Turkey day costs are up by 6 percent. One thing that U.S. consumers won’t be thankful for this Thanksgiving is low food prices this year. That’s because shoppers will pay 6 percent more than last year for a traditional Thanksgiving meal that includes turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. This is the largest in recent years, a U.S. farm group said.  The American Farm Bureau Federation grocery list of 12 items estimated the average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving feast for a family of 10 at $44.61, an increase of $2.35 from last year’s average of $42.26, Reuters reports. “Food prices rode the energy price rollercoaster up during the first half of 2008, and as the year winds down, energy prices have moderated somewhat, but food prices have not come down,” said Jim Sartwelle, a Farm Bureau economist. The only decreases in 2008 will be milk, dropping 10 cents to $3.78 a gallon, and miscellaneous ingredients, down 60 cents to $2.69. A total of 179 volunteer shoppers from 38 states participated in this year’s survey. For ways to save your budget and your diet this holiday, see BET.com/Body & Soul’s “Saving Thanksgiving” feature.

TAGS: 6 percent, costs, increase, Thanksgiving

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