Thanksgiving Dinner Cost A LOT More Money 100 Years Ago

The average American family will spend $49.48 for their Thanksgiving meal this year, according to CNBC. How does that compare to 100 years ago?

A century ago, it cost about $6.39 for a 16 pound turkey, 3 pounds of sweet potatoes, 1 pound of cranberries, 1 can of peas, 1 can of pumpkin, 1 dozen eggs, 1/2 pound of butter, 2 cans of string beans, 1 gallon of cider, 5 pounds of flour and 5 pounds of sugar. These calculations were made based on a 1911 Thanksgiving grocery store advertisement.

While this might seem inexpensive at first glance, $6.39 turns into about $150 with inflation.

The difference can largely be explained by the fact that certain food items, like turkey and eggs, have gone way down in price over the years. This Thanksgiving, be thankful that your turkey won't cost you $100.00!

Take a look at what different Thanksgiving staples cost then and now: