Canadian Thanksgiving came with a heftier grocery bill this year. A traditional turkey dinner for four cost an estimated $35.72 in 2026 — up 10% from $32.48 last year — according to Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab. The $3.24 increase is the largest jump in the annual basket since the lab began tracking it.
The turkey itself drove most of the increase: seven pounds of bird cost an estimated $12.53 this year, up from $10.43 in 2025. Lab director Sylvain Charlebois notes that while $3.24 sounds modest, it matters for households watching every grocery dollar.
What’s Driving the Increase
Charlebois points to pressure across the poultry sector. High beef prices have pushed demand toward poultry, including turkey, while production costs have climbed — and because the sector is supply-managed, higher costs flow through to retail prices.
Side dishes added to the bill too: carrots jumped from $0.91 to $1.65 a pound in the calculation (partly a methodology quirk, the lab notes), while other sides were assumed up 2.8%. The 10-pound bag of potatoes held steady at $6.99.
Cheaper Alternatives
The lab priced four menus: turkey at $35.72 remains the cheapest, with ham close behind at $36.37 — while lamb ($80.47) and lobster ($88.14) are in another universe. For budget-conscious hosts, ham is essentially a wash with turkey.
The broader lesson: with grocery prices 29% higher than five years ago, per Statistics Canada, holiday meals need planning. Shop the flyers, buy the bird on sale, and remember — the lab’s number is an estimate, and as Charlebois says, unannounced deals are always out there.
There are straightforward ways to beat the $35.72 estimate. Ham at $36.37 is essentially price-matched with turkey, so choose by preference, not cost — but watch the flyers, since unadvertised weekend deals can undercut both. Buy sides strategically: the lab’s own data shows potatoes held flat at $6.99 for ten pounds, making them the budget anchor of the meal, while pre-made items like pumpkin pie carry the biggest markups — baking from scratch saves real money. Charlebois’s reminder is the most useful one: the researchers didn’t shop in-store sales, so the deals are out there for anyone willing to hunt. A little flyer-stacking can easily shave 15–20% off the headline number.
Related: Thanksgiving Dinner 2026 to Cost About $90, PwC Estimates
Related: Friendsgiving Trend Grows as Young Adults Remake Thanksgiving
