DENVER (KDVR) — Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and this year, Coloradans better brace themselves for some serious sticker shock.
That’s because this Thanksgiving is expected to be the most expensive meal in the history of the holiday.
Many of us were hoping we’d be in the clear again this year, given how last Thanksgiving was the cheapest it had been since 2010.
Of course, many of us were gathering in small numbers, if we even gathered at all; so that makes sense.
According to the Farm Bureau, in 2020, the cost of preparing a holiday meal for 10 people or less cost on average under $47.
But due to labor shortages, higher transportation costs and supply chain disruptions, experts say you should expect to pay anywhere from 5% to 20% more on most items this Thanksgiving.
In fact, prices for meat, poultry, fish and eggs are all up 10.5% right now.
The Department of Agriculture says turkeys between 8-16 pounds will cost about twenty-six cents more per pound compared to last Thanksgiving.
“When it comes to those small ticket items, like a can of corn, it might be a few cents higher, some items might be a dollar higher. So a lot of these items we use for the sides – those are going to be more reasonable for people. So if you can let those sides shine this year, you’re going to have lower costs when you check out,” said Kristin McGrath, editor and shopping expert at Ziff (The Real Deal).
The Consumer Price Index for food is currently up 4.6% from a year ago, according to data.