Thanksgiving meal costs rise 10 percent for Canadian families in 2026

A traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner for four will cost an estimated $35.72 this year, a 10 percent 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 such as potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing and gravy.

"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," said Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the lab.

READ MORE: Traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner to cost 10 percent more in Ontario

READ MORE: Retired Supreme Court justice launches foundation for New Brunswick families with sick children

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.

"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," Charlebois said. "In addition, production costs have gone up, and the sector is supply managed, so as costs go up, typically retail prices are impacted."

The cost of side dishes also contributes to the estimated increase. The 2026 calculation puts one pound of carrots at $1.65, compared with $0.91 in the 2025 basket.

The researchers note that difference does not represent a measure of inflation for carrots, as 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 of $6.99, while the other side dishes are assumed to rise 2.8 percent from their 2025 prices. The researchers note that the mix of current prices and assumptions limits comparisons over time.

For Canadians who would 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," said 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.

Grocery price growth fell below the overall inflation rate in August, the first time since July 2024, according to Statistics Canada's CPI data. Prices for store-bought food rose by 2.8 percent year-over-year in August following a 3.1 percent increase in July.

Although prices for groceries decelerated in August, food costs have climbed 29 percent since August 2021.

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 said. "The bargain play is getting way more attention by the major retailers in Canada because they're adjusting to a more frugal consumer."

The report notes the meal calculation reflects the purchases required for a typical household, and purchased package sizes may leave leftovers. The amounts are based on advertised prices in grocery retailers' flyers and websites.

With files from Canadian Grocer and Financial Post