Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

US

Georgia court declines to halt Saturday early runoff voting

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ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia appeals court ruling on Monday means that counties can offer early voting this coming Saturday in the U.S. Senate runoff election between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker.

The Court of Appeals declined a request by the state to stay a lower court’s ruling that said state law allows early voting that day.

Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger had told county election officials that early voting could not be held that day because state law says it is illegal on a Saturday if there is a holiday on the Thursday or Friday preceding it.

Warnock’s campaign, along with the Democratic Party of Georgia and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, sued last week to challenge that guidance.

Thursday is Thanksgiving, and Friday is a state holiday. The Saturday following those two holidays is the only possibility for Saturday voting before next month’s Senate runoff election between Warnock and Walker.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox on Friday issued an order siding with the Warnock campaign and the Democratic groups. He found that the law cited by the state regarding Saturday voting after a holiday does not apply to a runoff election.

Lawyers for the state filed an appeal on Monday with the Georgia Court of Appeals. They asked the court to immediately stay the lower court ruling.

They argued in a court filing that the ruling was erroneous for procedural reasons but also that Cox was wrong to consider the runoff a separate type of election rather than a continuation of the general election.

In a one-sentence order Monday, the Georgia Court of Appeals declined to stay the lower court ruling.

It’s not clear how many counties will open polling places for voting on Saturday.

Warnock and Walker, a former football player, were forced into a Dec. 6 runoff because neither won a majority in the midterm election this month.

Georgia’s 2021 election law compressed the time period between the general election and the runoff to four weeks, and Thanksgiving falls in the middle. Many Georgians will be offered only five weekdays of early in-person voting beginning Nov. 28.

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Business

S&P 500 futures fall slightly ahead of more retail earnings before the Thanksgiving holiday

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Traders on the floor of the NYSE, Oct. 21, 2022.

Source: NYSE

S&P 500 futures fell slightly Sunday evening ahead of another batch of retail earnings to kick off a shortened week for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Futures tied to the broad market index were lower by 0.1%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were lower by 38 points, or 0.1%. Nasdaq 100 futures hovered at the flat line.

The major averages each posted an up day but a down week in the previous trading session. The Dow rose nearly 200 points, or 0.6%. The S&P climbed 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite finished just 0.01% above the flat line.

Investors have been reflecting on the strength of the recent bear market rally, which kicked off earlier in the month with the October consumer price index reading and gained some steam with last week’s reading on wholesale prices. Traders last week were hung up on messaging from Federal Reserve officials, who were less impressed with the figures and reassessed their optimism around the possibility of slowing inflation.

Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research said that in his view, the Oct. 12 low was the bottom and the S&P 500 could rise to near 4,300 by the end of the year, he told CNBC on “Closing Bell: Overtime” Friday night. The benchmark index currently sits at 3,965.34.

“What’s making the big difference in the market is the resilience of the economy, it’s been spectacular,” he said. “Everyone’s been debating whether we’re going to have a soft landing or a hard landing – meanwhile, there’s no landing whatsoever. The consumer didn’t get the recession memo and they keep spending.”

Retail sales increased in October, but on the corporate level Target reported slowing demand and Amazon announced it will lay off 10,000 employees — although Home Depot and Walmart have reported strong results.

“Despite what holiday season spending may suggest, retail stocks tend to be in the top three for November, but in the bottom three for December, and somewhere middle-of-the-pack in January,” Liz Young, SoFi’s chief investment strategist, said in a note this weekend.

“Seasonality has a place in market analysis and has some predictive power. But the power of the economic cycle is stronger, no matter the time of year,” she added. “With 375 basis points of Fed rate hikes so far, an inverted yield curve, spikes in inflation, and commodity prices still a part of the narrative, we can all but conclude that we are late in the economic cycle.”

This week, a historically quiet one ahead of Thanksgiving, investors will be busy with another group of retail earnings to digest before the start of the post-holiday shopping season. Best Buy, Nordstrom, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Dollar Tree are among the companies on deck.

Investors will also get a flurry of economic reports, including durable goods, new home sales, unemployment claims, and consumer sentiment, as well as the release of the minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting.

The week ahead is a short one. The market will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving. On Friday, the stock exchanges will close at 1 p.m. ET and the bond market will close at 2 p.m. ET.

