With Thanksgiving just around the corner, dropping prices for common meal staples are good signs of relief coming to consumers preparing for their holiday celebrations. With just 17 days left until the holiday on November 27, 2025, food industry analyst Phil Lempert has shared insights on how families can save money without compromising their celebrations.
On “Good Morning America,” Lempert revealed that the cost of serving a Thanksgiving meal for ten people can vary significantly depending on the brands chosen. A family meal using all national brand products will run close to $95. If they choose store brands, there’s still a way to bring that cost down to about $80. This gap underscores the critical role shopping decisions and behaviors play in determining whether or not households will stay within their holiday food budgets.
Lempert encouraged consumers to stay active in the way they shop.
“Have that shopping list, go online, look at all the different prices and be willing to go to two or three different stores,” – Phil Lempert
This year, especially on frozen vegetables, we’ve got these national brands offering deeper discounts that can mean even bigger savings. Lempert warned, store brands are not always the cheaper option for these products.
Our report on the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute corroborates Lempert’s conclusions. For the first time ever, it specifically calls out the national brand pumpkin pie price, which is down about 3% over last year. The report advises continuing to choose national cranberry brands to get the most during peak holiday savings!
If you plan to have a party of 10 for Thanksgiving dinner you can plan on spending an average of approximately $95 using name brand products. That’s what they’re claiming! However, if you purchase the generic brands, then it’s only going to be $80. And that’s significant,” said Lempert.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food-at-home has increased significantly, largely driven by increases in the price of protein such as beef and eggs. Families will be able to breathe a little easier this Thanksgiving season.
The Agri-Food report shows that consumers will be able to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving spread. By applying some smart shopping tactics, they can accomplish the latter cost effectively. Retailers are expected to offer additional discounts on Thanksgiving meals, making it an opportune time for families to plan their shopping.
