The cost of celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States has surged dramatically this year, putting pressure on nearly half of middle-class households. The centrepiece of the traditional holiday meal—the roasted turkey—has become significantly more expensive, and so have most other grocery staples families rely on for the occasion. Researchers and market analysts attribute a substantial share of this inflation to the sweeping reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on imported food products, agricultural inputs and consumer goods. These tariff hikes, layered atop existing economic pressures, have pushed holiday spending to levels many Americans are struggling to absorb.
The price of an average 15-pound turkey has risen to roughly $30, marking an increase of about 25% since October 2024. Industry experts note that the majority of a turkey producer’s operating costs come from animal feed, particularly the specialized blends of minerals and nutrients that the US imports. Those imports are now substantially costlier because of high tariff rates. Bird flu outbreaks have also hit national turkey stocks, but researchers at Purdue University say that higher bird populations could have helped moderate prices if tariffs had not sharply elevated production costs. Some of the steepest grocery price increases this season have been in tariff-affected goods: imported spices, cocoa, chocolate products, canned vegetables and fruits, and several everyday household items.
Beyond groceries, travel for Thanksgiving has also become more expensive. Airfare costs are up for the first time since early 2025, partly because of the prolonged government shutdown that disrupted air travel this autumn. Lodging and rental prices have added to the financial strain. According to the NerdWallet Travel Price Index, overall travel costs are about 2% higher than at this time last year, reversing a period of declining prices. Many Americans now face the dual burden of higher transportation costs and inflated grocery bills at exactly the time they need to stretch their budgets for holiday gatherings.
While the White House continues to insist that prices are moderating and that holiday promotions reflect economic progress, multiple independent studies tell another story. A Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute report indicates families could lower Thanksgiving costs by prioritizing store-brand products, but broader analyses from the Century Foundation, the Groundwork Collaborative and the American Federation of Teachers estimate that overall Thanksgiving food prices are nearly 10% higher than last year, especially for brand-name items. Dairy products, grains, potatoes, fresh vegetables and basic baking supplies have all risen sharply, making both home-cooked meals and restaurant dining noticeably more expensive for the festival.
The inflationary impact of current tariff policies has become sufficiently disruptive that the Trump administration quietly rolled back import taxes on more than 200 food items—including tea, spices, beef and mangoes—just last week. These reductions have not yet translated into meaningful savings for consumers because supermarkets and distributors are still working through existing high-cost supply contracts. Meanwhile, the sustained rise in living costs is pushing more families toward credit-card dependence during the holiday season, accelerating household debt that already reached a record $1.233 trillion in the third quarter of 2025.
Thanksgiving traditionally signals abundance and family celebration in the American calendar. This year, however, the holiday has become a painful reminder of how trade-policy choices ripple through household finances. The tariffs intended to strengthen domestic production have translated instead into higher prices for food, travel and essential consumer goods—costs borne most heavily by the middle-class families preparing their holiday tables.