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Sports

Odell Beckham Jr. deal expected after Thanksgiving

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Odell Beckham Jr. is expected to wait until after Thanksgiving to pick a new home, league sources told ESPN, though talks with teams already are underway and offers for the free-agent wide receiver are starting to come in.

Talks are expected to heat up after Thanksgiving, but before he agrees to a deal with any team, Beckham will consider taking a few free-agent visits to get an up-close look at any new prospective home, according to sources.

No team has expressed a greater interest in Beckham than the Dallas Cowboys. From team owner and general manager Jerry Jones to players such as Micah Parsons, the Cowboys have been almost openly universal in campaigning for Beckham to come to Dallas.

Beckham is expected to be seeking a deal that would pay him similarly on a prorated basis to the deals signed last offseason by fellow wide receivers such as Chris Godwin and Mike Williams, each of whom makes an average of $20 million per year. If Beckham were to play the final quarter of the season at similar prorated pay to Godwin or Williams, he could make about $5 million for the remainder of this season.

Teams believed to be in the mix for Beckham include the Cowboys, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.

Teams that likely have fallen out of the discussion due to their struggles this season include the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers.

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Business

Thanksgiving-feast inflation shifts shoppers to chicken

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Inflation is forcing peckish Big Apple shoppers to wing it on Thanksgiving, with some telling The Post they’ll be gobbling chicken because turkey is just too expensive.

“I’m going to buy cooked chicken that they usually have on sale for $5 or $7,” sighed Osvaldo Baez, 62, who is on a fixed income and has always celebrated Thanksgiving with turkey.

At Key Food in the East Village, where The Post found Baez shopping, a 16-pound Butterball was running $1.99 a pound — after spending an extra $75 on groceries. 

“All these companies are making money, billions and billions and billions, and they’re still inflating the prices on all items,” he squawked. “And the government’s allowing it — they’re fully aware.”

A holiday spread of 12 items serving 10 people is estimated to run a whopping $64.05 this year, a 20-percent spike from $53.31 just last year, according to the annual American Farm Bureau Federation survey.

Baez said that he’ll be serving rotisserie chicken at his Thanksgiving feast instead of expensive turkey.
Helayne Seidman for NY Post

Frozen turkeys included in the survey cost $1.81 per pound in mid-to-late October, a 21 percent jump from last year, in part due to a smaller flock this year and more expensive feed costs.

Among other price surges: cubed stuffing costs $3.88 for a 14-ounce box vs. $2.29 last year, while a pack of two pie shells shot up 77 cents to $3.68.

Fed-up shoppers said the Biden administration’s profligate spending was to blame for their sudden case of fiscal agita.

Many Thanksgiving staples have skyrocketed in price since last year.
The cost of the Thanksgiving meal jumped 20 percent this year, according to a survey.
Helayne Seidman for NY Post

“We spent too much money as a government, which is the problem,” griped Jim Bitros, 74. “There’s no such thing as free money and you have to find out at some point.”

“Who’s in the administration now?” a 62-year-old bookkeeper seethed rhetorically, adding that eggs cost $10. “It wasn’t like that before.”

“I’m disgusted,” she added. “I can’t save anything. I can’t save a little bit that I used to go on vacation.” 

The president last month said that he’s trying to help families deal with the fact that Thanksgiving “costs a lot” of money at an event announcing efforts to curb banking “junk fees.” 

Shoppers say they are having sticker shock over prices for Thanksgiving groceries.
Helayne Seidman for NY Post

Those families are now getting a bad case of supermarket sticker shock.

“I’ve been hearing about it, but now I’m seeing it with my own eyes,” cried Denise Perez, 47, who was appalled to see roast pork running $1.49 a pound, 50 percent more than its usual price, alongside higher-priced turkey and vegetables.

“General inflation slashing the purchasing power of consumers is a significant factor contributing to the increase in average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner,” said AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan, who additionally linked the sky-high costs to supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine.

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US

Buffalo snow: Historic storm slams western New York with nearly 6 feet of snow

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CNN
 — 

A historic snowstorm is slamming western New York state Saturday with over 6 feet of snow in some places, closing roads, triggering driving bans and canceling flights the weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday.

