The holidays are approaching, and with them often comes the financial strain that comes with purchasing essential groceries for our holiday meals and celebrations. We understand the importance of these traditions and gatherings, and the last thing we want is for rising costs to put a damper on the festivities.
With this in mind, we decided to look at how these increasing prices might affect our celebrations in 2024. That’s why we surveyed 1,003 Americans to see how they’re handling the inflation at the grocery store, adapting to the current economic landscape, and safeguarding their holiday traditions.
Key Findings
- Three in four Americans are concerned about the cost of food for their holiday celebrations this year.
- The most expensive cities to host holiday festivities this year are Honolulu, HI; Los Angeles, CA; and Anchorage, AK.
- Americans, on average, will pay $40.64 for a 15-pound turkey to feed 10, paying an average of $2.71 per lb.
Top Ways to Help Reduce Holiday Meal Costs
The holiday season is usually filled with joy and cheer, but unfortunately, three in four Americans are worried about how they will be able to cover the cost of festive get-togethers this year.
Nearly 9 in 10 (87%) hosting Christmas this year say they are concerned about the cost of their holiday celebrations this year. Being on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t comfortably celebrate the holidays with friends and family. Our survey shows Americans are getting creative to cut costs this holiday season. A popular choice is to go potluck-style, with everyone bringing their favorite dish (37%). Others plan to buy a smaller turkey (30%) or offer fewer dessert options (27%).
Millennials are leading the way with some unique cost-cutting strategies. They’re much more likely than other generations to limit the alcohol at their Holiday festivities. They’re actually 45% more likely than Gen X to do so. Meanwhile, Gen Z isn’t willing to part with their sweet treats – only 14% plan to serve fewer dessert options.
Even though we’re all feeling the squeeze from inflation, it’s interesting that women are 11% more likely than men to worry about the cost of food for their celebrations. And Millennials are 12% more likely than Baby boomers to stress about food costs for their holiday gatherings.
Uncovering Food Costs for Holiday Recipes
Not all homemade pumpkin pies are created equal – at least not in price! Depending on where you live in the U.S., you might be paying double for the same delicious holiday recipe compared to your neighboring state.
To gather data, we compiled essential items from Numbeo and holiday foods from local stores via Instacart in-store pickup, excluding the 15% markup. Then, we crunched the numbers to determine the prices of making these holiday recipes at home. For each holiday item, the most expensive cities are on the left, and the least are on the right.
Let’s breakdown down the highs and lows of the infographic to get a feel for how prices can change from city to city for our favorite holiday dishes:
- Making an apple pie in Charleston, SC, is a whopping 112% more expensive than in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Whipping up a pumpkin pie in Los Angeles, CA, costs 61% more than making one in Sioux Falls, SD.
- Preparing sweet mashed potatoes in Anchorage, AK, is 108% more expensive than in Newark, NJ.
- Buying a turkey to feed 10 people in Los Angeles, CA, is 94% more expensive than in Denver, CO.
We’ve taken a deeper dive into the costs of holiday foods across 50 U.S. cities; besides Thanksgiving staples, we also explored the cost of ham for folks celebrating Christmas and the cost of latkes, a type of potato pancake, for those lighting their menorah this year.
Los Angeles, CA, Anchorage, AK, and Honolulu, HI, are the most expensive cities for your Christmas ham. A 5-pound boneless ham to feed 10 people will be around $17.50, paying an average of $3.50 per lb. Meanwhile, on average, Americans will fork over $40.64 for a 15-pound turkey to feed 10, paying an average of $2.71 per lb. Wherever you are, remember that with the right quick and easy recipe and a a little heart, you can create a holiday feast that your family will love.
Giving Back with Quick and Easy Recipes
Our data showed that many of us are feeling the pinch of inflated food costs. But regardless of where you live or how many coupons you snip, Inspired Taste has your back with easy and quick recipes. In the 2024 holiday season, we’re supporting as many Americans as possible by conducting a sweepstakes and donating $30,000 to various charities and food banks all over America, to help Americans enjoy every bite of their holiday recipes.
Methodology
To explore the cost of food in America, we surveyed 1,003 Americans. Additionally, we analyzed grocery prices across 50 U.S. cities. We compiled data on essential items from Numbeo and holiday foods from local stores via Instacart in-store pickup, adjusting prices to exclude the 15% markup.
Fair Use Statement
We’d love for you to share these findings, but please attribute Inspired Taste by sharing a link to this page.
