I-Team: Thanksgiving dinner under $60

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Ham, yams, turkey, you name it.

It will be on the tables of millions across the country in just a few weeks.

Actually, some people are already out buying items for their Thanksgiving dinner.

Sitting at the dinner table on Thanksgiving can be full of memories, but it can also empty your pockets.

Some people are still experiencing financial strains and are limited on what they can spend.

In 2020, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average total cost of a Thanksgiving dinner was $60.11.

So, I went out to shop myself to see if I could stay under that $60 this year.

“I think the earlier you, buy the better. A lot of people are waiting until the last day and having trouble finding stuff,” said Felix Gallion, manager of Bill’s Cost Plus Supermarket in north Jonesboro.

Gallion walked around with me and explained how they try to make grocery shopping budget-friendly.

“If the companies have a better knowledge of how much you are wanting to buy, they can give you a better price and knowing that you are going to get them on a certain day,” he said.

They look at how much they bought last year of popular items, so they can plan ahead.

“We pre-book items in order to get a better price,” he said.

On my list were some of the common items for dinner.

Rolls, a beverage, turkey, stuffing, veggies, and, of course, a pie.

“I would say pumpkin or pecan are probably one of the top sellers,” said Gallion.

Gallion said as a manager, he tries to work with companies to get better prices to help out customers.

I shopped for about an hour, picked everything on my list. Then, it was time to head to the checkout.

Now, this was the moment of truth.

The total was about $10 under $60.

I spent $47.16.

You see it there. It is possible to feed a family of four on a $60 budget for a Thanksgiving dinner.

The American Farm Bureau Federation has not released this year’s total cost averages yet.

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