Extreme snowfall “will produce near zero visibility, very difficult to impossible travel, damage to infrastructure, and may paralyze the hardest-hit communities,” the Weather Prediction Center said Saturday morning.

Snowfall totals of over 6 feet have been recorded in two locations, according to the National Weather Service. Orchard Park, where the NFL’s Buffalo Bills play, has picked up 77.0 inches in the last 48 hours, and Natural Bridge, just east of Watertown, has picked up 72.3 inches – historic numbers for the area.

As the snowfall intensified, two county residents died from cardiac complications related to shoveling and attempting to clear the grounds, said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

“We send our deepest sympathies and remind all that this snow is very heavy and dangerous,” Poloncarz said. “Please continue to avoid shoveling this very heavy, wet snow – and use caution and avoid overexertion if you must shovel today.”

Winter weather alerts are still in effect for over 6 million people across six Great Lakes states Saturday morning – Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Forecasters and officials have been sounding the alarm on the life-threatening nature of this snowstorm, which is historic even for the Buffalo region where heavy snow is the norm during winter months. And the forceful snowfall is expected to continue through the weekend with little periods of relief.

See snow building as New York faces historic snowstorm

Areas northeast of Lake Ontario – from central Jefferson County to northern Lewis County – were inundated with heavy snow late Friday, when the snowfall rate was up to 3 inches per hour, according to the weather service in Buffalo. Places between Watertown and Harrisville were also seeing treacherous conditions.

A state of emergency remains in effect, and Dan Neaverth Jr., Homeland Security Commissioner for Erie County, said he did not expect travel restrictions to go away any time soon.

“It’s Saturday. There’s absolutely no reason to be out there today,” he advised.

Dozens of flights arriving and departing from Buffalo Niagara International Airport were canceled as storm conditions worsened, according to the airport’s website.

This month is already Buffalo’s third snowiest November at the airport thanks to the storm, according to the local weather service.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told CNN on Saturday that, while his city is used to heavy snow, this is “much more than we usually get.”

He said the city could return to “some sense of normalcy” by Monday or Tuesday, assuming the worst of the storm passes through by Sunday.

“This has been a very unpredictable storm with the snow bands moving, back and forth, north to south,” Brown said. “The snow has come down very fast, very wet, very heavy.”


New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Saturday she’s from Hamburg, just south of Buffalo.

“But even with that history, in that context, this is one for the record books,” she told CNN. “The most amount of snow to fall in the 24-hour period probably in state history. We will have the actual numbers soon.”

The colossal storm has been pounding the region for days, prompting local and state officials to issue states of emergencies to bolster response. But with a storm that big, it only takes one or two vehicles to slow down clearing operations, Poloncarz noted.

“A reminder to all employers: if your business is located in a driving ban area or your employees are currently in a driving ban area, it is illegal to make them come into work,” Poloncarz said online.

The snowstorm, which came with a forecast for the Buffalo region not seen in more than 20 years, has been making travel miserable for many drivers, despite authorities’ emphasis on staying off the roads.

“I can say that our deputies have been just absolutely inundated with calls for service as it pertains to disabled motor vehicles and stranded motorists,” Erie County Undersheriff William J. Cooley said during a news conference Friday night. “We implore the residents to just, please, obey the travel ban, you become part of the problem very quickly when you’re out there on the streets.”

Erie County issued a combination of travel bans and travel advisories Friday, including a travel ban for the southern portion of Buffalo.

More than 300 citations were issued to drivers who violated the travel ban, Poloncarz said late Friday.

“Please, do not be the reason that an ambulance cannot get to the hospital,” he said. “There are many vehicles that are not only getting stuck but are just being abandoned by the owners.”

Snow has been falling for an extended period of time at a rapid pace, making it difficult for crews to respond.

“In some cases, we are going to far surpass 5 feet of snow and that’s in a 21-hour period of time,” said Bill Geary, the county’s public works commissioner. “It’s a remarkable amount of time.”



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Business

Rising food costs take a bite out of Thanksgiving dinner

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In early November, Hays Culbreth’s mother sent a poll to a few family members. She said she could only afford to make two sides for their group of 15 this Thanksgiving and asked them each to vote for their favorites.

