Thanksgiving may leave wallet fatter

Don't skimp on the milk in your sweet potato casserole. Whip up plenty of cream to top that pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving will be a little cheaper this year.

The price for a typical Thanksgiving meal for 10 people has dropped by 4 percent this year, down $1.70 from last year's total, according to American Farm Bureau economists.

It's not a large number, but it's something to be thankful for. After all, who doesn't want every penny they can get?

The drop in the price of turkey, milk and cream reflects a decrease in demand and too much turkey and dairy products produced by farmers, said Farm Bureau economist Jim Sartwelle.

The average prices were gathered by the American Farm Bureau, which has conducted a similar survey annually since 1989. Farm Bureau shoppers look for the best prices that aren't linked to coupons. More than 200 volunteer shoppers in 35 states took part in the survey.

What's behind the price changes?

TALKING TURKEY FOR LESS

With the economic slowdown, turkey hasn't been as popular. The oversupply led to lower prices and some growers losing contracts, said Jim Sartwelle, National Farm Bureau economist.

A DROP IN DAIRY PRICES

A drought Down Under made 2008 a prime export year for U.S. dairy farmers. This year, farmers produced too much, leading to a glut of dairy products and prices at “crisis level,” said Sartwelle. Some dairy farmers have lost between $50,000 and $80,000 each month, said Norfolk farmer Mike Henn.

STUFFING A LITTLE STEEPER

Not everything has dropped in price. Cubed, pre-packaged stuffing is more expensive because processed food prices don't decline as quickly as raw food prices.

PIE WILL BE PRICIER

The price of pie shells went up for the same reason cubed stuffing did, Sartwelle said. Pie mix is more expensive, in part, because of wet weather that delayed the harvest and ruined some of the crop, causing a pumpkin shortage.

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