Slicing into the cost of an apple pie this Thanksgiving

U.S. consumers baking a homemade apple pie for Thanksgiving this year can expect to pay about $8.80 for the ingredients, an increase of 8.0 percent from 2023. Higher prices for sugar, eggs, butter, and apples led to a $0.65 increase in the cost of a pie between 2023 and 2024. The price of the main ingredient, Granny Smith apples, increased by 5.0 percent to $1.48 per pound in October 2024 from $1.41 per pound in October 2023. Prices increased the most for eggs (60.0 percent), followed by butter (8.6 percent), between October 2023 and October 2024. The costs contributed by lemons and flour were the same in October 2024 as October 2023. If serving the apple pie à la mode, ice cream adds an additional $0.39 per scoop, an increase of $0.01 from last year. The most recent average price data are from October, meaning prices for Thanksgiving week may vary. For example, savings may occur if grocers offer holiday discounts. USDA, Economic Research Service tracks aggregate food category prices and publishes price forecasts in the monthly Food Price Outlook data product, updated on November 25, 2024.