Ag Informer – The Cost of your Cookout

Celebrating the 4th of July with a cookout will cost significantly more than two years ago, although prices have fallen slightly from record highs in 2022. Families will pay $67.73 to host an Independence Day cookout with 10 family members or friends, based on the 2023 American Farm Bureau Federation marketbasket survey.

The $67.73 grocery bill is down 3% from 2022, but still approximately 14% higher than prices were just two years ago. Last year set a record high since AFBF began the survey in 2013, and 2023 comes in as the second-highest cost. The cookout favorites include cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, among other products.

The marketbasket survey shows a year-to-year increase in the cost of hamburger buns, beef and potato salad, while there are drops in the cost of chicken breasts, lemonade and cookies.

The retail price for a package of eight hamburger buns increased 17% to $2.26. Homemade potato salad will cost $3.44, up 5% from 2022. The cost of 2 pounds of ground beef rose 4% to $11.54.

Several factors influence the increases. Drought conditions have increased the cost of feed and reduced the number of available cattle for the summer grilling season, driving up beef prices. Higher potato prices can be attributed to poor weather leading to a drop in production, and general inflation is driving up the price of processed foods like bread.

The federal government’s broader Consumer Price Index report for food at home shows an overall increase of 5.8% compared to a year ago. Farm Bureau’s informal marketbasket survey examines only those foods commonly associated with summer cookouts.

The July 4th cookout survey is part of the Farm Bureau marketbasket series, which also includes the popular annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey of common food staples Americans use to prepare meals at home.

Volunteer shoppers across the country, including Farm Bureau members and others, collected data from 240 different stores in every state and Puerto Rico.

Individual Prices, AFBF 2023 Summer Cookout

2 pounds of ground beef, $11.54 (+4%)
2 pounds of chicken breasts, $8.14 (-9%)
3 pounds of pork chops, $14.37 (-6%)
1 pound of cheese, $3.53 (no change)
1 package of hamburger buns, $2.26 (+17%)
2 ½ pounds of homemade potato salad, $3.44 (+5%)
32 ounces of pork and beans, $2.44 (-3%)
16-ounce bag of potato chips, $4.53 (-4%)
13-ounce package of chocolate chip cookies, $3.90 (-10%)
½ gallon of ice cream, $5.29 (+3%)
2 pints of strawberries, $4.56 (+3%)
2 ½ quarts of lemonade, $3.73 (-16%)