Gorging on burgers, hot dogs, and potato salad is a staple of July Fourth.
But before you fill your cart to the brim, you may want to take a look at the price tag on that beef.
This year…
… the overall cost for a cookout is up 17% YoY, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. The organization attributes the increased costs to the trifecta of inflation, supply chain issues, and the war in Ukraine.
While a bigger grocery bill is a blow to consumers, farmers are getting hit even harder:
- The war in Ukraine has led to hikes in the cost of fuel and fertilizer — farming necessities.
As a result, many farmers might not be able to cover costs even after passing some of it along to customers.
But there is good news
Prices for some Fourth of July staples have gone down since last year, including strawberries (-16%), sliced cheese (-13%), and potato chips (-4%).
And despite the overall increase, the average per-person cost of a cookout for 10 people is still under $7 — which means many can hopefully still afford settling into self-induced food comas.
