Prices on the Rise: Thanksgiving Meal Will Cost You 10% More This Year

Preparing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner this weekend may require Canadians to dig deeper into their wallets than last year, a new study suggests.

A traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner for four is estimated to cost 10 percent more this year than in 2025, according to a report from food professor Sylvain Charlebois and the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.

Last year, the cost of cooking turkey dinner for four rose 18 cents, from $32.30 in 2024 to $32.48. This year, though, the cost is up 10 percent at $35.72.

“Families got a break in 2025, with the cost of our turkey basket barely changing. This year, our estimate points to a much larger increase,” Charlebois said in an emailed statement. “An extra $3.24 may appear modest, but for households watching every grocery dollar, it matters.”

The report compares the cost of a turkey dinner that includes potatoes, carrots, cranberries, stuffing, dinner rolls, gravy, and pumpkin pie.

The study found that the increase this year stems mainly from buying a turkey. The report indicates that a seven-pound (three-kilogram) turkey would cost $12.53 this year compared to $10.43 in 2025. 

The cost of side dishes also contributed to the expected increase. The price of carrots rose $0.74 from $0.91 in 2025 for one pound to $1.65 this fall. The report indicated the total expense for the other five sides climbed by 2.8 percent, although the price of a 10-pound bag of potatoes remained steady at $6.99.

It would cost $23.19 to put together sides and dessert for four, according to the report. The identical side dishes cost $22.05 in 2025 and $20.61 in 2024.

The 2026 estimates would climb if a larger turkey was purchased. For instance, a 15-pound turkey purchased at the same $1.79 per pound would cost $26.85.

The cost of dinner would also rise if a different type of meat was selected, the study found.

A ham dinner for four would cost $36.37 compared to $34.87 in 2025, while lamb would cost $80.47 and lobster would ring up at $88.14.

Agri-Food Analytics Lab research program coordinator Janet Music said the study was based on advertised prices.

“Holiday food budgets depend on the whole basket, including the sides,” Music said. “Shoppers who visit stores in person may find additional deals or markdowns that are not advertised, bringing their final bill below our estimates.”