It's going to be a bit cheaper to feed the hungry horde around your Thanksgiving table this year -- and a lot cheaper if you're into organic.
The latest survey from the Arizona Farm Bureau puts the cost of a typical dinner for 10 this year at $47.53. That's about $1.50 less than last year -- and nearly $2 less than consumers nationwide are paying for the same items. But the real shocker this year is the sharp drop in the cost of preparing that same turkey-and-all-the-trimmings dinner using only organic products. Last year going organic cost more than $106. This year the Farm Bureau's Peggy Jo Goodfellow reports those same items can be bought for less than $88.
"In the Arizona retail market, it is so competitive anymore. And people are demanding organic. Many people are," Goodfellow said.
Goodfellow says shoppers can save more by using coupons and taking advantage special deals some stores make available to those who carry their affinity cards. A few grocers also offer free turkeys to those who spend enough on a single purchase. And Goodfellow says the leftovers can feed folks for days.
"You can make sandwiches, you can make enchiladas, quesadillas. I mean, there are so many things you can do with that leftover turkey these days," she added.
Turkey quesadillas?
"Absolutely. Those are good. Very good."
Me? I'll stick to the sandwiches.