may desire a big rooster,” stated Abby Langer, a registered dietitian and diet skilled.
For discount buyers who discover a turkey on sale, she stated the chook will be repurposed for a number of meals after Thanksgiving.
“If you do make a big turkey, you’ll be able to freeze a number of the meat, boil the carcass to make soup or make numerous different meals utilizing the leftovers,” Langer stated.
Here is a have a look at estimated prices for objects on a typical Thanksgiving dinner menu, utilizing figures from Statistics Canada, grocery retailers and researchers.
Turkey: 15 per cent
Turkey is the primary merchandise on many Thanksgiving menus. But costs have elevated about 15 per cent this 12 months in contrast with final 12 months, in accordance with the Agri-Food Analytics Lab. Last 12 months, contemporary turkey was about $5.73 per kilogram, or $37.25 for a 6.5-kilogram turkey. This 12 months, the value of a kilogram of contemporary turkey is about $6.59, or $42.84 for a similar measurement chook.
Potatoes: 10.9 per cent
A 12 months in the past, a kilogram of potatoes value about $1.39, making a 10-lb bag about $6.31. Today, potatoes are about $1.54 a kilogram, making that very same bag of potatoes $6.99.
Butter: 16.9 per cent
The worth of butter is up about 17 per cent in Canada at $5.99 a pound, or 454 grams. A 12 months in the past, butter was about $5.11 a pound.
Fresh greens: 9.3 per cent
If you spent $40 on contemporary greens and herbs final 12 months, anticipate to pay nearer to $44 for a similar basket of veggies this 12 months.
Bread: 17.6 per cent
Bread for stuffing or to serve with the meal will value more than final 12 months. A loaf priced at about $2.54 final 12 months will now value you $2.99.
Fruit: 13.2 per cent
Fruit costs are up by double digits in contrast with final 12 months. A 1.36-kilogram bag of apples to make a pie was about $5.29 final 12 months and now it should value $5.99.
A 340-gram bag of contemporary cranberries that value about $2.64 final 12 months will now value $2.99.
Flour: 23.5 per cent
Flour is probably in your purchasing record when you plan to bake pies or make gravy. Last 12 months, flour value roughly $2.51 a kilogram, making a five-kilogram bag about $12.55. This 12 months, with flour costs about $3.10 a kilogram, the bag will value $15.50.
Condiments, spices and vinegars: 17.2 per cent
If you spent $20 final 12 months on condiments, spices and vinegars, this 12 months you’ll be able to anticipate to pay about $23.50.
Milk: 7.9 per cent
The worth of two litres of milk is now about $4.99, up from about $4.63 final 12 months.
Eggs: 10.9 per cent
A dozen eggs now value about $4.99, up from $4.50 a 12 months in the past.
Ice cream: 7 per cent
Today, two litres of ice cream will value about $6.99, whereas a 12 months in the past the value was about $6.53.
Sugar: 18.4 per cent
A two-kilogram bag of sugar that value about $2.52 a 12 months in the past is now $2.99.
Coffee: 14.2 per cent
A 340-gram bag of espresso is now about $12.79, up from $11.20 a 12 months in the past.
Tea: 10.7 per cent
A field of tea with 72 tea baggage is about $6.29 at present, up from about $5.68 a 12 months in the past.
Wine: 5.7 per cent
A bottle of wine that got here with a $15 price ticket final 12 months will now value about $15.86.