Tariff Planning: 8 Barbecue Items To Stock Up on Now for the Fourth of July
Written by
Jordan Rosenfeld
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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Many Americans celebrate the country’s independence with food, family and fun through outdoor barbecues, parades and pool parties. Though new tariffs are ostensibly supposed to promote American manufacturing, in the interim, they’re raising prices on many of the very things people will be looking to buy for their Fourth of July events.
Though tariffs have begun to land already, many retailers will be raising prices soon. Here are eight things to stock up on now ahead of the big holiday.
Fish and Seafood
If you were hoping to slap some actual shrimp on the barbie, you will want to get ahead of that now — a good 35% of U.S. seafood is either imported or processed overseas, according to Sustainable Fisheries UW. So that “fresh” salmon may have actually made a detour to China after leaving Alaska, or have come from Mexico. While seafood doesn’t keep long fresh, it’s perfect for freezing and easy to buy in bulk for a big cookout.
Alcohol — Especially Wine
If you love a good tipple on the holiday, and were planning to break out a bevy of beverages, from cool white wine and champagne to hard spirits, get to your nearest BevMo or bulk warehouse soon — liquors you love are about to get pricier.
Tariffs could hit the wine industry the hardest, and since the U.S. imports wine (and other alcohol) from most of the countries on the tariff list — from Mexico, Canada, the European Union and even China — this already often-pricey item could skyrocket.
Beef and Meat Products
If you happen to live in a community where you can get local beef and other meats, it’s probably a great time to strike up a relationship with a local farmer and butcher. Imported meats, especially beef, will likely become quite expensive. And this doesn’t just extend to ground beef and steak, but delicacies like salami, prosciutto and other cured meats. You may find your love of Italian sausage, for example, a difficult habit to afford going forward.
Cheese
If your go-to item for a local barbecue or potluck is a quick and easy charcuterie board, not only will your meats be pricier, so will your favorite French (and other) cheese, according to the Janet Fletcher blog. While locally made cheeses made from U.S. based dairies and other cheesemakers may not take as much tariff heat, you can probably kiss affordable Gruyere goodbye, to name just one of the fancier cheeses.
Make a Trader Joe’s or Walmart run to make sure your cheeseburgers are not just burgers, and your charcuterie is complete.
Imported Veggies
Those juicy red tomatoes, creamy delicious avocados, and even smooth silky olive oil that you might drizzle on top are going to come at a premium once tariffs land, particularly those that come from places like Mexico, from which the U.S. imports a whopping 63% to 69% of horticultural products, according to the USDA.
If you’ve got a green thumb, try growing tomatoes at home, though olives and avocados can take years to produce fully fleshed fruit. Better yet, find your nearest retailer known for reliably good produce and get stocked up.
Legal Fireworks
It’s not just grocery items that are on track to skyrocket — get your legal street rockets and sparklers (and other allowable fireworks) now. Not only do these tend to sell out in regular economic times, tariffs are having an unexpected impact on the fireworks industry, according to TheStreet. This could even affect your local community’s ability to afford big firework displays.
Fourth of July Apparel
Another item set to skyrocket in price once tariffs land is apparel — so if you’re looking for fresh patriotic merch, best to grab it up now. Similarly, if you need some new supportive summer sandals or athletic shoes to march in your local Fourth of July parade, don’t wait until July to get them. You could be paying anywhere between 10% and 40% more on items you used to buy when tariffs hit, depending on analyst predictions.
Toys
If your Fourth of July celebrations, or any summer planning, really, involves the purchase of new toys for beach or pool activities (or just for running around in the sun fun) strategize what you want to buy now and pick them up. If any kids in your life have summer birthdays, don’t wait until the last minute –these could see huge price increases.
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