(Indianapolis, IN) – Indiana shoppers may see slightly lower prices than last year as they prepare for their Fourth of July cookout.
Indiana Farm Bureau’s (INFB) annual summer cookout market basket revealed Hoosiers are paying an average of $66.73 for a cookout feeding 10 people this summer, or $6.67 per person – a 7% decrease compared to last year.
Indiana’s market basket price is approximately 10%, or $7.09, less than the U.S. average price of $7.38 per person. Additionally, the average price for the Midwest region was also slightly less than the national average, showing that neighboring states are seeing similar results.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the prices our shoppers were able to find in Indiana this year because the national Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food at home has increased about 2.9%,” explained INFB Chief Economist Dr. Todd Davis. “It’s important to remember, though, that this data is just a snapshot of what consumers are paying at the grocery store on any given day.”
The total market basket price of $66.73 includes ground beef, cheese, hamburger buns, pork chops, chicken breasts, pork and beans, potato salad, strawberries, chips, ice cream, cookies and lemonade.
Potato salad saw the largest decrease in price (-56%) this year compared to 2025, seemingly because the price of eggs has been cut in half from this time last year. Cookies, pork and beans, strawberries and chicken breast were the only items that were more expensive compared to last year.
“Egg prices were way above average this time last year, mostly likely due to the impacts of avian influenza, so those prices are now back to normal and even a bit lower than the national average,” noted Davis. “The protein side of the market basket is where you should shop around for deals since those make up about 54% of the total cost.”
Indiana shoppers surprisingly found cheaper prices this year for pork chops and ground beef. Davis attributes these cost improvements as the main factor for lowering the total market basket price in the state.
According to the USDA, just 11.8 cents of every retail food dollar spent goes back to farmers. The rest is for food processing, packaging, transportation, wholesale and retail distribution, and food service preparation.
“Farmers are price takers, not price makers – just like consumers,” said Randy Kron, INFB president. “Margins are still tight for farmers due to high supply costs because the amount farmers are being paid isn’t covering that increase in expenses.
But Indiana farmers are committed to streamlining their operations to decrease costs of production as best they can, all while providing safe, affordable food not just for Hoosiers, but for families all over the world.”
The INFB summer cookout market basket survey was conducted in early June by volunteer shoppers across the state who collected prices on specific food items from one of their local grocery stores. Volunteer shoppers were asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals.
Indiana’s survey was completed in conjunction with a national survey administered by the American Farm Bureau Federation. More details about AFBF’s national summer cookout market basket results can be found at fb.org.
(Indiana Farm Bureau press release)
