McHenry Times

State Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) shared remarks on inflation's impact on Thanksgiving food prices in a Facebook post published on Friday.

"The historically high inflation is going to impact families this holiday season starting with Thanksgiving dinner," McConchie wrote. "So many Thanksgiving staples are seeing double-digit inflation increases!"

The post was attached to a graphic provided by Illinois Senate Republicans providing statistics on the various price increases for each Thanksgiving staple, such as turkey and ham.

The Nov. 10 Consumer Price Index (CPI) summary, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported that prices rose by 0.4% in October, bringing the 12-month inflation rate to 7.7% prior to seasonal adjustment. Over the course of the past year, the cost of food at home increased by 10.9%, and the cost of food away from home increased by 12.4%.

According to Heartlander News, the 2022 national average price for turkey is $28.96, a 21% increase from 2021. The 137th annual American Farm Bureau Federation's Thanksgiving cost survey revealed that in Illinois the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people is $65.53, which is a 12.7% increase from 2021's average of $58.15. In addition, the cost of cubed bread stuffing has risen by approximately 70% in the past year.

 Illinois Farm Bureau senior economist Mike Doherty blamed 2022's expensive Thanksgiving meals on overall inflation. “Inflation [means] the general rise of all costs of everything we’re buying,” said Doherty. “Labor, transportation, energy costs, packaging costs, they’re all going up.”

McConchie recently hosted a turkey and ham giveaway for local families, marking the event in a Facebook post published on Saturday.

"We’re ready for our first turkey and ham giveaway!" McConchie wrote. "Thanks to our volunteers that are braving the cold to serve with us today!"