Turkey dinner may cost more this Thanksgiving
A traditional Thanksgiving meal may gobble up more of Canadians’ grocery budgets this year.
The cost of a turkey dinner is estimated at $35.72 for four people (two adults and two children), a 10% increase from $32.48 in 2025, according to a report by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. The calculation includes turkey and side dishes, including potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing and gravy.
Turkey accounts for most of the increase, with seven pounds of turkey for the four-person meal estimated at $12.53 in 2026, up from $10.43 in 2025.
“We didn’t actually go into stores, so people could find some deals out there that are unannounced. That’s one thing that we want to keep in mind,” says Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab.
“But still, the poultry sector has been under pressure due to beef prices being quite high and a lot of that demand moved over to poultry, including turkey,” he says. “In addition, production costs have gone up, and the sector is supply managed, so as costs go up, typically retail prices are impacted.”
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The cost of the side dishes also contributes to the estimated increase in the Thanksgiving meal. The 2026 calculation puts one pound of carrots at $1.65, compared with $0.91 in the 2025 basket, a difference of $0.74. However, the researchers note that the difference doesn’t represent a measure of inflation for carrots; the 2025 basket used a promotional per-pound price, while the 2026 figure is based on half the observed median price of a two-pound bag.
A 10-pound bag of potatoes remains at the 2025 price—$6.99—while the other side dishes are assumed to rise 2.8% from their 2025 prices. The researchers note that the mix of current prices and assumptions limits comparisons over time.
The report notes that the meal calculation reflects the purchases required for the typical household; purchased package sizes may leave leftovers. The amounts are based on advertised prices in grocery retailers’ flyers and websites.
For Canadians who’d rather skip turkey as the centrepiece, ham is roughly in the same price range at $36.37 for a meal for four. Pricier options are a lamb meal, estimated at $80.47, while lobster comes in at $88.14.
“We recognize that most families don’t celebrate Thanksgiving by eating lobster, but it’s a bit of a salute to our oceans on both sides of the country. It’s an expensive meal,” says Charlebois. “Generally speaking, it doesn’t matter which protein you choose. You’re going to pay more this year.”
The report notes that despite the slowdown in food inflation, the Thanksgiving meal is a reminder that pressure on consumers’ wallets remains very real in 2026.
Charlebois expects consumers will shop around at different stores for their Thanksgiving ingredients. “It’s happening more often. People are visiting more grocery stores on a regular basis, and people are going to shop around for deals,” he says. “The bargain play is getting way more attention by the major retailers in Canada because they’re adjusting to a more frugal consumer.”
