July 4 cookout may cost $10 more than last year's, biggest jump since Farm Bureau began tracking 10 years ago

American Farm Bureau Federation graphic

"The supermarket tally for an Independence Day cookout is a first-hand look at inflation — up by 17% from last summer, with the skyrocketing price of meat a leading reason," Chuck Abbott reports for the Food & Environment Reporting Network., citing the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual report. Volunteer price checkers' data showed that "The groceries to feed 10 people at a cookout would cost $69.68, almost $10 more than last year."

Though the cost increase is still affordable for most Americans, it's the largest jump since the organization began compiling the survey 10 years ago, AFBF chief economist Robert Cryan told Abbott.

"The AFBF shopping list included seven pounds of meat — ground beef, chicken breasts and pork chops — all of it costing at least 30% more than last summer. Meat accounted for half of the price tag for the cookout," Abbott reports. "Also on the shopping list were pork and beans, potato salad, potato chips, hamburger buns, sliced cheese, vanilla ice cream, strawberries and a bag of chocolate chip cookies. All cost more than last year except for the cheese, strawberries and potato chips."

The price of next year's cookout could be even higher. Cryan told Abbott he predicts "significant inflation, between 5 and 9% for the next couple of years." Better make it a pot-luck.