According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for ten is $49.87 — a 24-cent decrease from last year’s average of $50.11.

The big-ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at a total of $22.74 this year — a decrease of two cents per pound, or a total of 30 cents per whole turkey, compared to 2015.

Dr. John Newton, the American Farm Bureau Federation‘s (AFBF) director of market intelligence, points out that milk prices have also come down, which ultimately leads to some relief for the consumer at the retail level.

“I think this year’s survey results reveal what we’ve all known about food prices here in America, and that is that U.S. consumers have access to abundant, high quality and low cost food supply,” Dr. Newton comments. “We spend about ten percent of our income on food. And this year’s survey confirms that it comes in at less than $50.00 for thanksgiving dinner, and that’s less than $5.00 per person.”

Along with turkey, the AFBF survey shopping list includes bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk — all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of ten with plenty for leftovers.

“The good news is that after adjusting for inflation, the price of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner is actually lower than it was 31 years ago, when we first stated this survey,” the market intelligence director adds.

A total of 148 volunteer shoppers checked prices at grocery stores in 40 states for this year’s survey. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals, such as spending $50.00 and receiving a free turkey.