Experts say the cost for turkeys is up 66 cents.
Some Ohioans are paying more for their Thanksgiving turkeys this year, but experts say the jump in price isn't affecting sales.
Forecasts from the American Farm Bureau Federation find the cost of menu items for a classic Thanksgiving dinner to feed 10 people is $49.48. This represents a 28-cent price increase from last year’s average of $49.20. Still, the meal costs less than $5 per person. It's an increase of less than one percent.
"Typically the price of the Thanksgiving meal tracks what's going on with the overall Food Consumer Price Index. Increases of one, two, three percent a year are very common," said Joe Cornely, with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.
The centerpiece of the meal, the turkey, is up about 66 cents this year compared to last. However, items like relish trays, whipping cream, stuffing, and milk are actually down this year.
A lot of the credit for holding prices in check is technology. Cornely said the ways turkeys are raised, bred, and raised is all very scientific these days.
The drought has a lot to do with the small increase. Cornely said the real impact will come a little further in the future.
"We're going to see a reduction in meat supplies and such so we'll end up paying more at the grocery store, but for Thanksgiving all-in-all a pretty good year in terms of the prices we'll be paying," he said.
