It’s OK to acknowledge that things have changed. It’s also OK to feel sad about that. But there’s still comfort in carving a small turkey, setting a simple table, and pausing for a moment to say thanks.
a few minutes to jot down where a favorite recipe came from — who taught it to you, when you first served it, and why it matters. Those details may seem small
now, but they’re the kind of stories that often get lost if no one writes them down.
LET GRATITUDE EVOLVE One of the quiet gifts of a smaller Thanksgiving is the space it allows for reflection. When the day is less chaotic,
it’s easier to focus on what really matters. Maybe you’re grateful for the years
when the table was full, and also for the quiet you have now. Maybe you’re thankful for the technology that lets you see your kids’ faces on a video call. Or for the neighbor who brought over a slice of pie. It’s OK to acknowledge that things
have changed. It’s also OK to feel sad about that. But there’s still comfort in carving a small turkey, setting a simple table, and pausing for a moment to say thanks. Thanksgiving doesn’t need a
crowd to be meaningful. A smaller table may carry fewer voices, but it can still hold the full weight of love, memory, and tradition.
NEW BOOKS MARK HOLTHAUS
Turkey Troubles
Rising meat prices transform holiday. :: BY MATTHEW LYSIAK
I
nflation-weary Americans will see the cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner gobble up more of their paychecks this year. Long before carving boards and
cranberry sauce arrive, Thanksgiving will begin with sticker shock for many Americans, as record-high meat prices — ground beef, steaks, and turkey — are increasingly making traditional holiday centerpieces too costly. While food prices, especially for
meat, have been rising for years, industry leaders fear this season many will finally reach their fiscal breaking point, according to rancher Justin Tupper, president of the United States Cattlemen’s Association. “Thanksgiving is going to be tough
this year for many families,” Tupper told Newsmax. “Costs have gotten out of control, not just with the price of beef, but with turkey, pork, and all other meats. “People are seeing prices that no one
has ever seen before, and it’s going to stress a lot of families this holiday season who are trying to preserve their traditions without breaking the bank,” he added. Tupper states that rising prices
result from supply chain problems, drought damage, and ongoing inflation from previous years. As a result, the cost of meat, especially
beef, recently hit an all-time high, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In the beef and veal category, prices
jumped by 2.5% in July alone — much faster than the 0.2% increase in overall food costs. Over the past year, this category has increased by 11.3%, with ground beef up 11.5% and uncooked beef steaks seeing a 12.4% rise year-over-year. “It’s a perfect storm, and it doesn’t
seem likely to turn around anytime soon, and almost certainly not before the holidays,” Tupper said. Other popular holiday staples have also seen similar price increases. According to the United States
Department of Agriculture, wholesale data for frozen whole young turkeys, most weighing 16-24 lbs., the average price in September 2025 was $1.56 per pound. This is an increase from the 2024 annual wholesale average of $0.94 per pound, a $0.62 rise, or roughly 66%. Retail prices, which shoppers pay at
stores, are typically 50%-100% higher than wholesale prices due to additional costs, including processing, distribution, and markups.
On the popular online retailer
Omaha Steaks, a small 10-pound turkey that claims to serve eight people is selling for $99 before taxes and shipping. The Chicago Steak Company offers a free-range 14-16-pound whole turkey at $149.95. Additionally, cranberries, a common side dish, have become more expensive, with processed items like pies and stufing increasing by up to 6%. Even the classic pumpkin pie won’t escape this trend — a standard 9-inch pie is expected to cost over $8, surpassing previous record highs. Overall, this year’s holiday feast is
expected to be the most expensive in history, with the average cost for a dinner for 10 people likely to surpass the 2022 record of $64.05, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
NOVEMBER 2025 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 87
FERNANDA GALAN/FRESNO BEE/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE VIA GETTY IMAGES
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