Inflation: Fourth of July barbecue costs up 30% from 5 years ago

Here’s how much your Fourth of July BBQ could cost this year

At over $7 per person, this year's July 4th spread costs the most on record
Ground beef and lemonade saw the biggest price jumps compared to a year ago
Potato salad and chicken are less expensive this year

Updated: Jul 6, 2024 / 04:29 PM EDT

(NewsNation) — Americans love to celebrate the Fourth of July by firing up the grill, but this year’s barbeque grocery bill could be higher than ever.

The average cookout for 10 people is expected to cost $71.22 this year, up 5% from 2023 and almost 30% from five years ago, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

At $7.12 per person, this year’s feast is the most expensive since AFBF began the survey in 2013.

Economists for the group said inflationary pressures and ongoing supply challenges like low cattle inventory are two of the main drivers pushing prices higher.

The analysis looked at the cost of ground beef, chicken breasts, pork chops, potato chips, pork and beans, fresh strawberries, homemade potato salad, fresh-squeezed lemonade, chocolate chip cookies and ice cream.

Nearly everything on the table is more expensive than a year ago. Two pounds of ground beef will cost an average of $12.77, up more than 11% from last year. Pork chops are also up 8% nationally.

It’s not just protein that’s more expensive. A drop in lemon production has pushed the cost of fresh-squeezed lemonade 12% higher this year. For dessert, a half-gallon of ice cream will add $5.65 to your grocery bill, up 7% from last year.

However, those costs vary depending on where you live. Consumers out West are expected to pay the most for their spread, nearly $81 for a party of ten. Americans in the Northeast can feed their crowd for around $63.54, while Southerners and Midwesterners will spend an average of $68.

There is some good news for consumers as two staples are notably cheaper this year: potato salad and chicken breasts.

Thanks to increased broiler production, 2 pounds of chicken breast will cost you an average of $7.83, down 4% from a year ago. After being hit hard by weather-related disruptions in recent years, potato production is up, and prices have dropped 17% from last year.

Other items, like American cheese and strawberries, are relatively unchanged from a year ago.

Overall, grocery inflation has slowed dramatically over the past year. Prices at the supermarket have risen at an annual rate of roughly 1% in recent months, down from their 13.5% peak in Aug. 2022.

Still, many Americans have noticed that what goes up doesn’t always come down. Since Jan. 2021, grocery prices have risen by more than 20%.

Here’s how barbecue prices compare to a year ago, according to the AFBF: