A segment on NBC’s “Today” on Saturday suggested American families could drop the traditional Thanksgiving turkey from their tables this year to deal with inflation.
“With inflation on the rise, prices are going up on everything from your Thanksgiving meal to your gifts for the holidays,” anchor Kristen Welker said to introduce the segment.
NBC News correspondent Vicky Nguyen noted the 6.2 percent rise in prices in October from a year ago – a three-decade high – calling it “real money.”
Turkeys are displayed for sale at a Jewel-Osco grocery store ahead of Thanksgiving, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. November 18, 2021.
(REUTERS/Christopher Walljasper)
In addition to setting a meal budget with an online app and buying store rather than name brands, Nguyen said something she admitted may be controversial.
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“Perhaps forgo the turkey,” she said. “Bear with me. I know that is the staple of the Thanksgiving meal. However, some people think turkey is overrated. It tends to be the most expensive thing on the table. Maybe you do an Italian feast instead.”
Nguyen added that if you tell guests you’re dumping the turkey, “some guests may drop off the list, and that’s a way to cut costs too.”
“I’m not recommending it, I’m just offering it,” she said, as Welker joked, “keep the pie.”
While the segment was light-hearted, the costs on American families aren’t a laughing matter. A Fox News poll last month showed a strong majority of Americans expressing concern over inflation and a growing share falling behind on finances.
FILE PHOTO: Gas prices grow along with inflation as this sign at a gas station shows in San Diego, California, U.S. November, 9, 2021.
(REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo)
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On a similar note, NBC previously published a piece titled, “Turkey Social Media photos promote harmful obsession with meat” in 2019, urging Americans not to post pictures of their turkey dinners because of how it would “promote violence unnecessarily – including the violent origins of our food.”
NBC’s liberal cable arm MSNBC took a darker turn on the holiday over the weekend, airing a widely panned segment tying Thanksgiving to “genocide” that remains “on the menu.”