While more than half of Americans may still hold “virtual” Thanksgiving celebrations this year, those that are preparing to get together are planning months early.
With the Fall season here, there’s much to do to get ready for the holidays. As many restrictions have been lifted, more people feel comfortable getting together with loved ones. Those celebrations will include everything from turkey, cranberry sauce, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, pumpkin pie and, of course, stuffing.
After last year, Americans are also feeling a lot more confident making traditional Thanksgiving dishes from scratch. When there’s a worldwide pandemic, we suppose you have to get a bit more creative as a chef.
Those skills will carry over into this holiday season. As families visit loved ones and arrange their travel plans, it’s important to get to the store in preparation for the November holiday.
Additionally, about a third of those polled by OnePoll, are shopping the early bird specials as early as the beginning of September. And this isn’t such a bad idea.
Grocery Shortage Before Holidays
Due to the rising costs of shipping, consumer demand and the labor shortage, several retail chains may be short your favorite holiday food items. This is another reason to shop early. Several retailers said they are limiting their purchases – with fewer brands and possibly fewer spices this Thanksgiving season.
Further, several chains also said food prices will continue to rise through the end of the year. Krogers and Albertsons are two of these.
Additionally, meat prices will continue to creep up 6% to 14%. This includes pork, beef and chicken. If you’ve seen these items go up in price, you’re not alone.
The Biden Administration responded to these increases with attempts to fight back.
“Just four large conglomerates control the majority of the market for each of these three products [beef, pork and poultry], and the data show that these companies have been raising prices while generating record profits during the pandemic,” said Brian Deese, the director of the National Economic Council.
He added that:
“The administration is taking bold action to enforce the antitrust laws, boost competition in meat-processing, and push back on pandemic profiteering that is hurting consumers, farmers, and ranchers across the country.”
Shipping Crisis Adds To High Food Prices
Additionally, a shipping container crisis at the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach is also part of the unusual chain of events causing higher consumer prices. More than 60 ships are hanging tight in the waters near the port. These ships are unable to dock and unload because there’s such a labor shortage and high shipping traffic.
In attempts to alleviate this, officials are attempting a new pilot program. It will intake ships round the clock – and when traffic is slower.
“We are in the midst of an historic surge in cargo, and our terminal operators and other supply chain partners are giving their all to keep it all moving,” Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero said in a statement, according to The Daily Mail. “We welcome this pilot project by TTI as a first step toward extending gates to 24/7 operations, and we encourage our cargo owners and trucking partners to give this innovative program a try.”
Despite this, consumers can expect higher prices. This is because many companies are having to reroute their goods and hire third-party shipping companies.
