Higher food prices are taking a bite out of Independence Day barbecue budgets and summer grilling season. Why it matters: Cookout staples are up 5% from last year but up a whopping 30% from five years ago, according to the American Farm Bureau's annual survey. The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people this year reached a record high at $71.22, the survey found, which is up from the last record of $69.68 in 2022. By the numbers: Numerator's Independence Day report found that 73% of consumers surveyed had plans to celebrate the holiday and 83% planned to buy food for it. The data and tech company's survey of ... (full story)