A turkey dinner for Thanksgiving is going to cost you a lot more this year, a report by the the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University found on Tuesday.
The cost of cooking your family a Thanksgiving meal has been rising steadily since 2024, with a small increase of 0.6 per cent for a turkey dinner in 2025, compared to 2024.
This year, however, the cost went up 10 per cent from $32.48 in 2025 to $35.72 in 2026 for a Thanksgiving meal for four with turkey as your main meat.
The menu includes potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing, and gravy as sides, but the rise in the cost is mainly due to the cost of turkey rising from $10.43 to $12.53.
How much do sides cost this year?
Side dishes got more expensive too.
There was a slight $0.74 rise in the cost of a pound of carrots from $0.91 in 2025 to $1.65 in 2026.
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The price of a 10-pound sack of potatoes remained the same at $6.99.
The combined price of the five other sides – dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing, and gravy – went up by 2.8 per cent, the report said.
Overall, it will cost $23.19 to put together the whole array of sides. In 2025, the same side dishes cost $22.05 and in 2024, they cost $20.61.
All meats will cost more
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While the cost of turkey has seen the sharpest rise, you’ll be paying more this year regardless of what meat you use as your main course.
The rise in the price of turkeys has meant that the cost of a ham dinner would be in the same ballpark range.
The price of a ham Thanksgiving dinner went up 4.3 per cent from $34.87 in 2025 to $36.37 this year.
The cost of lamb and lobster meals will depend on the cut of the meat, but the report estimates that both those proteins also went up in price.
A lamb meal for four has gone up 3.5 per cent from $77.77 in 2025 to $80.47 in 2026.
Lobster meals have seen the smallest increase in price but remain the most expensive protein in a Thanksgiving meal for four. It went up 3.4 per cent from $85.23 in 2025 to $80.47.
Ben
October 6, 2026 at 2:33 pm
As per statistics Canada, food prices rose 2.8% year over year in August 2026, which seems pretty reasonable. Like all economies, we are experiencing food inflation because of the Iran and Ukraine war. The Bank of Canada, who are non-partisan experts, did not blame Carney or federal policy for inflation. Carney is doing a great job and most Canadians support him.
Quite simply Ben, Go F*ck your Carney hat badge.
Looks like ” The man for the job” has failed miserably.
Conman Carney duped the Liberal Electorate again. What a bunch of dopes.
“Judge me by the prices at the grocery store”
Mark Carney
We are, no worries, we are
As per statistics Canada, food prices rose 2.8% year over year in August 2026, which seems pretty reasonable. Like all economies, we are experiencing food inflation because of the Iran and Ukraine war. The Bank of Canada, who are non-partisan experts, did not blame Carney or federal policy for inflation. Carney is doing a great job and most Canadians support him.
Carney said we should judge him by the price at the grocery store. Well here is my judgement …. He is an abject failure.
Yes, yes, food prices rise every year under the Liberals. Global with more of the obvious ‘news’.
Thank the LPC for their carbon, plastic & packaging taxes contribution. We get turkey’s for free.
@anon turkey prices are the example of how food prices are going up every week. Why is it the other countries have deals with Trump yet Canada doesn’t. Our economy is in the tank and people are losing jobs it’s there to see if you open your eyes and stop being blinded by the hate of Trump. The fact is he is there and Carney needs to deal with him just like the rest of the world has. Up to now all we have had is big talk and promises from Carney well now it’s time for action. Talk is cheap. Also remember Carneys own words were judge me on food prices well I have and he has failed
Anon, what other reason do you suggest? Turkeys are native to North America and you can go through Ottawa and see live turkeys wondering about.
My argument, is you dont call yourself an economic genius and then destroy the economy over your ego.
@Anonymous. Still prattling on about the “deal” we walked away from which would have destroyed our industrial base and reduced us to a vassal state. Even your heroes PP and Harper said NO to it.
@Anonymous. Basing Carney’s economic policy on poultry prices seems a little odd. Your stand is that Carney must personally guarantee Turkey prices when the Iran and Ukranian wars are both causing prices to skyrocket? Totally unreasonable
Well thanks Carney. I guess being judged on food prices is a big fat fail. Maybe by Christmas the price will go up by another 10%. When are Canadians going to start demanding results on food prices by Carney and this Liberal government, blaming Trump is getting old we could have had a deal and Carney walked away and Canadians are paying the price with the high cost of everything and losing jobs.
@Anonymous. You speak an infinite deal of nothing. “Emotional drivel” is a pretty ironic description for a comment thats typical far right outrage. If you’ve got a substantive case against Carney’s trade policy, make it.
Well, Carney can fix that weak, emotional drivel of a reaction for starting a escalating a trade war – or be removed.