Whether you're putting your money on the 49ers or the Ravens this Sunday night, there's one thing every
Super Bowl fan can get behind — Gameday snacks.
But after an ugly drought tore across the Midwest last summer, partiers could be shelling out a few extra dollars to keep their Super Bowl spread stacked this weekend.
Here's what you'll likely pay more for:
Wings. Chicken wing price hikes are nothing new around Super Bowl season, but this year, record high chicken feed prices have caused the party table staple to be even pricier than usual. They were going for around $1.90 per pound in December — 26% higher than a year before. Despite the spike, the National Chicken Council projects Americans will still chow down 1.23 million pounds of wings this Super Bowl season — enough to stretch from Baltimore to San Francisco 27 times.
Burgers. If you were hoping to fill the chicken hole with beef, better luck next year. Beef prices also are on the rise, which could make the burgers and burritos you planned on stocking up on for halftime cost a few extra pennies. After livestock herds declined by record levels in 2012, beef prices rose about 6 percent and the USDA projects they could go up another 4 percent this year, according to KCCI
Bacon. In case you were planning on taking a stab at your own Bacon Bowl, you might want to set aside a few extra bucks. The threat of a worldwide bacon "Aporkalypse" might have been exaggerated last fall, but that doesn't mean the price surge on the meat lovers' favorite has died down yet. Experts predict the price tag on bacon will soar this year.
All things corn. If you check the ingredients on just about any carb in your pantry, chances are corn will show up –– and that you paid more for it this year than last. Thanks to the devastation caused to corn crops this year, harvests were down nearly 30 percent, sending prices soaring. From corn chips to corn on the cob, these snacking basics might not be quite as cheap compared to last year.
Booze. Alcohol sales managed to survive the recession and chances are the price hikes forecasted on beer this year won't deter thirsty fans either. But it's worth noting that Anheuser-Busch beers cost about 5 percent in the fall — making prices about 55 to 75 cents more for a case of Bud Lights. Regardless of the slight cost increase per can, Save on Brew estimates Americans will throw down 50 million cases of beer during the big game, adding up to a nationwide tab of $10.8 billion.
SEE ALSO: Here's The Real Cost Of Attending Super Bowl XLVII >
