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Dr. David Ortega: Thanksgiving and holiday grocery costs

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Dr. David Ortega: Costo de los alimentos para Acción de Gracias y la temporada navideña

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Grocery costs are top of mind as Americans fill their carts with ingredients for next week’s Thanksgiving meal and into the holiday season. On November 20, 2025, SciLine interviewed Dr. David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University.

TV bundle includes:

  • Soundbite (SOT)
  • VOSOT script (can be used as-is or modified)
  • Raw, full-length interview video & log with timecodes (upon request via form below)

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ANCHOR
BEFORE WE GOBBLE UP THANKSGIVING DINNER… SHOPPERS ARE GATHERING THEIR GROCERIES… TRYING NOT TO GET GOBBLED UP BY HIGH PRICES.

VO
THIS YEAR’S GROCERY PRICES… ARE ABOUT TWO-POINT-SEVEN-PERCENT HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR… ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT DATA.
DOCTOR DAVID ORTEGA (DAY-vid or-TAY-guh)… A PROFESSOR AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY… STUDIES FOOD PRICES… AND RECOMMENDS SOME WALLET-FRIENDLY STRATEGIES… FOR YOUR HOLIDAY MEAL.

SOT
Super: Dr. David Ortega – food economist and professor at Michigan State University
Duration:0:53
The first tip is, it’s gonna pay off to plan ahead, to make a shopping list, so that you can avoid making impulse purchases at the grocery store. Also, shopping early can save you some money. You can take advantage of those holiday deals and promotions, especially for things that are shelf-stable that you can store, or that you can put on your freezer. I would also suggest considering store brands or private labels. These are products that sell often at a much more affordable price point, and you’re not really sacrificing a lot on quality. And then the last tip that I’ll give is, you know, you can get creative and host a potluck-style holiday gathering, where you have your friends and family bring a side dish to share. That way, you’re not stuck footing the bill for the entire meal for all of your guests. And that’s also a great way to add variety to the holiday table, and also a great conversation starter.

VO
DOCTOR ORTEGA ALSO RECOMMENDS… CONSIDERING FRESH VEGETABLES AND CRANBERRIES… INSTEAD OF THE ONES IN METAL CANS… WHICH DO COST A BIT MORE THIS YEAR… DUE TO TARIFFS ON STEEL AND ALUMINUM.

Raw, full-length interview covers:

  • How food prices are changing, and what are the factors behind these changes;
  • Recent trends in the cost of Thanksgiving and holiday staples such as turkeys, beef roasts, eggs, vegetables;
  • The effect of U.S. tariffs on food costs, and the potential effects of the Trump administration’s announced rollbacks of tariffs on items including beef, coffee, and tropical fruits;
  • Why prices may be higher this year for items sold in cans (such as pumpkin or jellied cranberries); and
  • Advice for saving money on Thanksgiving and holiday groceries.

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