Experts Say Canadian Thanksgiving Meals Can Stay Within Budget

Canadian households can prepare a locally sourced Thanksgiving dinner without overspending by choosing seasonal ingredients and simplifying recipes, food experts say. The advice comes as a 2026 report from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab puts the cost of a turkey dinner for four at $35.72, up 10% from $32.48 in 2025, while renewed trade tensions with the United States encourage consumers to examine where their food comes from.

The Canadian Press reported on October 7 that Canada's agricultural output offers plenty of options for a homegrown holiday meal. A separate report published by Global News on October 6 found that rising turkey and vegetable prices contributed to higher Thanksgiving food costs this year.

Paul van der Werf, an adjunct professor at Ivey Business School at Western University in London, Ontario, said the holiday aligns with the country's seasonal agricultural abundance.

"Thanksgiving is really a harvest feast or harvest festival and coincides with peak agricultural production in Canada," said Paul van der Werf, adjunct professor at Ivey Business School at Western University in London, Ont.

Canada has substantial domestic supplies of several traditional Thanksgiving ingredients, including turkey, potatoes and cranberries.

"Canada produces lots of turkey, lots of potatoes. It's the world's second-biggest producer of cranberries," said Paul van der Werf.

Statistics Canada reported that Ontario produced 45% of Canada's turkey supply in 2025. The country also recorded its highest-ever potato production in 2024, according to a separate Statistics Canada report.

Van der Werf said the country's agricultural resources have long supported traditional holiday meals, although international developments have prompted consumers to pay closer attention to product origins.

"We've always had this real abundance of Canadian agricultural products of world-class quality," said Paul van der Werf.

Trade tensions have renewed interest in domestic products, but identifying genuinely Canadian food can be complicated by cross-border supply chains and foreign ownership of brands.

"We've been reminded through geopolitical events that, 'Hey, you know what, maybe we'll want to think about that a bit more,'" said Paul van der Werf.

Jeff Stewart, executive director of the nonprofit Food Day Canada and a chef in Elora, Ontario, said shoppers can start by examining what's available at grocery stores and farmers markets before deciding on their holiday menu.

"Whatever is in abundance is what you're going to find the best prices on," said Jeff Stewart, executive director of Food Day Canada.

Fall produce such as pumpkins, squash, potatoes, apples and pears is harvested in Canada during the season. Blueberries, whose harvest ended the previous month, may cost more because shoppers are more likely to find imported supplies.

Regional availability can also shape a locally sourced menu. Stewart said an Ontario celebration could feature a domestic turkey, while a meal in British Columbia might center on locally available fish.

"(But) if I was in British Columbia with my brothers, probably there'd be some kind of fish," said Jeff Stewart.

Ingredient labels require attention because a product can involve Canadian-grown ingredients, domestic manufacturing or foreign ownership. For example, U.S.-based cooperative Ocean Spray processes some Canadian cranberries into jelly sauce.

Van der Werf said many ingredients for a traditional pumpkin pie can be sourced domestically, even when certain seasonings cannot.

"You can get the pumpkins here, you can get the flour here, you get all the ingredients of your pumpkin pie here except for cinnamon," said Paul van der Werf.

He said the small quantity of an imported spice may not prevent shoppers from making a largely Canadian meal.

"Cinnamon probably makes up 0.1 per cent of the pie, so maybe that's OK," said Paul van der Werf.

Sugar presents another sourcing challenge because it can be made from imported sugar cane, and some brands are owned by American multinationals. Van der Werf noted that sugar beets grown in southern Alberta can be processed at the Rogers factory in Taber, Alberta.

Stewart also recommended reducing reliance on prepared foods, including packaged stuffing and instant mashed potatoes, when shoppers want greater control over ingredient origins.

"I remember back to meals with my grandparents and the effort that was put into things a long time ago, when there weren't options for this kind of convenience," said Jeff Stewart.

He said simpler cooking can help households work with local ingredients and avoid unnecessary complications when planning a holiday meal.

"Maybe it's time for people to think about simpler things in simpler times and go back to some of the ways that were maybe forgotten or maybe never learned," said Jeff Stewart.

Meanwhile, the Agri-Food Analytics Lab report identified increases across several Thanksgiving dinner components. The price of a pound of carrots rose from $0.91 in 2025 to $1.65 in 2026, while a 10-pound bag of potatoes remained at $6.99.

The combined cost of dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing and gravy reached $23.19, up from $22.05 in 2025 and $20.61 in 2024. The report attributed much of the overall turkey dinner increase to turkey prices, which climbed from $10.43 to $12.53.

Other main courses also became more expensive. The estimated cost of a ham dinner for four rose 4.3% to $36.37 from $34.87 in 2025, while a lamb dinner increased 3.5% to $80.47 from $77.77.

Stewart said committing to Canadian ingredients can become easier as shoppers learn which products are locally available and adapt their menus accordingly.

"If you choose to go 100 per cent Canadian, then you'll find that you'll get there, even if it's a little bit difficult at first," said Jeff Stewart.

He said familiarity with domestic ingredients and food sources can make the process more manageable over time.

"If you make the commitment, then over time, it gets easier and easier," said Jeff Stewart.