White House Claims Thanksgiving Meal Prices Are Down — But That’s Not The Whole Story

The White House claimed on Monday that Thanksgiving meal costs were down — and while the average cost of a turkey, typical side dishes, and desserts have come down slightly from 2022’s record high, they are still well above pre-pandemic levels.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre opened Monday’s briefing with a list of Thanksgiving staples — from turkey and cranberries to car rentals and airfare — and showed the percentages by which the prices had come down.

And while the prices have come down — in some cases, considerably, since the Thanksgiving meal hit a record high in 2022 — prices are still higher than they were in previous years, particularly before the pandemic.