Culbreth guesses green beans and macaroni and cheese will make the cut, but his favorite — sweet potato casserole with a brown sugar crust — will not.

“Talk about Thanksgiving being ruined,” joked Culbreth, 27, a financial planner from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Americans are bracing for a costly Thanksgiving this year, with double-digit percent increases in the price of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, canned pumpkin and other staples. The U.S. government estimates food prices will be up 9.5% to 10.5% this year; historically, they’ve risen only 2% annually.

Lower production and higher costs for labor, transportation and items are part of the reason; disease, rough weather and the war in Ukraine are also contributors.

“This really isn’t a shortage thing. This is tighter supplies with some pretty good reasons for it,” said David Anderson, a professor and agricultural economist at Texas A&M.

Wholesale turkey prices are at record highs after a difficult year for U.S. flocks. A particularly deadly strain of avian flu — first reported in February on an Indiana turkey farm — has wiped out 49 million turkeys and other poultry in 46 states this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

As a result, U.S. turkey supplies per capita are at their lowest level since 1986, said Mark Jordan, the executive director of Jonesboro, Arkansas-based Leap Market Analytics. Jordan predicts the wholesale price of a frozen, 8-16 pound turkey hen — the type typically purchased for Thanksgiving — will hit $1.77 per pound in November, up 28% from the same month last year.

Still, there will be plenty of whole birds for Thanksgiving tables, Jordan said. Companies have been shifting a higher percentage of birds into the whole turkey market for the last few years to take advantage of the consistent holiday demand.

And not every producer was equally affected. Butterball — which supplies around one-third of Thanksgiving turkeys — said avian flu impacted only about 1% of its production because of security measures it put in place after the last big bout of flu in 2015.

But it could be harder for shoppers to find turkey breasts or other cuts, Jordan said. And higher ham prices are giving cooks fewer cheap alternatives, he said.

Avian flu also pushed egg prices into record territory, Anderson said. In the second week of November, a dozen Grade A eggs were selling for an average of $2.28, more than double the price from the prior year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Egg prices would have been higher even without the flu, Anderson said, because of the rising cost of the corn and soybean meal used for chicken feed. Ukraine is normally a major exporter of corn, and the loss of that supply has caused global prices to soar.

Add that to rising prices for canned pumpkin — a 30-ounce can is up 17% from last year, according to market researcher Datasembly — and it’s clear Thanksgiving dessert will be costlier too. Nestle-owned Libby — which produces 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin — said pumpkin harvests were in line with previous years, but it had to compensate for higher labor, transportation, fuel and energy costs.

Plan to fill up on sides? That will also cost you. A 16-ounce box of stuffing costs 14% more than last year, Datasemby said. And a 5-pound bag of Russet potatoes averaged $3.26 the second week of November, or 45.5% higher than a year ago.

Craig Carlson, the CEO of Chicago-based Carlson Produce Consulting, said frost and a wet spring severely stunted potato growth this year. Growers also raised prices to compensate for the higher cost of seeds, fertilizer, diesel fuel and machinery. Production costs are up as much as 35% for some growers this year, an increase they can’t always recoup, Carlson said.

Higher labor and food costs are also making it more expensive to order a prepared meal. Whole Foods is advertising a classic Thanksgiving feast for eight people for $179.99. That’s $40 more than the advertised price last year.

The good news? Not every item on holiday shopping lists is significantly more expensive. Cranberries had a good harvest and prices were up less than 5% between the end of September and the beginning of November, said Paul Mitchell, an agricultural economist and professor at the University of Wisconsin. Green beans cost just 2 cents more per pound in the second week of November, according to the USDA.

And many grocers are discounting turkeys and other holiday staples in the hope that shoppers will spend more freely on other items. Walmart is promising turkeys for less than $1 per pound and says ham, potatoes and stuffing will cost the same as they did last year. Kroger and Lidl have also cut prices, so shoppers can spend $5 or less per person on a meal for 10. Aldi is rolling back prices to 2019 levels.

But Hays Culbreth isn’t optimistic about his casserole. He’s not much of a chef, so he plans to pick up a couple of pumpkin pies at the grocery on the way to his family’s feast.

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Business

How much you’d have if you invested $1,000 a decade ago

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About 10 days ahead of Black Friday — one of the most anticipated shopping days for merchandisers — big-box retailer Walmart reported better-than-expected revenue and earnings.

