Your Thanksgiving dinner cost a little less this year

This year's Thanksgiving dinner will cost Americans slightly less than it did in 2012, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The organization's 28th annual informal price survey of classic items found at the Thanksgiving dinner table, including turkey, cranberries and pumpkin pie, shows that the average Thanksgiving dinner for 10 will  cost about $49.04 this year, down 44 cents from last year's $49.48.

The American Farm Bureau Federation survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk.

Farm Bureau's survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons.

The menu item that saw the biggest price decline was the turkey. Shoppers will spend about $21.76 for a 16-pound turkey this yeas, or an average of $1.36 per pound. This is a decrease of about 3 cents per pound, for a total of 47 cents per turkey compared with 2012.

Slightly higher turkey production for much of the year, coupled with an increase in birds in cold storage, most likely accounted for the decrease in turkey price.

In addition to the turkey, other items that declined in price included a dozen brown-n-serve rolls, $2.18; one pound of green peas, $1.54; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.67; fresh cranberries, $2.42; a half pint of whipping cream, $1.85; and two nine-inch pie shells, $2.49.

Items that showed a moderate price increase from last year included three pounds of sweet potatoes, $3.36; one gallon of whole milk, $3.66; and a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix, $3.10.

In addition, a combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal such as onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter, increased to $3.20. A one-pound relish tray of carrots and celery increased to 81 cents.

The average cost of the dinner has remained around $49 since 2011. The  annual informal price survey was first conducted in 1986, when the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner $28.74. While Farm Bureau does not make any scientific claims about the data, it is an informal gauge of price trends around the nation.

Average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for the last 10 years

2003- $36.28

2004- $35.68

2005- $36.78

2006- $38.10

2007- $42.26

2008- $44.61

2009- $42.91

2010- $43.47

2011- $49.20

2012- $49.48

2013- $49.04