The Cherokee County Boys and Girls Club fed a traditional Thanksgiving feast to 350 kids Tuesday. The dinner was held in the club's gymnasium on Pecan Street after county schools closed for the Thanksgiving holidays. Shoppers will not have to wait for “Black Friday” to benefit from holiday savings.

The cost of traditional Thanksgiving food items like turkey, stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie dropped as much as 4 percent this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

The largest U.S. farm group made up a list of about a dozen items found at most American tables during Thanksgiving with the average cost for a family of 10 estimated at $42.91, a $1.70 decrease from last year’s average of $44.61.

“Consistent with the retail food price declines seen throughout the year, consumers will pay just a bit less for their Thanksgiving feast this year,” said American Farm Bureau Federation economist Jim Sartwelle. “Consumers are benefiting at the grocery store from significantly lower energy prices and the effects of the economic slowdown. Again this year, the cost per person for this special meal is less than a typical ‘value meal’ at a fast food outlet.”

More than 200 volunteer shoppers from 35 states participated in the survey, looking for the best possible prices for an AFBF shopping list including turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie and whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk.

Milk should cost significantly less than at this time in 2008, when a gallon was priced as much as $3.78. The largest contributor to the overall decrease in costs for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, milk is now listed at $2.86 a gallon, a drop of 92 cents since last year.

Finding a turkey within the budget should also prove to be easier, with the price for a 16-pound bird falling an average of 44 cents this year to $18.65, or $1.16 per pound.

Shoppers should also see a decrease in the cost of rolls and cranberries.

However, all items did not follow the trend of lower prices for the Thanksgiving holiday. A 30-ounce packet of pumpkin pie mix rose 11 cents over the past year, while pie shells and cube stuffing rose an average of eight cents.

Pumpkin pie may be an endangered species at tables this Thanksgiving. Poor weather during the pumpkins’ growing season combined with heavy rains throughout the 13-week harvest period could result in a shortage of canned pumpkin on grocery store shelves this holiday season, according to Libby’s, one of the nation’s leaders in pumpkin products.

“We know that Libby’s Pumpkin, with the Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie Recipe on the label, plays an important role in the traditional holiday meal,” said Paul Bakus, vice president and general manager of Nestle Baking in a prepared statement. “Libby’s has been a part of that tradition for more than 80 years and we appreciate that honor. That’s why we wanted to alert bakers to our anticipated shortage.”

According to Nestle, heavy rains saturated pumpkin fields, making it nearly impossible for tractors and other heavy machinery to operate. Meanwhile, acres of pumpkins sit in muddy fields, rapidly declining in quality.

“If we only could have changed the weather!,” Bakus said. “We hope Mother Nature is nicer to us next year, hopefully delivering less rain and more sunshine. If you are unable to find Libby’s 100 percent Pure Pumpkin at your local grocers, we apologize and hope you will understand.”
 Milk, one gallon: $2.86
(2008): $3.78
 16-pound turkey: $18.65
2008: $19.09
 Half-pint whipped cream: $1.55
(2008): $1.70
 Rolls, pack of 12: $2.08
(2008): $2.20
 Fresh cranberries: $2.41
(2008): $2.46
 30-ounce packet of Pumpkin pie
mix: $2.45
(2008): $2.34
 2-count pie shells: $2.34
(2008): $2.26
 14-ounce cube stuffing: $2.65
(2008): $2.57
 Three pounds sweet potatoes:
$3.12
(2008): $3.12
 Pound green peas: $1.58
(2008): $1.58
 Miscellaneous ingredients: $2.50
(2008): $2.69
 1-Pound relish tray: 72 cents
(2008): 82 cents
2008 TOTAL COST: $44.61
2009 TOTAL COST: $42.91
TOTAL SAVINGS: $1.70
SOURCE: American Farm Bureau Association