BILLINGS — Long lines and busy parking lots at grocery stores in Billings didn’t stop shoppers from heading out Sunday to stock up on essentials for Thanksgiving.
“It was just chaos in every corner I turned, but everyone was polite so I’m just grateful for that,” Dez Wyman said outside of WinCo Foods.
Wyman was shopping for the multiple Thanksgiving meals she prepares.
“I do for my family and then I also feed the Tumbleweed kiddos,” she said.
Brandon Feller was also out shopping for the 14 people planning on attending his Thanksgiving meal.
“I had to get one turkey and then the desserts,” he said. “It was wild, but I think it was expected. Just the time of year.”
The busy stores aren't the only thing shoppers have to deal with this holiday season – the prices have increased to buy the food for your Thanksgiving meal.
“Quite a drastic change, especially in the meats,” Kassity Sorlie said.
The American Farm Bureau Federation's 37th annual survey shows Thanksgiving dinner costs are up 20% from last year. This year, the average cost to feed 10 is $64.05, over $10 more than 2021’s average cost of $53.31.
Sorlie said she's lucky to be able to cut costs in a way that not all can.
“We were blessed at home and already have our ham and turkey, so I didn’t have to buy that… We were lucky enough to have our own from own pig and this year,” she said.
