The price of plenty: Cape residents will spend less than state average for many Thanksgiving staples

Shoppers in Cape Girardeau will spend much less than the state average to make a Thanksgiving meal if they take advantage of sale prices in local stores.

The Missouri Farm Bureau released the results of its annual survey of the average cost for a Thanksgiving meal and found that the cost to feed a family of 10 is $38.44, But that's only if you could buy the exact amount of food it would take to make the meal -- only one stick of butter or just four eggs -- and choose to make everything but the stuffing from scratch.

The farm bureau collected prices from around the state of the staple holiday foods like carrots, celery, cranberries, sweet potatoes and, of course, the turkey.

What they found was that a 10-person holiday meal with a 16-pound turkey, milk and coffee will cost nearly $4 per person. However, all those figures were collected the first week of November, when many of the items were at regular prices. They are also calculated with the recommended serving size like 4 ounces of turkey or only one roll.

Turkey was listed to be almost a dollar a pound in the farm bureau survey, while this weekend stores in Cape Girardeau are selling them for half that price. On average, a 12-ounce container of cranberries was $2.16, while even at regular price in Cape Girardeau a 16-ounce can is only $1.37 at one grocery store.

Most grocery stores have Thanksgiving specials for cranberry sauce, stuffing mix and sweet potatoes. According to the farm bureau survey, a box of stuffing cost $1.34, but on some Cape Girardeau sales racks, a box of brand name stuffing is only $1.

Watching ads, shopping wisely with coupons and being able to buy and freeze things when they're at low price will help people save even more at the checkout, said Diane Olson, director of promotion and education at the Missouri Farm Bureau.

"Look at basic preparation," she said. Sometimes an item can be made at home for half the cost than buying it premade in the grocery store.

"It's taking a little bit more of your time," Olson said. "But if money is the issue and time isn't," making the dishes at home might be a better option.

"That's something you have to weigh."

She also advised sticking to the basics with purchases and not buying unnecessary items. People can be tempted when stores run sales like offering a free turkey with the purchase of a specified amount, like $50.

"People see that as a cost saving, but it's only a cost saving if you need that $50 worth of product," Olson said.

This year's state average rose $4.20 from last year's total cost. Olson blamed rising gas prices making every step of food production more expensive.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611 extension 246