With many taking to their backyards this holiday weekend to celebrate Independence Day, the bill before the cookout will be a little longer than years prior.
According to a new survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average barbecue with 10 guests is going to cost around $72.10 this year, 5% more than last year.
The figure also represents a record high over the last decade, another sign that inflation has gripped the nation.
The survey broke down the price of several barbecue staples, including hamburgers, chicken breasts, chips, lemonade, cheese, and more.
Unfortunately for those playing host, the price for everything but chicken breasts and potato salad is up from this time last year.
Among the items that are up the most from last year is ground beef, two pounds of which will cost on average $12.77, up 11% from last year, and pork chops, which will cost you $15.49 for three pounds, an increase of 8%.
Matching pork chops at an 8% increase in price compared to last year are potato chips, which now cost $4.90 for a 16-ounce bag.
Other items on the list that have increased include cheese (1%), hamburger buns (7%), cookies (2%), lemonade (12%), and ice cream (7%).
While inflation remaining stubbornly high plays a role in the higher prices, the American Farm Bureau Federation says that more is at play.
“Several factors influence these increases, which reflect the sort of challenges farmers face on a regular basis. Drought conditions in recent years forced ranchers to sell many of their cattle early last year, reducing the amount of beef available for the summer grilling season,” the survey shared. “Higher lemon prices can be attributed to citrus greening, which has spread to California after devastating Florida’s citrus industry.”