And good news for consumers: The company plans to set prices for Thanksgiving staples at the same level as 2021.

For the fiscal third quarter, Walmart generated more than $152 billion in total revenue, eclipsing the nearly $148 billion Wall Street analysts expected. The company also reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.50 for the quarter, compared to the $1.32 analysts expected.

Walmart saw growth in its grocery sales this quarter as it rolled out various deals to draw in budget-conscious consumers.

“Through our Deals for Days events in the U.S. and a Thanksgiving meal that will cost the same as last year, we’re here to help make this an affordable and special time for families around the world,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a press release.

Shoppers will be able to take advantage of savings for holiday meal items through Dec. 26, according to Walmart’s website.

In addition to increased grocery sales, Walmart also got a boost from a strong back-to-school shopping season in the U.S. and global sales events in countries such as India and China, McMillon said on a call with investors.

Back in the second quarter, Walmart’s earnings also surpassed Wall Street analysts’ expectations as inflation-pinched shoppers sought out affordable necessities like groceries over discretionary merchandise such as clothing.

What this means for investors

Walmart shares jumped on Tuesday, following the company’s earnings call.

If you had invested $1,000 into Walmart a year ago, you’d see a slight return on your investment and have about $1,024 as of Nov. 15, according to CNBC’s calculations. These computations were performed after the markets opened and are based on a share price of $149.

If you had invested $1,000 into Walmart five years ago, your investment would be worth around $1,755 as of Nov. 15, according to CNBC’s calculations.

And if you had invested $1,000 into Walmart a decade ago, your investment would have more than doubled in value and be worth about $2,377 as of Nov. 15, according to CNBC’s calculations.

Walmart is expected to continue to perform well over the holiday season since the company’s focus on low prices is expected to continue to attract price-conscious consumers, Deutsche Bank analyst Krisztina Katai predicted ahead of the earnings report.

However, Walmart’s performance could be hurt by various factors, such as shifts in consumer buying habits or further increases in labor costs, Katai adds.

Investors should always do their homework

With that in mind, it’s always important to remember that a stock’s past performance shouldn’t be used as an indicator of how well it will perform in the future.

Given the unpredictability of the stock market, a passive investing strategy tends to make sense for most investors, rather than investing in individual stocks.

Investing in a market index, like the S&P 500, can be a great way to get started. Since the S&P 500 tracks the stock performance of large American publicly traded companies, investing in an S&P 500 index fund or exchange traded fund (ETF) can be a great way to gain exposure to a number of well-known companies.

As of Nov. 15, the S&P 500 declined by about 15% compared to 12 months ago, according to CNBC’s calculations. However, the index has increased by about 55% since 2017, and grown by about 196% since 2012.

Want to earn more and work less? Register for the free CNBC Make It: Your Money virtual event on Dec. 13 at 12 p.m. ET to learn from money masters like Kevin O’Leary how you can increase your earning power.

Don’t miss: Apple just announced its new iPhone 14—here’s how much you’d have if you invested $1,000 a decade ago

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Business

An extra-nutty pecan pie recipe for a perfect Thanksgiving finish

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Brown Butter Pecan Pie

Active time:40 mins

Total time:1 hour, 30 mins, plus cooling time

Servings:8 to 10

Active time:40 mins

Total time:1 hour, 30 mins, plus cooling time

Servings:8 to 10

Comment

Brown butter enhances the nuttiness of this pecan pie, which is generously packed with pecans. More impressively, it’s not too sweet. Toast your pecans for the best flavor. If you prefer a pie with a deeper sugary layer beneath the nuts, use fewer nuts.

To save time, feel free to use a store-bought pie crust. Serve this pecan pie as is, or top it with a dollop of Pumpkin Mousse to get both pecan and pumpkin pie flavors in one dessert.

Want to save this recipe? Click the bookmark icon below the serving size at the top of this page, then go to Saved Stories in My Post.

Scale this recipe and get a printer-friendly, desktop version here.

