Summary

Thanksgiving 2025 conversations on social media revealed key consumer sentiments and trends, with over 2 million posts highlighting holiday planning, food prices, and family dynamics. Millennials, in particular, are shaping purchasing decisions. While overall sentiment was positive, concerns about specific item price spikes and distrust in AI-generated recipes emerged. Retailers can leverage insights on value, convenience, and transparency to better connect with consumers.

Thanksgiving 2025 Social Media Trends: What 2 Million Consumer Conversations Reveal

Thanksgiving dominated the online conversation this year. More than 2 million social media posts in the United States focused on holiday planning, food prices, family dynamics, and the cultural rituals that define the holiday. Almost half of all conversations came from millennials, who continue to shape digital sentiment and purchasing trends across retail and grocery categories.

Below is a full breakdown of what consumers talked about most, how they felt, and what brands and retailers can learn from the signals.

Sentiment Breakdown: Positivity Led the Conversation

Social media sentiment leaned upbeat during Thanksgiving week.

• 43 percent of posts expressed positive sentiment

• 20 percent reflected negative sentiment tied to family tension and meal prep stress

The remaining conversations stayed neutral, centered on logistics, shopping lists, and sharing photos of home cooking.

Thanksgiving Prices: The Most Discussed Topic of the Holiday

Out of the full 2 million posts, one in every four mentioned turkey prices. That made Thanksgiving meal costs the number one topic across all platforms.

Consumers were divided on whether food prices were higher or lower than last year. Still, many said this was the most affordable Thanksgiving they had experienced in a long time. A popular message was that holiday discounts felt like a rare financial break after years of inflation pressure.

Shoppers openly celebrated price drops, posting that this year’s deals finally felt manageable for families on tight budgets.

Walmart Dominated the Value Conversation

One retailer stood out in organic discussions about best prices: Walmart.

Shoppers repeatedly highlighted Walmart’s one click Thanksgiving meal bundle for ten people priced under 40 dollars. This bundle became a talking point for value seekers and sparked a wave of positive sentiment around convenience, affordability, and smart shopping.

The Price Shockers: Onions, Creamed Corn, and Spiral Ham

Although shoppers felt better about overall holiday pricing, they were quick to point out product level inconsistencies.

Consumers noted unexpected price spikes on:

• Onions

• Creamed corn

• Spiral ham

• Several secondary ingredients

This discrepancy created a mix of satisfaction and confusion, as shoppers tried to make sense of why certain essentials were cheaper while others jumped unexpectedly.

Dessert and Drinks Ruled the Holiday Table

When consumers talked about what they were most excited to eat, two categories dominated.

• Pies and cookies appeared in 35 percent of all food focused conversations

• Wine and alcoholic beverages followed with 19 percent

Desserts and beverages became the emotional heartbeat of Thanksgiving posts. These categories also drove the highest number of photos, recipe shares, and nostalgic content.

AI Recipes Became a Viral Controversy

AI entered the Thanksgiving chat in a big way this year. Many users said they experimented with AI generated recipes or planned to use them for the holiday. Others warned friends and family to avoid them.

Two key themes emerged:

• Viral warnings about “AI slop recipes”• Complaints about “Frankenstein dishes” created by poorly trained models

Consumers shared screenshots of bizarre instructions and cooking times that would ruin a meal. This frustration highlighted a growing distrust of AI generated food content and a desire for verified, human tested recipes.

What These Trends Mean for Retailers and Brands

Thanksgiving 2025 shows that consumers reward brands that solve real problems: affordability, convenience, and confidence in product quality.

Key takeaways:

• Value messaging works in an inflation sensitive environment

• Simple meal solutions are a competitive advantage

• Consumers want transparency around pricing

• AI in food needs stronger guardrails to build trust

As holiday conversations continue to influence retail performance, listening to online sentiment is the fastest way to understand what people care about most.