Pumpkin pie, crouton stuffing, cranberry sauce – the trappings of a Thanksgiving dinner. Is it sacrilege to substitute store brands for the name brands that came up with the recipes in the name of saving a few bucks?

A survey by the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute found consumers can save $17 on a turkey day dinner for 10 – $73 vs. $90 – if they substitute store brands for the name brands that have graced many a table.

“Seventeen dollars in savings may not sound like much, but during a season when costs keep rising, it can make a noticeable difference for many families, especially when that difference is multiplied throughout an entire shopping list,” Clay Care of Coupon Follow told The Food Institute.

“While many treasured recipes and traditions specify brand-name ingredients, very often, families find the store brands to be comparable in quality for basics such as canned vegetables.”

Overall food costs are up 2.1% this year compared to last, government statistics show. That’s atop a 2.9% increase from 2022 to 2023 and 7.1% the previous 12-month period.

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