When it comes to food, Independence Day is commonly associated with barbecues, beer, picnics, strawberry shortcake, and all the hot dogs you can eat! But did you know that it's also associated with red, white and blue foods? Yep, it sure is! Red, white & blue foods became popular many years ago and continues to be traditional even today. And you thought we ate red weenies, red BBQ sauce, red baked beans & red strawberries just because they tasted good. :)
Traditional Foods on the 4th of July
It's traditional to spend the whole day outside on the 4th just enjoying the day while the kids anxiously await seeing the fireworks after dark. Because we have centered all our activities outside on this day, our meals are also traditionally outside as well. Below you will find easy traditional foods for your July 4th holiday. Click on photo for larger image.
Grilling & BBQ:
Forth Of July has long been a very popular Holiday for grilling out with the family. Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending picnics and barbecues. Our grilling pages are just sizzling with great tips to make your holiday a success! Learn the difference between grilling and barbecue.
Hot Dogs:
How ironic that National Hot Dog Month and July 4th go hand in hand. Did you know that hot dogs are always found on the grill for the 4th of July? Yep.... July 4th is a well known day for grilling and although it's popular to grill all kinds of meat, it's still a fact that hot dogs are the #1 choice along side other food favorites.
Cool Salads:
Salads are traditional! July is one HOT month and having cool and refreshing salads on the table is everyone's plan of attack. There are hundreds of salad recipes that can be kept in the cooler until time to eat.
Barbecue Baked Beans:
#1 choice alongside all grilling foods because the taste goes with everything. We like to cook our with sausage for some extra smokey flavor.
Chip & Veggie Dips:
On July 4th we snack on food all day long and this day wouldn't be the same if we didn't have several dips to choose from. Salsa can serve double duty on this day too because you can not only dip with it but you can spoon it on top of your hotdogs too!
Pickles:
Did you know that pickles are ate more on July 4th than any other time of the year? Yep! They are eaten whole right out of the jar either sweet or dill. They are put on top of hot dogs as relish and sliced dills are put inside hamburgers. Since July 4th is basically a picnic day it means pickles all the way!
Lemonade:
Ahhhh... cool and refreshing! Ok I know what your going to say, beer is the #1 drink on the 4th of July but for those of us who don't drink beer, lemonade is the next best thing. Followed by sweet tea and coke.
Strawberry Shortcake:
Did you know that Strawberry Shortcake is the #1 dessert that is traditionally served on July 4th Holiday! Yes in deed it is. In the U. S. just about every 4th of July cookout will have this cool and refreshing dessert on the table. Many times blueberries are added to the red strawberries to make the dish "red, white & blue" symbolic for the holiday colors.
Homemade Ice Cream:
Get the ice cream machine out and get her cranked up. It's time to make some homemade ice cream! Yes ice cold homemade ice cream is traditional on July 4th for many families! Maybe that's because the month of July is National Ice Cream Month.
