Farm Bureau: July 4th Cookout Costs About The Same This Year

July 4, 2021

U.S. consumers will pay just a few cents less for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods compared to last year, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, says the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Farm Bureau analysis reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people remains affordable at $59.50, or less than $6 per person. The cost for the cookout is down 16 cents (less than 1%) from last year, but 8% higher compared to 2019.

The largest year-to-year price increase was for strawberries. Survey results showed 2 pints of strawberries at $5.30, up 22% from last year, due to strong demand and the effects of several weather events including severe rain, hail and high winds that caused significant setbacks to the harvest early in 2021.

Retail price changes for products in the meat case are a bit more nuanced, according to AFBF Economist Veronica Nigh.

“Beef and pork processing plant disruptions that occurred in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been resolved, leading to lower retail ground beef and pork chop prices in 2021 compared to 2020,” Nigh said. “However, consumers looking a bit farther back to compare prices are seeing higher prices for ground beef, pork chops and chicken breasts compared to pre-pandemic (2019) prices. That’s due to continued strong demand for American-grown beef and pork from both U.S. and international consumers.”

AFBF’s summer cookout menu consists of cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, pork & beans, strawberries, potato chips and fresh-squeezed lemonade with ice cream and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Individual Prices, AFBF 2021 Summer Cookout

  • 2 pints of strawberries, $5.30 (up 22%)
  • 13-ounce bag of chocolate chip cookies, $4.02 (up 11%)
  • 8 hamburger buns, $1.66 (up 6%)
  • 2.5 pounds of homemade potato salad, $2.75 (up 3%)
  • 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, $6.74 (up 1%)
  • 32 ounces of pork & beans, $1.90 (down 13%)
  • 2 pounds of ground beef, $8.20 (down 8%)
  • Half-gallon of vanilla ice cream, $4.69 (down 5%)
  • 3 pounds of center cut pork chops, $11.63 (down 2%)
  • 2.5 quarts of fresh-squeezed lemonade, $3.65 (down 2%)
  • 1 pound of sliced cheese, $4.05 (down 1%)
  • 13-ounce bag of potato chips, $4.93 (down 1%)

Comments

2 Responses to “Farm Bureau: July 4th Cookout Costs About The Same This Year”

  1. Willis on July 4th, 2021 1:05 pm

    Maybe should have tried some ribs.
    $7 – $8 per pack more this year.

  2. BRING IT ON on July 4th, 2021 12:33 pm

    CHOW DOWN !!!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News