How Much Will Your Summer Cookout Cost?

Press release from Indiana Farm Bureau

(Undated) - Hoosiers can serve a summer cookout of their favorite picnic foods including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk for less than $6 per person, according to an informal survey conducted by Indiana Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The average cost to feed 10 people is $54.89, or $5.49 per person, according to IFB’s survey. The American Farm Bureau survey showed a total cost of $57.20.

“Although retail food prices have increased modestly over the past year or so, most Americans should be able to find summer picnic foods at close to the average prices found by our volunteer shoppers,” said John Anderson, deputy chief economist at AFBF.

“For many of us, nothing says the Fourth of July more than firing up the grill to prepare a meal,” Anderson said.

“As we celebrate America’s independence and the freedoms that so many have defended, we can also celebrate our country’s safe and affordable food supply,” said Isabella Chism, IFB 2nd vice president and chair of the Indiana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, which is in charge of the market-basket survey program.

The summer picnic menu for 10 consists of hot dogs and buns, cheeseburgers and buns, pork spare ribs, deli potato salad, baked beans, corn chips, lemonade, chocolate milk, watermelon for dessert, and ketchup and mustard.

Sixteen volunteer shoppers participated in IFB’s survey. A total of 60 volunteer shoppers in 22 states, including Indiana, participated in the AFBF survey.

The picnic survey is part of Farm Bureau’s market-basket series, which also includes the annual Thanksgiving survey and two market-basket surveys on common food staples that can be used to prepare everyday meals.

Picnic item

AFBF price

IFB price

Ground round (pre-cooked weight), 2 pounds

$7.86

$7.42

Package of hamburger buns

$1.67

$1.35

Mixed meat hot dogs (1-pound package)

$2.29

$1.97

Package of hot dog buns

$1.64

$1.32

American cheese slices (1-pound package)

$2.73

$2.54

Pork spare ribs, 4 pounds

$12.29

$10.84

Deli potato salad, 3 pounds

$8.77

$7.83

Baked beans, 28-ounce can

$1.99

$1.90

Corn chips, 15-ounce bag

$3.37

$2.82

Lemonade (pre-mixed), 2 quarts

$2.07

$1.80

Chocolate milk (pre-mixed), 2 quarts

$2.62

$2.37

Watermelon, 4 pounds

$5.71

$10.20

Ketchup, 20-ounce bottle

$2.64

$1.42

Mustard, 16-ounce bottle

$1.55

$1.11