July 4th Cookout a Bit More Affordable

Cindy Zimmerman

What will be on your grill for the 4th of July? Chances are it probably costs a little less than it did last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

Farm Bureau’s informal annual survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $55.07, or $5.51 per person – that’s down about one percent from 2017. The All-American cookout menu includes hot dogs and buns, cheeseburgers and buns, pork spare ribs, deli potato salad, baked beans, corn chips, lemonade, chocolate milk, ketchup, mustard and watermelon for dessert.

While lower prices are good news for consumers, it’s not so much for farmers. “This is a very tough time for farmers and ranchers due to low prices across the board. It is appropriate that this very painful situation hitting farmers be reflected at the retail level as well,” said AFBF Director of Market Intelligence Dr. John Newton.

A total of 96 Farm Bureau members in 28 states served as “volunteer shoppers,” checking retail prices for summer cookout foods at their local grocery stores for this informal survey.

AFBF, AgWired Animal, Food