  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1 recipe All-Butter Pie Crust
  • 4 tablespoons (62 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (220 grams) packed light brown sugar
  • Scant 1/2 cup (150 grams) light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3 large eggs, cold
  • 2 cups (227 grams) toasted pecan pieces
  • Pumpkin Mousse or whipped cream, for serving

Lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with the flour. Roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness, about 12 inches in diameter, rotating it a quarter turn each time as you work to prevent it from sticking. To transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan, gently roll it up around the pin, then unfurl it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

Using scissors, trim away any excess dough, leaving about 1/2-inch overhang around the outside edge of the pie plate. Tuck the overhang under, pressing gently to make it flush with the edge of the pie plate and crimp as you like. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the crust, cover loosely with plastic or beeswax wrap, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking it, swirling the pan occasionally, until it turns golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar, syrup, flour, vanilla and salt. Whisk in the eggs, beating each one into the mixture before adding the next, then add the pecans and stir. Remove the cover from the prepared crust, pour in the filling and bake until puffed and deep brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, for at least 4 hours, before serving. Top with pumpkin mousse or whipped cream.

Per serving (1 slice with no topping), based on 10

Calories: 478; Total Fat: 32 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Cholesterol: 93 mg; Sodium: 209 mg; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 24 g; Protein: 6 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

From staff writer G. Daniela Galarza.

Tested by Debi Suchman and Ann Maloney; email questions to voraciously@washpost.com.

Scale this recipe and get a printer-friendly, desktop version here.

Browse our Recipe Finder for more than 9,900 Post-tested recipes.

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Business

Thanksgiving dinner 2022: Turkey costs projected to rise 23%

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Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com

The cost for the annual Thanksgiving feast is expected to surge so much that economists are beginning to question whether it is a better economic choice to eat out. 

According to a recent Wells Fargo report, “Is This the Year to Dine Out for Thanksgiving?,” the cost of staples from poultry to fruits will outpace the total food at home and food away from home categories on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Turkey prices alone are projected to rise as high as 23% compared to the fourth quarter last year, according to Wells Fargo analysts and authors of the report, Courtney Schmidt and Brad Rubin. 

INFLATION HITS AMERICANS’ GROCERY BILLS AS FOOD PRICES ACCELERATE

Cooked turkey in roasting pan with meat thermometer during the preparation of a traditional American Thanksgiving holiday meal, San Ramon, California, Nov. 23, 2019. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images / Getty Images)

They also cautioned that turkey supplies will be “more limited” due to continuing impacts of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. 

“Turkey prices jumped after the bird flu wiped out livestock earlier this year. While inventory has rebounded, the cost per pound will be higher,” the authors noted. 

Meanwhile, eggs, which have also been impacted by the bird flu, have already risen 35.5% while butter and flour have risen 25.8% and 17.1%, respectively, according to the analysts, which used the August CPI data to show the increase in cost since November 2021. 

DEMAND FOR GROCERY DELIVERY COOLS AS FOOD COSTS RISE

So far, fruits and vegetables have had the lowest cost increase, with prices rising 7.3%. 

Rubin told FOX Business that consumers are also going to see a difference in popular side dishes, such as potatoes and cranberry sauce, due to weather issues and a rise in input costs this year. 

For instance, the cooler spring in Idaho and Washington had delayed crops of potatoes and onions while the hotter temperatures in California coupled with the drought “shrunk the yield of celery, carrot, and onion crops,” according to the report. 

Meanwhile, “cranberry sauce, a staple of the holiday meal, will cost more on grocery store shelves due to cranberry producers that faced rising input costs,” the report continued. 

Unidentified diners serve themselves food at a traditional Thanksgiving Day family gathering in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on Nov. 26, 2015. (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Americans can find some relief in prices, though, if they seek out alternatives such as sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes for instance “have a surplus at the moment and are more readily available,” Rubin told FOX Business. 

“Consumers can find better pricing on that commodity than on white potatoes, which are on a short crop and prices will be higher based on supply and demand principles,” he added. 

Still, the cost of groceries are rising so much that smaller families might want to consider eating out, according to Rubin. 

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“According to Consumer Price index cost of eating out has increased slower than at home, so while eating out is considered a luxury it is a great value this year,” Rubin added. 

For a family of four, the cost could be similar and eating out would be the most economically beneficial this year, according to Rubin. 

However, for a bigger family gathering, it will be more economical to eat at home, he noted.  

