BOSTON — With Thanksgiving approaching this week, many shoppers are finding key ingredients for holiday favorites missing from grocery store shelves.

Too busy to shop?

Kelly said to make the green bean casserole this year.

“I’m looking for a green casserole,” the Boston native said. “You don’t seem to have the soup I need.”

Kelly goes to her sister’s house for Thanksgiving and said she may have waited too long to shop.

“I would like to show up with what I agreed to,” she said.

In 2022, grocery service provider Instacart said 38% of Thanksgiving shoppers waited until the last minute to buy groceries, and 25% of them said they were too busy.

“It’s not the best. I wanted to start this sooner, but you know, it happens. Life things get in the way,” Kelly said.

Cost-conscious buyers

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, popular Thanksgiving favorites — like turkey, sweet potatoes, frozen peas and pie crust — will likely be cheaper than last year, but experts say consumers may be hesitant to spend money.

“Certain foods are still very expensive,” said Laurence Kotlikoff, a professor of economics at Boston University. He said the cost of living is rising but wages are not, forcing families to make difficult decisions about how to spend their money during the holidays. “Low-income people … are unable to afford the big Thanksgiving feast they used to be able to celebrate. People are trying to make ends meet.”

Shopper Zach Welker said he cooks for two people and hopes the number of employees will keep his grocery bill down.

“I’m going to get some turkey and I’m going to get ingredients for a pie,” Welker said.