Average cookout cost hits $103 as food prices surge
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – The average cost to feed a group of ten at a cookout this year is more than $100.
The average cost to host a cookout for ten people reached approximately $103 this year, marking a 4.2% increase from 2024, according to Rabobank's annual Barbecue Index
One of the most significant contributors to this uptick is the price of beef hot dogs, which soared by nearly 19% compared to last year. The average price for beef hot dogs rose from $3.27 to more than $4 per package. Experts attribute these mixed price trends to domestic factors like labor and production costs, rather than international tariffs.
Looking ahead, grocery prices are anticipated to rise another 3.2% by the end of 2025. Despite the rising costs, many Americans continued to celebrate the holiday with traditional cookouts, finding ways to balance their menus and budgets.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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