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Entertainment

The Queen ‘knew she wasn’t going to come back and wanted to pass at Balmoral’, claims royal expert

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The Queen ‘knew she wasn’t going to come back and wanted to pass at Balmoral because she could actually leave her crown at the gates and be a different role’, a royal expert has claimed.

Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent Katie Nicholl appeared on the BBC today ahead of the service of thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral, where the Queen’s coffin will remain until Tuesday, when it will be flown to London ahead of the state funeral, after travelling from the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Her Majesty died aged 96 on Thursday at Balmoral, having spent much of the summer at her beloved Scottish residence – despite dealing with ‘mobility issues’.

Speaking to presenter Huw Edwards, Katie claimed the Queen ‘knew she wasn’t going to come back [to Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace], I think she wanted to be in Balmoral and she wanted to pass there.’

She added that the Queen could be just a ‘mother, grandmother and great-grandmother there’ and ‘leave her crown at the gates’.

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The Queen (pictured on September 6, 2022) ‘knew she wasn’t going to come back and wanted to pass at Balmoral because she could actually leave her crown at the gates and be a different role’, a royal expert has claimed

Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent Katie Nicholl (pictured) appeared on the BBC today ahead of the service of thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral, where the Queen’s coffin will remain until Tuesday, when it will be flown to London ahead of the state funeral, after travelling from the Palace of Holyroodhouse

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as the hearse arrives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on September 11, 2022 in Edinburgh

Huw said: ‘The Queen, with serious health issues, decided nonetheless that she did want to spend a good deal of time at Balmoral during the summer.

‘That decision speaks volumes really about the fact that she was A) very comfortable to be in Balmoral, somewhere where she was happy to be with lots of good memories, but knowing too, with health issues and the challenges there, it might be a difficult stay and yet she insisted on making the journey.’

Katie replied: ‘She insisted on making the journey and I think, she was the Queen of Scots and I think she wanted this to be part of her homecoming, her ultimate homecoming.’

The author added that it was ‘deeply moving’ to see the Queen’s coffin leave Balmoral yesterday, ‘knowing that she would never return to the place where she’d enjoyed holidays as a little girl.’ 

Katie continued: ‘I think Balmoral was the one place where she could actually leave her crown at the gates and be a different role, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother.

‘I actually think there’s a bit of her that knew she wasn’t going to come back, I think she wanted to be in Balmoral and she wanted to pass there. And the fact that she did peacefully is actually a blessing in all of this.’

September 1960: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with their children, Prince Andrew (centre), Princess Anne (left) and Charles III (then Prince Charles) sitting on a picnic rug outside Balmoral Castle in Scotland

Brimming with memories, Balmoral was also a favourite place of the Queen’s late husband, Prince Philip, who became known for his legendary barbecues when staying at the Scottish estate. 

While the Cambridges too are known to love spending summers there, along with other royal grandchildren. 

Indeed, in his statement released on Saturday, William spoke about the happy memories he has of holidaying with the Queen and his children George, nine, Charlotte, seven, and Louis, four.  

It was this mix of family time, relaxed holidays and the stunning landscape and space that the 50,000 acre estate offered, that captured the late Queen’s heart. It is also where she spent her final days before her death on Thursday, aged 96.  

In the 2016 documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, Princess Eugenie said of Balmoral: ‘It’s the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands.’ 

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in a field with some highland cattle at Balmoral, Scotland, 1972

She added: ‘Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time. It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there, where you just have room to breathe and run.’

In the BBC’s A Tribute To Her Majesty The Queen, Princess Anne echoed this sentiment, recalling wonderful holidays. 

She said this was partly because Balmoral comprised all the things that the Queen enjoyed, including ‘the countryside, the dogs, the horses and just being out and about and being able to get away a bit from that public gaze’. 

Prince Edward, the Queen’s youngest child, added: ‘The happiest times inevitably that we’d spend together would be on holidays, so Balmoral and Sandringham stand out very, very clearly as favourite places.’

The Queen’s memories of Balmoral, of course, were also so rich as they spanned her long lifetime.  

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, walking on their Balmoral Estate in Scotland, on their Silver Wedding anniversary year, 27th September 1972

The secluded castle and estate, located just off River Dee in Aberdeenshire, has always been in her family, having been purchased by Queen Victoria’s husband Albert in 1852.

