Stretching thin: How far can $50 get you for a holiday cookout?

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Independence Day weekend is upon us, which means many people will be cooking out, but with prices rising, how much will that cost?

Inflation, supply chain issues, and the war in Ukraine are raising costs across the country.

Times such as the current holiday weekend involve a lot of spending, making it costly for families.

So, all those factors were put to the test. $50 was allotted to buy basic items for a cookout for a family of four.

One shopper said her family has started growing their own food to help with the rise in prices, but they still have a large grocery bill.

“We get our groceries once a week and once a week we spend roughly $175 almost $200 a week for a family of five,” they said.

During the shopping trip, a few items were on the list: Buns, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, condiments, toppings, a beverage, and of course, charcoal for the grill.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, shoppers will spend, on average, $69 for 10 people this holiday week, which is up 17% from a year ago

The item that costs the most is meat, with the AFB saying ground beef is up 36%.

“We are about to go back there and get the meat and everything. The meat is what is going to get the most expensive,” said another shopper.

Prices are going up, but there were some deals we saw in the store. The hot dogs, for example, were at a cheaper price than normal.

Everything on an average cookout list like chicken, dessert, and potato salad was not purchased, but we did get the necessities.

After every item was scanned, it was time for the big reveal.

The total was over budget, but only by 10 cents. That put our costs on track with the national averages for a family of five.

A third shopper said her family has started growing their own food to help with the rise in prices, but they still have a large grocery bill.

“We get our groceries once a week and once a week we spend roughly $175 almost $200 a week for a family of five,” they shopper.

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