4th of July Barbecue Cost See Ground Beef Up, & Chicken Down

Americans firing up their grills for Fourth of July celebrations will likely pay more for some traditional barbecue staples this year. That’s largely due to inflationary pressures in the U.S. economy and supply shocks related to specific foods such as beef and lemons, according to agricultural economists. The average cookout for 10 people will cost $71.22 this year, up 5% from 2023 and up about 30% from five years ago, according to an American Farm Bureau Federation estimate. The group analyzed prices for ground beef, chicken breast, pork chops, cheese, hamburger buns, homemade potato salad, potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, strawberries, pork and beans, and lemonade:

• 2 pounds of ground beef, $12.77 (+11% vs. 2023)
• 2 pounds of chicken breasts, $7.83 (-4%)
• 3 pounds of pork chops, $15.49 (+8%)
• 1 pound of cheese, $3.57 (+1%)
• 1 package of hamburger buns, $2.41 (+7%)
• 2½ pounds of homemade potato salad, $3.32 (-4%)
• 32 ounces of pork and beans, $2.49 (+2%)
• 16 ounces of potato chips, $4.90 (+8%)
• 13-ounce package of chocolate chip cookies, $3.99 (+2%)
• ½ gallon of ice cream, $5.65 (+7%)
• 2 pints of strawberries, $4.61 (+1%)
• 2½ quarts of lemonade, $4.19 (+12%)

Source: CNBC