It is notably one of only two royal residences privately owned by the monarch – the other being Sandringham in Norfolk. 

The Queen traditionally travelled to the estate each July, staying until October. There she spent her time balancing work and leisure time – reading diplomatic papers from the famous red boxes and hosting prime ministers, while also enjoying the solitude and nature. 

And it was also the place she felt most at home – enabling her to swap pomp and ceremony for wellies, brisk walks and views of the Cairngorm mountains.

The Queen’s Scottish communications secretary Louise Tait recently told The Metro: ‘Balmoral is a castle but it’s an intimate space.’ She added it was a ‘home’ and somewhere Her Majesty was ‘very, very happy’.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Balmoral, Scotland, 1972. Both famously loved the outdoors life

And she later told People: ‘Balmoral has always been a place of rejuvenation and reflection.  She’s been going there since she was a baby.’ 

Perhaps this deep affection the Queen held for Balmoral was also because it was so intertwined with her beloved Philip – it was where he proposed to her in 1946. 

The pair also returned for their honeymoon in 1947, spending time at the Birkhall hunting lodge, one of the many residences in the grounds and now said to be Charles’ and Camilla’s favourite haven. 

Her Majesty described her happiness spent with Philip and her corgis shortly after her wedding in a letter to her mother.

She wrote: ‘It’s heaven up here. Philip is reading at full length on the sofa (he had a cold), Susan is stretched out before the fire, Rummy is asleep in his box by the fire and I am busy writing this in one of the armchairs near the fire (you see how important the fire is!).’

The Queen’s life in Balmoral revolved around walking her dogs and riding her horses – her two key passions in life 

It is a small snapshot into the relaxed existence the estate offered her. 

In his later years, Prince Philip reportedly spent many hours fly-fishing for trout and occasionally salmon, wearing chest-high protective waders and only breaking to join the Queen and guests for lunch.

The Queen, in turn, spent time riding on the estate, which is home to herds of deer, Highland cattle and ponies, or enjoying it from behind the wheel of a Land Rover. 

Indeed, this was where the Queen stayed until a month before her death, where she moved into the castle proper.  

Visitors have previously remarked on the Queen’s down-to-earth existence at Balmoral – with many commenting on her unlikely desire to do the washing-up.

In the biography, Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, author Sally Bedell Smith wrote of how the Queen and Prince Philip ‘loved having barbecues’ on the ‘massive estate, the most beautiful grounds’.

She added: ‘And afterwards the queen does the washing up.’ 

This was backed-up by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who told the Guardian: ‘You think I’m joking but I’m not.  The Queen asks if you’ve finished, she stacks the plates off and goes off to the sink.’

She and Philip were at their happiest in the Highlands, where they enjoyed the existence of a fairly normal married couple

Despite the Queen’s affection for the estate, however, it had mixed reactions from others.

Former prime minister Harold Wilson adored it, foraging for wood for the barbecue, as did David Cameron, who enjoyed his bracing walks, which were, according to the Guardian, ‘a bit of a change from running in the park’. 

John Major, however, reported difficulties on trying to have a phone conversation with the Italian prime minister while the bagpipes played.  

But Margaret Thatcher thought it was ‘purgatory’, according to the Queen’s biographer, Ben Pimlott.

Holding no interest in horses, dogs or country life, she also reportedly disliked the bagpipes at breakfast, the tartan rugs, draughty corridors and enforced parlour games. 

She would apparently show up ill-prepared for the outdoor life of games and sports with only her high-heels – failing the notorious ‘Balmoral test’.

She would also arrive at dinner very early, and leave as soon as possible, and once left a stag hunt at the very start to go back and work. 

While Princess Diana reportedly passed the ‘Balmoral test’ – being happy, according to journalist Tina Brown, to ‘yomp over sodden moors’ with the then-Prince Charles, she also came to hate Balmoral. 

According to her interviews with Andrew Morton, recounted in the biography Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words, she complained of ‘negative atmospheres’, adding: ‘The house sucks one dry’.

Clearly, though, this was not the view of the Queen, or most of those who spent time there – and for those closest to her, and now missing her most, it is likely most of their memories will be intertwined with her beloved Scottish retreat. 

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