Thanksgiving Shoppers Trim Holiday Spending

Rising food prices are prompting families to shift how they plan and buy for the holiday meal.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Inflation

Wide photograph of a bare warehouse grocery aisle with steel shelving stacked with unlabeled bulk cans and turkeys under even light. — Rising food prices are prompting U.S. families to trim Thanksgiving spending, with inflation at 3.7% and food costs up roughly 30% since the pandemic. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Are you spending less on food this holiday season than last year?

Consumers are rethinking Thanksgiving spending as food prices continue to rise. With inflation at 3.7%, families are prioritizing holiday essentials over decorations and extra food.

Why it matters

Food costs have climbed roughly 30% since the COVID-19 pandemic, and businesses report higher production costs they cannot fully pass off. Households across the country are adjusting budgets ahead of the holiday season.

Food prices have risen roughly 30% since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the past year alone showing increases of 2% to 3% against an overall inflation rate of 3.7%. Whether energy prices will ease inflation in the coming year has not been determined.

The players

Costco

Costco is a large warehouse retailer known for selling goods in bulk to members at lower per-unit prices.

The details

Families are buying turkeys early, using ingredients already on hand, and keeping traditions central to the celebration. Warehouse retailers such as Costco, which sell in bulk, are part of how shoppers are managing costs.

Thanksgiving approaching, November 2026: consumers adjusting holiday food and celebration budgets.

Macro View

Food prices have risen roughly 30% since the COVID-19 pandemic, and businesses say they cannot lower production costs enough to return prices to pre-pandemic levels. The current Thanksgiving budgeting shift continues that post-pandemic cost pattern into the holiday season.

Households planning Thanksgiving meals face higher grocery bills, which is pushing many families to buy turkeys early and rely on ingredients already at home. Shoppers are also weighing bulk purchases at warehouse retailers to stretch their holiday food budgets.

The takeaway

Planning holiday purchases early and leaning on ingredients already at home can help households absorb higher food prices. Bulk buying at warehouse retailers may also stretch a limited grocery budget.