Prices for barbecue items such as burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and lemonade are up 17% from a year ago, according to a survey conducted this week by the American Farm Bureau Federation put the average cost of a basket of barbecue menu items for 10 people at $69.68. The National Retail Federation fetched a similar barbecue $84.12.
US inflation marked the largest annual increase in four decades in May, reducing consumer purchasing power and sparking recession fears. Global food prices started to rise in 2020 due to disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and worsened after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“My grocery bill used to be around $250,300 a month – now it’s skyrocketed to over $400,” said Anya Novikova, a student at Rush University in Chicago, who is planning a weekend car trip. end of the holidays despite high gas prices. “I’ll probably just run errands and cook my own meals at home as I try to keep my grocery bill below $300.”
Some price tags have climbed more than others, according to Wells Fargo research. Avocado prices have climbed 24% from a year ago as supply chains slowed shipments, while beer prices have jumped 25% since 2021, following a rise in cereals, a key ingredient .
Prices for ground beef used to make hamburgers soared to an all-time high earlier this year, also under pressure from high prices for maize used to feed livestock. The prices of some products have fallen slightly in recent months, but remain high.
“Meats have always been a seasonal phenomenon. In the summer, steaks are expensive – in the winter, the chuck is expensive because everyone is making pot roast,” said William Begale, owner of Paulina Market Chicago. “It wasn’t like that during the pandemic – it just kept going up and never came down.”
Chicken wings and breasts, meanwhile, are up 38% and 24% respectively since February year-on-year, according to Wells Fargo research.
The Farm Bureau estimated that ground beef prices have risen 36% since 2021, while lemonade has risen 22%.
Megan Backes, 40, a Chicago stay-at-home mom, said her family won’t be cooking outside, but instead will be joining another celebration, which helps keep grocery costs down.
“We go to someone else’s house. They’re the hosts, so they buy most things. We enjoy sneaking into someone else’s house,” she said.
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