• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Eat Well Spend Smart
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Money Saving Tips
    • Meal Plans
    • Gardening
  • My Products
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Money Saving Tips
  • Meal Plans
  • About
  • My Products
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Festive 4th of July food ideas for a perfect cookout

    July 2, 2023 by Tara Buss Leave a Comment

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Looking for 4th of July food ideas for your holiday gathering? We've got grilled classics, salads, and patriotic sides and desserts perfect for your Independence day celebration.

    4th of July recipes

    As we Americans celebrate the independence day of our nation, families and friends around the country gather in homes for a fourth of July party. Our family loves to host a backyard barbecue with lots of yummy food, sweet treats, outdoor games, and splashing around our above ground pool before heading off to the local fireworks show in the evening.

    No July 4th party would be complete without some really delicious food, and today I'm sharing my favorite fourth of July food ideas. I prefer my 4th of July food to fall into three categories: patriotic food, American classics, and grilled food. Nothing says America like firing up the grill and serving some over the top red, white, and blue desserts and side dishes.

    I hope these 4th of July food ideas help you have the best feast yet!

    Main dishes

    chicken kabobs, slow cooker bbq, grilled chicken, summer charcuterie board, bbq chicken legs, smoked sausage kabobs

    You can go as basic or fancy as you want here.  I've included the basics, grilling upleveled, classic American favorites, and more.

    • hamburgers
    • hot dogs or bratwurst

    You can't go wrong with a classic hot dog or brat. Serve with all the toppings: ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, sauerkraut.

    • lemon herb chicken kabobs
    • smoked sausage kabobs
    • best simple grilled chicken thighs
    • buttermilk fried chicken (or order some ahead of time)
    • baby back ribs
    • oven bbq chicken leg quarters or legs
    • slow cooker bbq chicken thighs
    • summer charcuterie board

    Side dishes

    fruit salad, cabbage salad, quinoa salad, black bean and corn salad, sour cream dip, cucumber salad

    Side dishes are where it's at when it comes to cookouts. Give me all of them! These highlight the best of the seasonal summer produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, peppers, squash, zucchini, and fruit. All of these are winners and they are also mayo-free!

    • healthy Asian inspired cabbage salad
    • Greek quinoa salad
    • cucumber and dill salad
    • tomato and cucumber salad
    • red white and blue potato salad
    • quick and easy pasta salad
    • sweet corn on the cob
    • black bean and corn salad
    • 4th of July fruit salad
    • ​red white and blue fruit kabobs
    • chips and sour cream dip
    • fresh homemade salsa with corn chips
    • baked beans
    • grilled squash and zucchini
    • squash casserole
    • corn salad

    Desserts

    Patriotic desserts are such a fun way to celebrate America's birthday even if you don't have any other red white & blue food on the menu. Blue and red berries along with white cake or ice cream are easy ways to sneak in the patriotic colors. It's a great way to take advantage of the summer bounty while staying festive.

    • red white and blue popsicles: homemade or store-bought (I like Johnny Pops brand)
    • patriotic parfaits
    • American flag cake
    • ​4th of july ice cream sandwiches: Just store bought ice cream sandwiches with red and blue sprinkles. Easy!
    • patriotic trifle
    • cherry pie
    • blueberry cobbler
    « Red White and Blue 4th of July Fruit Salad Recipe
    Quick and easy pizza quesadilla recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Tara Buss headshot

    Hi, I'm Tara! Mom, wife, and frugal living expert. I believe you can feed your family well even when money and time are tight. Let me show you how.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Sack lunch ideas- no refrigeration
      50 Easy Sack Lunch Ideas (No Refrigeration)
    • Southern crockpot pinto beans
      Crockpot pinto beans
    • Homemade biscuits on a baking sheet
      Easy Homemade Biscuit Recipe (Without Buttermilk)
    • baked potato topped with butter on a white plate
      16 Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Baked Potatoes

    Grab my E-book

    Eat well spend smart ebook

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Eat Well Spend Smart