Canada Grocery Benefit 2026: Thanksgiving turkey dinner for family of 4 costs $35.72, up 10% from 2025; how families can cut grocery costs

Most Canadians have received the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) payment by October 5, marking the second quarterly payment under the new program. This time, the federal government increased the benefit by 25 per cent starting in July, with the increase set to remain in place for five years. Despite the groceries and essentials benefit, a traditional Thanksgiving meal may be pretty expensive for Canadians’ grocery budgets this year.

According to an analysis by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for four is expected to cost $35.72 this year, up 10% from 2025. The calculation includes turkey and side dishes, including potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing and gravy.

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“We didn’t actually go into stores, so people could find some deals out there that are unannounced. That’s one thing that we want to keep in mind,” Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, was quoted as saying by Canadian grocer.

“But still, the poultry sector has been under pressure due to beef prices being quite high and a lot of that demand moved over to poultry, including turkey,” he says. “In addition, production costs have gone up, and the sector is supply managed, so as costs go up, typically retail prices are impacted.”

How much does Thanksgiving dinner cost in Canada in 2026?

Thanksgiving dinner is getting more expensive for Canadian families this year. A traditional turkey meal for four now costs an estimated $35.72, up 10% from last year, according to a new Dalhousie University analysis. Turkey accounts for most of the increase, with seven pounds of turkey for the four-person meal estimated at $12.53 in 2026, up from $10.43 in 2025, the analysis stated. For most Canadians, the payment under the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit is not enough to make a meaningful difference while others said they do not qualify, despite facing financial pressure.

Cost of side dishes also add up in Turkey thanksgiving

It is pertinent to note that the cost of the side dishes also contributes to the estimated increase in the Thanksgiving meal. If we do the calculations for 2026, then it puts one pound of carrots at $1.65, compared with $0.91 in the 2025 basket, a difference of $0.74. However, the researchers note that the difference doesn’t represent a measure of inflation for carrots; the 2025 basket used a promotional per-pound price, while the 2026 figure is based on half the observed median price of a two-pound bag.

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A 10-pound bag of potatoes remains at the 2025 price—$6.99—while the other side dishes are assumed to rise 2.8% from their 2025 prices. The researchers note that the mix of current prices and assumptions limits comparisons over time.

What are Canadians doing to cut costs?

Canadians who are planning to skip turkey as the centrepiece might opt for ham, roughly $36.37 for a family of four, though it won't offer much savings. Lamb would cost about $80.47, while a lobster-based meal would be the most expensive at $88.14. “We recognize that most families don’t celebrate Thanksgiving by eating lobster, but it’s a bit of a salute to our oceans on both sides of the country. It’s an expensive meal,” says Charlebois. “Generally speaking, it doesn’t matter which protein you choose. You’re going to pay more this year.”

How to cut the cost of Thanksgiving dinner in Canada

Canadians looking to keep their Thanksgiving grocery bills under control can make a few simple changes to their meal. Choosing a smaller turkey, comparing prices at different supermarkets and buying ingredients on sale can help lower the overall cost.

Shoppers can also consider store-brand versions of staples such as stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce, while buying potatoes and other vegetables in larger bags may offer better value. Preparing side dishes at home instead of buying ready-made options can also help families stretch their grocery budgets.

'Spit in the ocean'

For some seniors and people living on disability benefits in Canada, the extra money quickly disappears. “This barely helps me at all,” Allen Mayes of Armstrong, B.C., told CTV News, adding that the maximum annual benefit for a single person amounts to only a handful of grocery trips for him.

The 73-year-old said he lives on both the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS), and spends about $150 every two weeks on basic food. “(The payment is) less than 20 per cent of my basic food for the year. That’s not a drop in the bucket — it’s spit in the ocean,” Mayes wrote. He said he relies on inexpensive staples such as beans, frozen peas and corn, rice and flour, and bakes his own bread to save money.

Guy Helwig, of Southampton, Ont., said the benefit helps “somewhat,” but argued that rising costs extend far beyond groceries. Helwig, who said he is retired and living on a fixed income, pointed to higher rent, property taxes, water and sewer rates, as well as phone, cable and internet costs. “People are drowning in higher bills!” he wrote.