Food for your Fourth of July cookout may cost a bit less this year. The Indiana Farm Bureau surveyed Indiana shoppers to track the prices of 13 summer food items.
They determined that in Indiana, the average cost to feed 10 people at a summer cookout is $48.06. That’s 72 cents lower than last year, and more than $3.50 under the national average.
Hot dogs and mustard saw the biggest price drops in Indiana. A pound of hot dogs cost an average of $1.79 this year, an 11-percent drop from last year’s survey. The price of a 16-ounce jar of mustard dropped by eight percent, to $1.02.
American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Veronica Nigh notes that commercial production of pork is at its highest level in 25 years, while the amount of pork in cold storage is also up. She says that’s helping to keep prices low for products like spare ribs. Meanwhile, lemonade and corn chips were the items to see the largest price increase since last year.
The Farm Bureau also tracks how much of the average food dollar goes to farmers. Using data from the federal government, the Farm Bureau determined that of the $48.06 average price for a Fourth of July cookout, farmers’ share will be $8.17.
