Tips to keep your Memorial Day weekend BBQ more affordable as grocery prices rise
YONKERS, Westchester County (WABC) -- If you're hosting a Memorial Day weekend barbeque, you may have noticed that some cookout staples are a little more expensive this year.
The price for items like meat, fruit and vegetables are all on the rise, but that shouldn't put a damper on your holiday celebration.
According to the USDA's latest Food Price Outlook, food-at-home prices are up overall, but certain cookout staples are hitting particularly hard.
Take ground beef. In April 2025, it cost $6.04 a pound. But this past April, it was $7.00 a pound---an increase of nearly 16%.
At Stew Leonard's, they've noticed a change in their customer behavior.
"One less item in the basket we're seeing, and also a little more influx in leave behinds," Andrew Hollis said. "You know you'll get to the register and maybe that one item that you kind of wanted to splurge on a little bit, you sort of get to the checkout and you're like, 'I might put that one back.'"
Hollis is Stew Leonard's grandson. He said they're working hard to reward customer loyalty, for example saving on watermelon when buying through the app.
And he said they're cutting out the middleman where possible.
"We're going to direct our ranchers," Hollis said. "You know, they're right out of Kansas."
And they're sharing the cost of shipping with those ranchers to keep the cost of beef low for customers. The result is ground chuck for $4.49 a pound.
And shoppers can also make some menu edits to save money:
- Pivot the protein: Forgo steaks for pork chops, chicken skewers or hot dogs.
- Embrace the potluck: Ask your guests to bring the chips and drinks. Beer prices have actually dropped nearly 4% this past year.
- Skip pre-made conveniences: Cut your own fruit, buy the head of lettuce instead of bagged, and make your own marinades and dressings to save money.
"I think people still want to get out there and have some fun and do some cookouts like they always do," Hollis said. "We're anticipating a pretty, pretty strong holiday."
While driving to that BBQ may cost more thanks to higher gas prices, firing up the grill won't cost more because propane prices have stayed flat.
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