The real story about grocery prices in Connecticut

How do you feel when you read this headline in our local paper: "Thanksgiving dinner costs in Connecticut keep customers on edge," You would expect sticker shock at the grocery store, wouldn't you?

Further into the story, the reporter writes that overall grocery prices have increased by +31.9% during a period between Oct. 6 and Nov. 9. Does that make sense to you?

Turns out, the reporter did not get the time frame exactly right. The period covered in the CT Insider Grocery Price Tracker here is not one month, it is a six-year period from Oct 6, 2019 to Nov 9, 2025. That makes sense.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average cost of a classic Thanksgiving basket showed a decline of -2% to -5% from last year. See NPR story here and Wells Fargo story here. The basket includes a 10-pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberry sauce, veggies, pumpkin pie mix, pie shells, milk, and whipped cream.

Even more interesting are the statistics provided by the CT Insider Grocery Price Tracker here. There is a link that allows you to choose the change in grocery prices that occurred during the Biden Administration compared to the change during the Trump Administration. During the Biden Presidency (Jan 2021 to Jan 2025), grocery prices increased a whopping +29.9%. During the Trump Presidency (Jan 2025 to Nov 2025), grocery prices fell -2.6%.

Between the Lines: Now that's the real story. So, relax and enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner that costs less than last year.

Story here