Simple switch will save shoppers $17 on Thanksgiving meals this year

SHOPPERS are being urged to consider making a simple switch to their usual shopping habits in order to save cash this Thanksgiving.

Experts have been crunching the numbers to help people find ways to spend less money this festive season on their meals with one trick helping to save up to $17.

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In a surprising turn of events, name brand items are being tipped as the go-to pick in some cases this month with them coming out as cheaper in stores across the US.

Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute (WFAFI) conducted a helpful study to see what the best and cheapest options are for a Thanksgiving feast this year.

They looked at different items all commonly plated up at any traditional dinner time and based their findings off feeding a group of 10 people.

WFAFI classed store brand items as foods which pride themselves on where they’re from as the products which are typically just advertised as the food.

Whereas brand name items are often made up of a partnership between the food and the maker of the product – they are often classed as “private labels”.

The menu for 10 including finding a whole turkey, stuffing, salad, cranberries, dinner rolls and even a pumpkin pie.

Several categories threw up surprises with the name brand products often being less expensive than the store brand option.

Overall, WFAFI still found that shoppers would save up to $17 if they picked store brands.

If shoppers opted completely for name brand products they would have to fork out $90.

But for the same sized meal prepared using just store brands it costs only $73.

But WFAFI added that it is often best to mix and match between both types of products to ensure you get the best value.

One of the surprising picks is in the world of cranberries.

Name brand berries are actually the cheaper option, according to WFAFI, with them often outselling the store bought alternative as well.

Bakery items such as dinner rolls are also a point of contention as branded and non-branded baked goods can vastly differ in price.

The food experts say bread is one of those foods where taste is often seen as a more important factor than price.

Another hugely contentious area of any Thanksgiving meal is desert.

Pumpkin Pie is the traditional sweet treat with some always going big for what is often the table’s centrepiece.

This can mean the most high-end branded products are considerably pricier than store brands.

But on average the two are actually almost identical in price meaning either option is cost effective.

It was also revealed this week by The Sun US that new inflation numbers reveal consumers are paying more for their groceries and even travel.

Inflation crept up in October, according to fresh data released on Wednesday morning by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Food, gas, and airline fares were responsible for the majority of the increase, while there were also spikes in medical bills and recreation.

But clothing, communication, and household goods were among some items that became cheaper over the past month.

It comes as shoppers are being urged to do their Thanksgiving shopper early to avoid being disappointed closer to the day when store close.

All 1,200 Marshalls stores will close for 24 hours over Thanksgiving, TJ Maxx have followed suit as have Home Depot.