Labor Day weekend is prime time for backyard barbecues, but you might feel the heat before the grill even fires up. Prices for cookout staples like steak, chicken, and soda have jumped since last summer -- and in some cities, the increase is steep.
As of July, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows grocery prices are up 2.2%year over year, continuing a trend that began with pandemic-era supply chain disruptions. In the months to come, there may be more price shocks due to economic uncertainty related to tariffs. In a July AP-NORC poll, over half of Americans cited grocery costs as a major source of stress.
Higher costs at your local grocery store make it harder to stay on budget -- especially when you're feeding a crowd. Rising prices can also push shoppers toward cheaper, ultraprocessed foods instead of healthier, fresh foods.
Hers examined the price changes for nine popular barbecue staples to find the U.S. cities with the steepest cost increases. Individual items are broken down so you can spot easy ingredient swaps for more affordable alternatives.
Ready to find out how prices have changed in your city? This list is ranked based on nine key barbecue ingredients, and the methodology is explained in depth below.
Are you wondering how grocery price increases are impacting specific food categories? Here is a deeper look at the data to help you make mindful choices based on your budget.
The analysis began with the quarterly Cost of Living Index from The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). From this dataset, researchers pulled prices for nine barbecue staples: steak, ground beef, sausage, chicken, lettuce, cooking oil, potato chips, Coca-Cola, and beer.
For each city in C2ER's data set, researchers recorded the population estimate from the most recent Census data, and then eliminated regions with a population of less than 500,000. That allowed for streamlining the list, focusing on larger and more well-known cities.
Researchers then compared the average price for each ingredient in the first quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2024, as well as the year-over-year change for the total price of the nine ingredients. The primary ranking is based on the percent changes in total average price, though individual ingredients were also analyzed, as seen above.
Get the data here.
Inflation may be driving up food costs, but you can still eat well and stay active without overspending. Whether you're planning a Labor Day cookout or just trying to keep your weekly grocery bill in check, these budget-friendly health tips will help you maintain healthy habits without breaking the bank.