The American Farm Bureau Federation found the average ten-person Independence Day Cookout will cost almost 74-dollars this year. Kace Kieschnick reports…
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With the Fourth of July holiday upon us, the Louisiana Department of Health is urging you to make an extra effort to keep your kids safe in the water. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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Lafayette chef Kris Allen was named the new King of Louisiana Seafood at this year’s Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off earlier this week. To win the crown, Allen used modern techniques to highlight a classic crab-stuffed flounder. Allen says seafood has always been part of his life.
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Allen is the executive chef at Pamplona Tapas Bar and Restaurant in Lafayette. His career began at New Orleans restaurant Stella!, and he says Louisiana seafood is the best to cook with.
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Allen will go on to represent the State in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans July 25. A Louisiana chef has not won the competition since 2019. Allen says he can’t wait to promote Louisiana seafood on the national stage.
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Your Fourth of July cookout may be slightly more expensive than last year, according to a survey done by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The study found the average cookout basket with summer staples like cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, strawberries, potato salad and dessert to feed 10 people costs around 73-dollars-and-82-cents, a four-percent increase from last year. Federation Economist Faith Parum says that’s a pretty standard rise.
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The cost actually decreased from last year’s survey when adjusted for inflation. Parum says the most expensive items in the basket are the meats. Two pounds of beef will run you around 14-dollars.
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Strawberry prices rose over 12-percent from last year, thanks to a Florida freeze. She says refrigeration costs are driving up all fresh produce prices, but the biggest percentage increase was in canned goods.
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The only two items to fall in price were potato chips and potato salad ingredients. Egg prices have nearly halved as flocks recover from avian influenza.
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Many families will be spending time at the pool this Fourth of July weekend. The Louisiana Department of Health is urging you to make an extra effort in keeping everyone safe. Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein (green-steen) says you can never take too many precautions with kids.
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Greenstein says swimming pools need to be supervised at all times.
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And whoever is in charge needs to give the people in the pool his or her undivided attention – that means no scrolling through Facebook on the cell phone.
Greenstein says swim lessons are also very beneficial – and not just for children.
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New Orleans is gearing up for a big Fourth of July weekend. The Essence Festival of Culture begins tomorrow, and Mary Beth Romig with New Orleans and Company says it will kick off in a most historic way.
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And of course, Saturday is the Fourth of July, and Romig says a city that knows how to throw a party has something spectacular planned to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.
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The Essence Festival and the Fourth of July fireworks show are not the only things going on in New Orleans this weekend. The city is also hosting the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice. Romig says those two conferences are helping to contribute to a projected hotel occupancy of more than 80-percent tomorrow and Saturday night.
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