Savannah, Georgia – As you kick off preparations for your July 4 picnic, it’s important to note that while the overall expenses for a cookout this year are slightly lower than last, sticker shock still lurks on grocery store shelves. Recent findings from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) indicate this year has the second-highest average cost for Independence Day food since they began tracking it back in 2013.
This year, the average expense for a picnic serving ten people was reported at $70.92, showing a minor decrease from 2024’s average of $71.22.
Samantha Ayub, AFBF’s quasi-economist, shared some insights, noting, “Inflation and limited availability of certain food items have, unfortunately, kept prices elevated for American households. But it’s crucial to recognize that high prices don’t translate into more income for farmers.”
To aggregate the average costs of common cookout staples like cheeseburgers and potato salads, AFBF analyzed prices across grocery stores nationally, sourcing data in early June.
The 2025 data points to increased costs for items such as beef, potato salad, and canned pork and beans, although some products like pork chops, chips, and burger buns saw price decreases.
For instance, the cost estimations for various items compared to last year are as follows:
| item | 2025 Price | 2024 Price |
|---|---|---|
| 2 pounds of minced beef | $13.33 | $12.77 |
| Chicken breast, 2 pounds | $7.79 | $7.83 |
| Pork chop, 3 pounds | $7.79 | $15.49 |
| Cheese, 1 pound | $3.54 | $3.57 |
| Hamburger bread, 1 package | $2.35 | $2.41 |
| Homemade potato salad, 2 1/2 pounds | $3.54 | $3.32 |
| Pork and beans, 2 pounds | $2.69 | $2.49 |
| Potato chips, 16 oz bag | $4.80 | $4.90 |
| Chocolate Chip Cookies, 13 oz Package | $4.00 | $3.99 |
| Ice cream, 1/2 gallon | $5.69 | $5.65 |
| Strawberry, 2 pints | $4.69 | $4.61 |
| Lemonade, 2 1/2 quarts | $4.37 | $4.19 |
| total: | $70.92 | $71.22 |
AFBF suggests that 2025 represents the lowest prices for beef since they began monitoring cookout expenses. Factors such as droughts, strong consumer demand, and the emergence of new world screwworms have pushed beef prices up. Conversely, pork prices have decreased due to higher production rates and increased market weight.
Another analysis by Wells Fargo highlighted that similar price increases were prevalent last year, alongside elevated costs across the production spectrum. For example, prices for cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, and baby carrots each rose by at least 1%, with cherry tomatoes seeing a 3.7% increase.
Some common cookout items that have consistently risen in price since 2024 include apple pie (1.5%), beer and wine (less than 2%), 2-liter bottles of soda (2%), and flavored sparkling water (4.7%). Additionally, eggs, impacted by avian flu, have spiked up by 40% from last year according to Wells Fargo.
According to the latest Consumer Price Index, food costs at home have risen by 2.2% over the past year, while dining out has seen an increase of 3.8% in expenses.
