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Heat up the grill, but you'll pay more for this year's July 4th cookout. Here's a breakdown

Jay Redfern, Galesburg Register-Mail
·2 min read
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Cookouts are a Fourth of July tradition, as seen here at Lake Storey Park in Galesburg on July 4, 2016.
Cookouts are a Fourth of July tradition, as seen here at Lake Storey Park in Galesburg on July 4, 2016.

GALESBURG — U.S. consumers will pay $69.68 for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation marketbasket survey.

The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $69.68, which breaks down to less than $7 per person. The overall cost for the cookout is up 17% or about $10 from last year, a result of ongoing supply chain disruptions, inflation and the war in Ukraine.

U.S. consumers will pay $69.68 for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation marketbasket survey.
U.S. consumers will pay $69.68 for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation marketbasket survey.

Farmers are feeling the price-point pain too, like the people they grow food for, according to AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan.

“Despite higher food prices, the supply chain disruptions and inflation have made farm supplies more expensive; like consumers, farmers are price-takers not price-makers,” Cryan said. He added, “Bottom line, in many cases the higher prices farmers are being paid aren’t covering the increase in their farm expenses. The cost of fuel is up and fertilizer prices have tripled.”

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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.

Data for this year’s survey was collected by 176 volunteer shoppers across the country and in Puerto Rico, including Farm Bureau members and others.

A survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the cost for Illinois to be $73.81 for serving 10 people one plate of food on the Fourth of July.
A survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the cost for Illinois to be $73.81 for serving 10 people one plate of food on the Fourth of July.

A similar survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and distributed by cookoutnews.com shows the cost for Illinois to be $73.81 for serving 10 people one plate of food on the Fourth of July. This could also be looked at as a "minimum" price, as this does not take into account things like alcohol, such as beer or wine. Or anyone having more than one plate or drink.

One plate for each person consists of:

  • 4 oz. cheeseburger with lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup, and mustard

  • Hotdog with bun

  • Serving of baked beans

  • Serving of potato salad

  • Serving of potato chips

  • -Serving of strawberries

  • Serving of vanilla ice cream

  • Serving of cookies

  • 12 oz of soda

The cost breakdown to serve 10 people (1 plate each):

  • Hamburger buns (2 packages of 8) - $3.12

  • Hot dog buns (2 packages of 8) - $3.12

  • 3 lbs ground beef (for at least ten 4 oz burgers) - $15.48

  • 1 lb cookies - $4.51

  • 2 packs of hotdogs - $5.60

  • 16 oz bag of potato chips - $5.46

  • 32 oz of baked beans - $3.28

  • 1 lb tomatoes - $1.90

  • 1 lb lettuce - $2.99

  • 1 lb American cheese - $3.83

  • 2 lbs of potato salad - $7.98

  • 2 pints of strawberries - $4.86

  • 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream - $4.42

  • Ketchup & mustard - $1.99

  • 1 lb onion - $1.29

  • Two, 2 liters of soda - $3.98

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Burgers, hotdogs baked beans: Cost of July 4th cookout higher in 2022