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By Alex Amos

With the holidays around the corner, families across Troup County are preparing themselves for the cost of their annual Thanksgiving meals.

In observance of the national average cost of a Thanksgiving meal last year, this year’s prices have slightly gone down. The year 2022 marked the highest cost of groceries for Thanksgiving dinners with a national average cost of $64.05 while this year’s cost is $61.17. However, this year’s prices are still high compared to recent years such as 2019.

In fact, according to a study conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the cost of Thanksgiving meals has risen by 25% in 2023 in comparison to 2019.

“Number one, God has blessed me, and I’m very thankful to be able to provide for my family, but I also know that there are a lot of people who are not able to provide,” said Lisa, a shopper at LaGrange Walmart. “I just hope that the cost of food comes down in general, even if it’s just for staple goods like milk, bread, and eggs, that you can use to raise a family because those things to me mean a lot.”

The study also revealed that items such as vegetable trays,  pumpkin pie mix, dinner rolls, and sweet potatoes have gone up in price this year, making buyers feel the cost of inflation.

“Everything is still so expensive and my family members are coming in from Wednesday to Sunday, so I’ve got to feed them for the week. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, everything feels like it has doubled.”

The cost of living overall, however, has decreased in LaGrange compared to the state and national average. According to a study from The Council for Community and Economic Research, the cost of living in LaGrange is 7% lower than the average cost for the state and 16% lower than the national average.