This year, celebrating the Fourth of July with a cookout for 10 guests will cost a record $73.82, according to the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation's annual marketbasket survey. This amounts to about $7.38 per person and marks a $2.90, or 4%, increase from last year. This rise is consistent with the overall annual inflation rate in the United States, which stood at 4.2% for the 12 months ending in May.
Several key items contributed to the increased cost. Ground beef saw a 5.5% increase, rising 73 cents to $14.06 for two pounds, making it the highest beef price recorded in the survey due to challenges in rebuilding the cattle herd. Pork chops increased by 4.7% to $14.79 for three pounds, while two pounds of chicken breasts went up 3.5% to $8.06. Hamburger buns increased by 7.7% to $2.53, and a pound of cheese rose 1.7% to $3.60. Strawberries also saw a significant jump, up 12.4% to $5.27 for two pints, attributed to frost and higher labor and transportation costs.
However, there were some bright spots in the survey. Potato salad prices fell by 17.8% since 2025, now costing $2.91. This decrease is largely due to lower egg prices, as flocks recovered from avian influenza, and healthy potato harvests. Potato chips also saw a slight decrease of 4 cents, now costing $4.76 for a 16-ounce bag. Despite the higher sticker price, inflation-adjusted costs for the cookout have remained relatively stable and are below the peak observed in 2022.
