If you’re still debating whether to cook your own Thanksgiving meal or have someone else do it for you — the Farm Bureau says the home cooking option is cheaper. ‘Read more’ for the details & find out Alliant’s analysis of the energy cost of cooking that meal.
Iowa Farm Bureau spokesman Andrew Wheeler says the organization’s survey this year found a drop in the cost of the goods for a ten-person meal. “Checked in at about $49 — so less than five dollars a person — so it tends to be a great value. This is the fourth consecutive year that the price has gone down,” Wheeler says. He says they looked into the cost of ordering the traditional turkey meal prepared and delivered for the first time this year.
“They found that there is a significant upcharge with the convenience of the delivery service. So, your best value if you are watching your dollars and cents would be to go to the store, shop around and find the best value,” Wheeler says.
The survey shows the cost of the meal delivered can increase the price by as much as 60 percent. The cost of the turkey goes from $1.36 a pound for the bake your own bird, to $3.36 a pound for one delivered ready to eat. Wheeler says with the low cost of the meal already — some people might think having someone else do all the work is worth the extra charge.
“Just depends on whether it is worth to you or not for that little extra cost,” according to Wheeler, “but with the tremendous value of the Thanksgiving meal, you may not even notice. It may still seem like a great value.” Wheeler says the down side to the low cost meal is the continued struggles in the farm economy with low commodity prices.
“Because farmers have been so efficient at meeting demand there is an increased supply out there. And unfortunately that just means low return for the particular farmer. But it is good news for the consumer when they go to the grocery store and it is less of a sticker shock,” he says.
Wheeler says for a lot of families the cost of preparing the Thanksgiving meal isn’t even a question — it’s more about the traditions passed down through the years. “I think that’s a big part of the family get together and the Thanksgiving. There’s a lot of staples, recipes that have been passed down through the years and each family I know has their unique fun family traditions,” Wheeler says. “While the delivery services and having it brought right to you prepared — that’s certainly convenient — but you do miss out on some of the tradition that families have come to know and celebrate for Thanksgiving.”
The Farm Bureau has conducted the survey on the cost of the Thanksgiving dinner since 1968.
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This Thanksgiving, cooks across Iowa will all use one universal ingredient – energy. When compared to all the other ingredients for the big holiday meal, energy is one of the lowest cost items. This is especially true for customers of Alliant Energy.
For Alliant Energy’s Iowa customers, the average electricity cost to make Thanksgiving this year is $1.84. If you are using gas appliances, the average cost is $0.48.
| Thanksgiving meal | Electricity cost | Natural gas cost |
| 16 lbs stuffed turkey roasted in an oven for 3.5 hours | $1.05 | $0.29 |
| Pan of mashed potatoes cooked on the stove for 20 minutes | $0.13 | $0.02 |
| Giblet gravy cooked on the stove for 10 minutes | $0.06 | $0.01 |
| Dinner rolls baked in the oven for 30 minutes | $0.15 | $0.04 |
| Green bean casserole baked in an oven for 30 minutes | $0.15 | $0.04 |
| Two pumpkin pies baked in an oven for one hour | $0.30 | $0.08 |
| Total energy cost | $1.84 | $0.48 |
Tips for an energy-efficient holiday:
- Let the furnace rest. If your holiday cooking doesn’t heat up your house, your guests will. Turn your thermostat down three to five degrees to save energy while staying comfortable.
- Skip the preheat. The turkey is traditionally stuffed early in the morning and roasted for hours. When cooking meats or dishes for several hours, there is no need to preheat your oven.
- Use glass or ceramic pans. They heat faster than metal pans, and you can lower the temperature by 25 degrees, reducing energy use.
- Cooking together saves energy. Cook as much of your meal at one time as possible. Foods with different cooking temperatures can be cooked together, if the temperature difference is less than 25 degrees.
- Close the oven door. This Thanksgiving, resist the urge to open the oven door and check the meal. One open of the door will decrease the temperature inside by 25 degrees. This means your oven has to use more energy to stay on temperature.
- Coast to the finish. Food keeps cooking even after you turn off the burner. When food is almost ready, turn off the oven or burners and let existing heat finish the cooking for you.
- Don’t overlook the microwave. Efficient microwaves use about half the energy of conventional ovens.
- Clean while it’s hot. If your oven needs a self-cleaning cycle, do it while the oven is still hot.
- Run a full load. Fill your dishwasher, and you will use less hot water than doing dishes by hand.
