Recently, you may have noticed that your grocery store bill has been a bit more expensive than it has been in previous months. Food prices have risen over 30% since January 2021. With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, it is important to be aware of this uprising issue. We all buy plenty of food in different varieties, and some of our normal yearly traditions may be negatively affected by this rise in price. 

A traditional Thanksgiving food, turkey, has dramatically risen in price. Last year, during the fall of 2020, the average price of a Butterball turkey was $1.21 per pound. This year, during the fall of 2021, the average price of a Butterball turkey is $1.49 per pound. That is over a 20% increase in price. Of course, it depends on where the turkey is being bought, but this rise in food prices is a nationwide issue. 

Other kinds of meat, including chicken and pork, are more expensive as well. The price of chicken per pound in November of 2020 was $1.70. Now, in September 2021, the price of chicken per pound was $2.38. This is another dramatic change in the rising of food prices. 

How could this personally affect you and your Thanksgiving plans? Well, in combination with the ongoing supply chain issues with food and goods, this limits the ability of people to buy the materials to make their extravagant Thanksgiving feasts. The affordability of turkeys and other meats can create a financial issue for some people because of the abnormally high prices of these meats. The 30% increase in food prices nationwide also plays into the affordability issue. 

The rise in food prices nationwide is very noticeable and has been affecting the typical way that we do Thanksgiving in America. Although we are dealing with this current issue, we can still enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, with maybe just a few more adjustments.