The Great Northeast Ohio Grill-Off Results

The biggest variable in any cookout budget isn't the chips or the watermelon — it's the burgers. Depending on whether you grab a premium branded pack, a mid-tier frozen option, or a large family tray of 80/20 ground beef, that single item can swing your total bill by several dollars per person.

Giant Eagle's Jannah Drexel put it simply: look for packs of three pounds or more. 'You're going to get the best value per pound on those,' she said. 'That's a great way to stretch your budget.' It's the kind of tip that doesn't change whether you're feeding six or sixteen.

You're going to get the best value per pound on family packs of ground beef. That's a great way to stretch your budget.Jannah Drexel, Giant Eagle

Are You a Savvy Cookout Shopper?

4 quick questions. Find out if you're leaving money on the table at the checkout line.

Do you use grocery store loyalty apps or cards when you shop?

• Yes, I use every one available — Smart. Giant Eagle's Advantage Plus card frequently discounts meat and produce. Stack it with weekly specials for maximum savings.
• Just one store's card — Good start. Consider adding Aldi to your rotation for basics — no card required and already the lowest prices in our test.
• I never bother — You're likely leaving 10–20% on the table. Free loyalty apps at Giant Eagle and Meijer take 60 seconds to set up.

When buying ground beef, do you go for the large family packs (3 lbs+)?

• Always — more meat, better price — Exactly right. Per-pound price drops significantly on larger trays. Freeze what you don't use.
• Sometimes, if I notice it — Make it a habit to check the per-pound price on shelf tags — family packs almost always win.
• I buy whatever's closest — Try scanning a family pack next time. The savings on a cookout for 8 can cover the cost of the buns.

Do you ever shop at more than one store in a week to get the best deals?

• Yes, I shop around regularly — You're maximizing every dollar. Our Price Tracker publishes weekly comparisons — bookmark it to plan your route.
• Only if the stores are close together — A good compromise. Aldi + Giant Eagle is a popular pairing — Aldi for staples, Giant Eagle for weekly specials.
• No — one stop only — Convenience has a cost. Even adding Aldi for a few core items can cut a family cookout bill by $5–$7.

Do you check weekly store flyers or apps before making your grocery list?

• Every week, before I shop — Pro-level move. Stores like Marc's and Meijer rotate deep cuts on meat and produce — you catch them first.
• Occasionally, if I remember — Set a weekly reminder. Five minutes on Sunday can save you $10+ for the week on proteins alone.
• Never looked at one — Start with the Giant Eagle and Meijer apps — they send push notifications for limited-time deals on items like ground beef.

Beyond the cookout, News 5's Price Tracker checks prices every week at six Northeast Ohio grocery stores: Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Marc's, and Dave's Market. The weekly basket includes 2% milk, wheat bread, chicken (per pound), ground beef (80/20), a dozen white eggs, and toasted oats cereal.

The goal is to give Cleveland-area families a real-time look at where their dollar stretches furthest — and to flag when prices are creeping up on the foods that matter most.

Cookout Cost Breakdown: Where Your Money Goes

Build the Cheapest Cleveland Cookout: 5 Steps

1. Start at Aldi for your base items — Aldi won our Grill-Off at $2.15 per person. Grab frozen patties, hot dog buns, chips, lemonade mix, and ice cream sandwiches here first.
2. Choose a family-size ground beef pack — If you prefer fresh-grilled burgers over frozen, a 3+ lb tray of 80/20 ground beef gives you the best per-pound price at any store.
3. Check the weekly flyer before you go — Giant Eagle, Meijer, and Marc's rotate weekly specials on meat. A quick app check Sunday night can unlock deals that beat Aldi on specific items.
4. Buy watermelon whole, not pre-cut — Pre-cut watermelon can cost 2–3x more per pound than buying whole. For a party of 8, a whole melon feeds everyone and costs far less.
5. Freeze the leftovers — Ground beef and hot dogs freeze well. Buying a larger pack, using what you need, and freezing the rest is one of the easiest budget moves out there.

Amid all the price comparisons, there's a bigger story happening in Northeast Ohio's food economy. The Forest City Food Collective is working to connect local farmers and food producers with restaurants, retailers, institutions, and food banks — trying to make locally grown food more accessible even as rising costs squeeze both farmers and shoppers.

It's a reminder that the price tag at the checkout isn't just about convenience — it reflects a whole chain of decisions about where food comes from and who can afford it.

Track Prices & Share Your Finds

• Follow the Weekly Price Tracker: News 5 checks Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Marc's, and Dave's every week on staples like milk, eggs, bread, chicken, and ground beef.
• Found a Better Deal?: If you beat our prices, News 5 wants to hear about it. Submit your find and you might be featured — or have a reporter join you on your next shopping run.
• Support Local: Forest City Food Collective: This Northeast Ohio organization connects local farmers and food producers with the community — including food banks. A way to eat local and support the regional food economy.

How News 5 Conducted the Price Tracker

News 5's Price Tracker visits six Northeast Ohio grocery stores each week: Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Marc's, and Dave's Market. For the Great Grocery Grill-Off, reporters priced a complete cookout menu for eight people including frozen burger patties, hot dogs, buns, American cheese, chips, a whole fresh watermelon, lemonade, and ice cream sandwiches.

Prices were recorded at the shelf or register at standard retail price — not using coupons, loyalty rewards, or sale prices — to establish a fair baseline for comparison. The total was then divided by eight to calculate a price-per-person figure. Burger cost was identified as the single largest variable in the basket.

Prices are subject to change weekly. The Forest City Food Collective was mentioned as a community resource and was not involved in the price comparison methodology.

Sources & References

• Primary source: local-news — Elizabeth VanMetre
• News 5 Cleveland Price Tracker — In-store price comparison of full cookout basket for 8 people across Northeast Ohio grocery stores (Aldi, Giant Eagle, Walmart, Marc's)
• USDA Economic Research Service — Ground beef and family pack pricing guidance; per-pound value comparisons for bulk vs. individual retail meat packaging
• Forest City Food Collective — Northeast Ohio organization connecting local farmers and producers with retailers, restaurants, and food banks
• Bureau of Labor Statistics — CPI for Food at Home — Context for ongoing grocery price pressures affecting family food budgets in 2024–2025