Families celebrating the 4th of July holiday will encounter persistently high prices at grocery stores. According to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual marketbasket survey, an Independence Day cookout will cost $71.22 for 10 guests this year.
The grocery bill has increased by 5% from 2023 and nearly 30% from five years ago. The $7.12 per-person cost marks a record high since AFBF began the survey in 2013. The cookout menu includes cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, homemade potato salad, strawberries, and ice cream.
“Higher prices at the grocery store reflect a number of challenges facing America’s families. Lower availability of some cookout staples and inflation are hitting people in their wallets,” said AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan. “Farmers are also feeling the effects of high prices. They’re price takers, not price makers. Their share of the retail food dollar is just 15%, but they still pay elevated fuel, fertilizer and other supply prices.”
The marketbasket survey indicates a year-to-year double-digit increase in beef and lemonade costs while noting drops in chicken breasts and potato salad prices.
The retail price for two pounds of ground beef rose by 11% to $12.77. Lemonade now costs $4.19, up by 12% from last year. These increases reflect various challenges farmers face regularly. Drought conditions have led ranchers to sell cattle early last year, reducing beef availability for summer grilling season; higher lemon prices result from citrus greening spreading to California after affecting Florida's citrus industry.
Two exceptions to price increases were found: Chicken is down by 4% from last year at $7.83 for two pounds, and potato salad is also down by 4%, costing $3.32.
Despite historically high costs at $7.12 per person, Americans dedicate a smaller percentage of their spending to food than any other country globally.
AFBF President Zippy Duvall commented on America's food independence: “As we celebrate this nation’s independence, we also celebrate America’s food independence... We still have one of the most affordable food supplies in the world... It’s crucial that as we celebrate the holiday, we also urge members of Congress to return to Washington and pass a new, modernized five-year farm bill.”
The federal government reports an overall increase of only 1% for food consumed at home compared to last year; however, Farm Bureau's informal marketbasket survey focuses on foods commonly associated with summer cookouts.
The July 4th cookout survey is part of Farm Bureau's marketbasket series which includes an annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey.
Volunteer shoppers across all states and Puerto Rico collected data for this report.
Individual Prices:
- Ground beef (2 lbs): $12.77 (+11%)
- Chicken breasts (2 lbs): $7.83 (-4%)
- Pork chops (3 lbs): $15.49 (+8%)
- Cheese (1 lb): $3.57 (+1%)
- Hamburger buns: $2.41 (+7%)
- Homemade potato salad (2½ lbs): $3.32 (-4%)
- Pork and beans (32 oz): $2.49 (+2%)
- Potato chips (16 oz): $4.90 (+8%)
- Chocolate chip cookies (13 oz package): $3.99 (+2%)
- Ice cream (½ gallon): $5.65 (+7%)
- Strawberries (2 pints): $4..61(+1%)
-Lemonade(2½ quarts)$4..19(+12%)
A full analysis will be available soon on the Market Intel page.
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