Image Credit:
Canva
Have Thanksgiving expenses in California felt more painful in recent years? You're not imagining it.
According to annual data from the American Farm Bureau Federation, while the national average cost for a Thanksgiving meal has dropped 5% in 2025 under President Trump, California’s Thanksgiving dinner is now 32% more expensive than the national average.
In fact, the national average Thanksgiving meal price rose 18.78% between 2018 and 2024, during the Biden administration and Democrat leadership in Congress — a timeline that also coincides with Gavin Newsom becoming Governor of California in 2019.
Carl DeMaio, chairman of the tax-fighting organization Reform California and a California State Assemblymember, says the timing is no coincidence.
“Since taking office, Gavin Newsom and the Democrats have introduced reckless inflationary policies — costly mandates, tax hikes, and regulations that are crushing working families, even making it harder to simply enjoy Thanksgiving,” said DeMaio. “While the Trump Administration has made progress in lowering costs nationwide, California continues to suffer under Newsom’s failed leadership.”
Among the policies DeMaio blames for rising food prices: Newsom’s new trucking and shipping regulations, gas tax hikes, and a barrage of burdensome mandates that increase the cost of transporting goods to stores.
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Thanksgiving cost survey tracks the price of a standard holiday meal for 10, including:
In 2018, the cost of this meal was $48.90 — just under $5 per person. By 2022, that number jumped over 30% to $64.05 under Biden and Newsom. But in 2025, with Trump back in office, the national average fell 5% to $55.18.
California, however, continues bucking the trend — with Thanksgiving dinner now averaging $72.61, a staggering $17.43 (31.59%) more than the national average.
Republican-led states, by contrast, report a much lower average cost of $52.20, proving that conservative economic policies are helping families save while progressive states like California drive prices higher.
And it’s not just food. DeMaio cites data from the Transparency Foundation showing that California’s “Cost-of-Living Penalty” forces the average middle-class family to pay $29,753.16 more per year just to live in California compared to a state with average national costs.
“Prices are up across the board — your energy bill for cooking, your gas and travel costs, even the price of clothes and gifts — and Californians are hit the hardest,” said DeMaio.
“Gavin Newsom and the Democrats have made California unaffordable, while coddling criminals and allowing spikes in violent crime and homelessness,” DeMaio added. “Instead of fixing these problems, Newsom is making them worse.”
That’s why Carl DeMaio and Reform California are fighting to make the state more affordable — by opposing the constant tax hikes and mandates pushed by Governor Newsom and Sacramento politicians.
“We want a future where California families can enjoy a full Thanksgiving table without emptying their wallets,” said DeMaio. “That’s why we need your help — join the fight today to make that a reality!”
You can join the campaign to stop tax hikes at StopTheTaxHikes.org.
.jpg)
.png)