We found the cheapest Fort Worth grocery store for July Fourth cookout shopping

The Fourth of July is a national holiday in honor of our country's independence, but we all know that a major part of celebrating is the classic and festive food.

The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates it will cost roughly $70.92, or $7.09 a person, to feed a Fourth of July cookout of 10 people this year. That's about the same as AFBF's estimate from last year, at $7.12 per person for a 10-person cookout.

Methodology , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest prices? , How do Fort Worth grocery store prices compare? , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest hot dogs?

The American Farm Bureau Federation 2025 report shows nearly no difference between 2024 Fourth of July cookout costs.

The Star-Telegram's service journalism team set out to price check 25 Fourth of July items at seven well-shopped stores in Fort Worth during the week of June 23.

To determine our list, we referred to Instacart's insights for Independence Day as well as the 2025 AFBF report. Of course, we checked the staples like hot dogs, watermelon and corn on the cob, but also some specialty items like red, white and blue popsicles.

We found out that a Fourth of July cookout cost $56.61 from WinCo. Overall, WinCo was found to be the cheapest, based on total basket price, but let's take a look at the numbers in depth.

Methodology , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest prices? , How do Fort Worth grocery store prices compare? , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest hot dogs?

Baked beans at Kroger on June 24, 2025 in Fort Worth.

Methodology

To gather the data, our team created a shopping list of 25 Fourth of July cookout items.

At all seven stores, we looked at the lowest prices, which really just ended up being each store's generic brand. Of course, to make all the data consistent, we compared items that were the same value in weight.

However, there are a few specifics you should know.

  • For all items, we did not record their sale price (even if they were on sale), but rather their standard price so that we can keep accuracy and consistency ahead of the holiday.

  • All prices recorded are not member prices.

  • We focused on the lowest price for each item, not the brand. For example, instead of always checking "Kraft American Cheese," we recorded the cheapest available brand at each store. As a result, item brands vary by store, but only the lowest-priced option is listed.

  • We broke down cost per ounce, pound or count for all items because available sizes varied between stores. The cost per size is labeled by item (example: 1 pound ground beef, 10 ounce relish).

  • If a store is not listed under an item, it is because that item was not in stock when we went shopping.

Lastly, it's important to know which Fort Worth locations we shopped at.

  • Aldi: 8977 Tehama Ridge Pkwy., Fort Worth

  • H-E-B: 3451 Heritage Trace Pkwy., Fort Worth

  • Kroger: 3120 S University Dr., Fort Worth

  • Target: 301 Carroll St., Fort Worth

  • Tom Thumb: 3100 S Hulen St., Fort Worth

  • Walmart: 4536 Heritage Trace Pkwy., Fort Worth

  • WinCo: 8968 Tehama Ridge Pkwy., Fort Worth

Methodology , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest prices? , How do Fort Worth grocery store prices compare? , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest hot dogs?

Corn on the cob at Tom Thumb on June 24, 2025 in Fort Worth.

Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest prices?

Note: This is not a scientific study, but it is a real reflection of items' prices at grocery stores in Fort Worth during the week of June 23, 2025.

Out of the seven stores, we found that WinCo has the cheapest prices. Here's a ranking of all seven grocery stores we shopped at, from most expensive to least expensive:

  • Tom Thumb

  • Kroger

  • Target

  • H-E-B

  • Walmart

  • Aldi

  • WinCo

Methodology , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest prices? , How do Fort Worth grocery store prices compare? , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest hot dogs?

Bomb Pops, a Fourth of July staple, at Tom Thumb on June 24, 2025 in Fort Worth.

How do Fort Worth grocery store prices compare?

Methodology , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest prices? , How do Fort Worth grocery store prices compare? , Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest hot dogs?

Hot dogs at Target on June 24, 2025 in Fort Worth.

Which Fort Worth grocery store has the cheapest hot dogs?

WinCo wins once again in the category for cheapest hot dog with a whopping 48 cents for an 8-pack. During our data analysis, we also found that WinCo had the cheapest price for 13 out of the 25 items we checked.

Other items include:

  • Bakery apple pie for $4.98

  • A 28-ounce can of baked beans at $1.58

  • Beefsteak tomato for 77 cents a pound

  • 2 liters of Coke for $2.38

  • A head of iceberg lettuce for $1.48

  • 1 pound of ground beef for $3.98

  • 8-count white burger buns for $1.18

  • 8-count white hot dog buns for $1.18

  • A 20-ounce ketchup bottle for $1.63

  • A large, seedless watermelon for $4.62

  • A 20-ounce mustard bottle for 88 cents

  • 50-count of paper plates for $1.31

  • A white onion for 78 cents per pound

Target offers the lowest price for a 12-pack of 16-ounce Coors cans at $13.99, and H-E-B offers the cheapest option for a 6.5-ounce whipped cream can at $1.94.

Some data analysis in this story was conducted using AI. For more information on how the Star-Telegram and McClatchy newsrooms are using AI, go here.

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