President Donald Trump recently tweeted that Walmart’s 2025 Thanksgiving meal deal is 25% cheaper than the comparable 2024 kit offered under President Biden, sparking a heated discussion online about inflation, food prices, and holiday shopping costs.
According to Walmart press releases, last year Walmart offered a Thanksgiving kit serving eight people for $56, averaging $7 per person. This year’s kit serves ten for $40, lowering the per-person cost to $4. The comparison has ignited a debate on social media, with some agreeing with Trump and others scrutinizing the differences in the items included.
Comparing the 2024 and 2025 Meals:
- Turkey: 2024 featured a non-name-brand turkey; 2025 includes a Butterball turkey. (With Turkey inflation this year, Butterball Turkey is much more expensive than last year’s non-name Turkey)
- Rolls: Both years offer 12-count Walmart brand rolls.
- Fried Onions: Brand switched from French’s (2024) to Kinder’s (2025).
- Onion Soup: Campbell’s brand included both years.
- Stuffing: Not included in 2024; 2025 features Stove Top stuffing (I approve of this move)
- Cranberries: Canned in 2024, fresh in 2025.
- Canned Veggies: Corn remained at three cans; green beans increased from two to three cans, and a 2-pound bag of carrots was added.
- Mac & Cheese: Added in 2025.
- Desserts: Both kits include pumpkin pie ingredients, but 2025 removed Southern pecan pie, marshmallows, corn muffin mix, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, and celery stalks.
Walmart is also offering customizable substitutions for the 2025 kit, including gluten-free options and a prime rib meal instead of turkey.
While the per-person cost appears lower this year, food prices tell a more complicated story. Turkey prices per pound have risen due to an avian flu outbreak, not general inflation. Economists predict overall food-at-home inflation for 2025 will range from 2.4% to 3.0%, with certain items like eggs and meats rising faster than average, while other categories grow more slowly, like vegetables.
As Americans debate the cost of their holiday meals online, experts note that supply chain variations and differing item selections mean the comparison isn’t straightforward. In short: while arguments about Thanksgiving costs may heat up, some may simply be “talking turkey.”
