From classic American favorites and vibrant salads to refreshing drinks and ultimate side dishes, these Memorial Day Food Ideas are guaranteed to impress your guests and make your celebration memorable.
What better way to honor and celebrate Memorial Day than by gathering with loved ones for a memorable feast?
Nothing screams Memorial Day more than firing up the grill and coming together with friends and family for a delicious outdoor meal.
Enjoy a day filled with good food and good company, whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or enjoying a relaxing picnic in the park with friends.
These Memorial Day Food Ideas will make the occasion truly memorable!
From classic American favorites like 🔥 grilled meats, veggies and hot dogs to crowd-pleasing side dishes such as 🌮 corn ribs, fresh and flavorful salads 🥗, and cool and refreshing drinks 🍹, this round-up of recipes has something for everyone.
And let’s not forget about desserts to end the weekend on a sweet note.
So, let’s get cooking and celebrate with flavor: Memorial Day Food Ideas!
1. Margarita Grilled Shrimp Skewers
by A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Shrimp marinated in a mixture of tequila, lime juice, garlic, and seasonings. Perfect for summer grilling!
Get the RECIPE for Margarita Grilled Shrimp Skewers!
2. Tex Mex Hot Dogs
by Homemade Home
A Classic American favorite with a bold fusion of flavors!
Get the RECIPE for Tex Mex Hot Dogs!
3. Simple Potato Salad
by My Active Kitchen
A classic, hearty, and satisfying side dish. Easily scalable, and easily customizable!
Get the RECIPE for Simple Potato Salad!
4. Heinz Copycat Baked Beans
by Recipe by Tin Eats
A copycat homemade version of the classic Heinz baked beans. Perfect for barbecues, picnics, or as an accompaniment to grilled meats!
Get the RECIPE for Heinz Copycat Baked Beans!
5. Fresh Watermelon Mojito
by Aberdeen’s Kitchen
A light, fruity, and incredibly refreshing cocktail. Perfect for hot summer days! 🍹
Get the RECIPE for Fresh Watermelon Mojito!
6. Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Strawberries and Feta
by Crowded Kitchen
A refreshing and vibrant dish – crispiness, tartness, juiciness, and creaminess! 🍉
Get the RECIPE for Watermelon Cucumber Salad!
7. Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
by The Sea Side Baker
A nostalgic and delicious sweet treat, perfect for summertime!
Get the RECIPE for Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars!
8. Triple Layer Guacamole Creamy Party Dip
by Soup Addict
Creamy, crunchy & fresh – All your favorite dips in one!
Get the RECIPE for Triple Layer Guacamole Creamy Party Dip!
9. Prosecco Boozy Grapes
by Lena Abraham (Delish)
Creamy, crunchy & fresh – All your favorite dips in one!
Get the RECIPE for Prosecco Boozy Grapes!
10. Buttermilk Cornbread
by Damn Delicious
Super moist and slightly sweet. Loved by everyone!
Get the RECIPE for Buttermilk Cornbread!
11. Sautéed Garlic Asparagus
by The Life Jolie
A deliciously addictive side dish, in just under 30 minutes!
Get the RECIPE for Sautéed Garlic Asparagus!
12. Arugula Salad with Berries
by Natasha’s Kitchen
Loaded with all the good stuff. Perfect for spring and summertime.
Get the RECIPE for Arugula Salad with Berries!
13. Jerk Chicken Tacos
by The Modern Proper
With homemade jerk seasoning and simple grilled chicken. Super quick and easy to make!
Get the RECIPE for Jerk Chicken Tacos!
14. Parmesan Zucchini Fries
by Rasa Malaysia
There is no going back once you try these panko-crusted oven-baked fries!
Get the RECIPE for Parmesan Zucchini Fries!
15. Mexican Corn Salad
by Recipes by Tin Eats
A wonderful fresh corn salad in the form of Esquites, a street snack sold in cups on the streets of Mexico, made with butter-sautéed corn and creamy lime dressing.
Get the RECIPE for Mexican Corn Salad!
16. Korean Style Shrimp Burger
by Cookerru
Crispy shrimp patties and melted cheese wrapped around buttery brioche buns, made in just 20 minutes!
Get the RECIPE for Korean Style Shrimp Burger!
17. Grilled BBQ Chicken
by Down Shiftology
Perfectly charred, insanely juicy, and glistening with BBQ sauce, a foolproof recipe!
Get the RECIPE for Grilled BBQ Chicken!
18. Zesty Balsamic Grilled Vegetables
by Modern Farm House Eats
Crisp-tender grilled vegetables with a homemade zesty balsamic vinaigrette, are flavorful, healthy, and super easy to make!
Get the RECIPE for Zesty Balsamic Grilled Vegetables!
19. Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
by From a Chef’s Kitchen
Crunchy vegetables and shrimp in a spicy, tangy tomato cocktail sauce, what’s not to love?
Get the RECIPE for Mexican Shrimp Cocktail!
20. BBQ Chicken Pizza
by Damn Delicious
Made with leftover rotisserie chicken, speediest, tastiest pizza ever!
Get the RECIPE for BBQ Chicken Pizza!
21. Strawberry Lemonade
by Yummy Mummy Kitchen
A pretty pink lemonade with simple ingredients!
Get the RECIPE for Strawberry Lemonade!
22. Lobster Rolls
by Foodie Crush
Savory, creamy, and absolutely delicious!
Get the RECIPE for Lobster Rolls!
23. Grilled BBQ Ribs
by The Wooden Skillet
This will be your new go-to recipe for perfectly grilled ribs!
Get the RECIPE for Grilled BBQ Ribs!
24. Deviled Eggs
by The Defined Dish
Perfect for any gathering as everyone loves them!
Get the RECIPE for Deviled Eggs!
25. Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
by Lemons and Zest
Minimal ingredients yet bursting with so much flavor, it will definitely steal the show!
Get the RECIPE for Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad!
26. No Bake Berry Lasagna
by OMG Chocolated Desserts
Red, white, and blue. Perfect dessert for Memorial Day!
Get the RECIPE for No Bake Berry Lasagna!
27. Kid Friendly Patriotic Punch
by Mom Endeavors
Made with three kid-friendly drinks, perfect for hot summer days!
Get the RECIPE for Kid Friendly Patriotic Punch!
28. Nutella Fruit Dip
by Lil Luna
Creamy, whipped, and heavenly delight!
Get the RECIPE for Nutella Fruit Dip!
29. BLT Panzanella
by Pinch of Yum
The best salad of summer. Superrrr YUM!
Get the RECIPE for BLT Panzanella!
30. Grilled Watermelon
by Two Peas and Their Pods
Juicy, sweet, and smoky watermelon drizzled with honey. Extremely easy to prepare!
Get the RECIPE for Grilled Watermelon!
31. Mixed Berry Crisp
by Feel Good Foodies
Buttery crumble and absolute berry bliss. This easy dessert screams summer!
Get the RECIPE for Mixed Berry Crisp!
32. Salt and Pepper Pork Chops
by Omnivore’s Cookbook
Crispy and juicy restaurant-style pork chops!
Get the RECIPE for Salt and Pepper Pork Chops!
33. Corn Ribs
by Sprinkles and Sprouts
Amp up your appetizer game by giving this recipe a try!
Get the RECIPE for Corn Ribs!
34. Huli Huli Chicken
by The Girl Inspired
Sweet and tangy – Full of amazing flavor!
Get the RECIPE for Huli Huli Chicken!
Take a quick look at the round-up of the Best Memorial Food Ideas below 👇
Memorial Day Classic American Food Favorite Recipes 🔥
- Margarita Grilled Shrimp Skewers by A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
- Tex Mex Hot Dogs by Homemade Home
- Heinz Copycat Baked Beans by Recipe by Tin Eats
- Jerk Chicken Tacos by The Modern Proper
- Korean Style Shrimp Burger by Cookerru
- Grilled BBQ Chicken by Down Shiftology
- BBQ Chicken Pizza by Damn Delicious
- Grilled BBQ Ribs by The Wooden Skillet
- BLT Panzanella by Pinch of Yum
- Salt and Pepper Pork Chops by Omnivore’s Cookbook
- Huli Huli Chicken by The Girl Inspired
Memorial Day Food Ideas for Crowd-Pleasing Side Dishes 🌮
- Triple Layer Guacamole Creamy Party Dip by Soup Addict
- Sautéed Garlic Asparagus by The Life Jolie
- Parmesan Zucchini Fries by Rasa Malaysia
- Zesty Balsamic Grilled Vegetables by Modern Farm House Eats
- Lobster Rolls by Foodie Crush
- Deviled Eggs by The Defined Dish
- Corn Ribs by Sprinkles and Sprouts
- Buttermilk Cornbread by Damn Delicious
Fresh and Flavorful Salads for Memorial Day 🥗
- Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Strawberries and Feta by Crowded Kitchen
- Arugula Salad with Berries by Natasha’s Kitchen
- Mexican Corn Salad by Recipes by Tin Eats
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad by Lemons and Zest
- Grilled Watermelon by Two Peas and Their Pods
- Caprese Salad by Downshiftology
- Simple Potato Salad by My Active Kitchen
Memorial Day Food Ideas for Cool and Refreshing Beverages 🍹
- Fresh Watermelon Mojito by Aberdeen’s Kitchen
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail by From a Chef’s Kitchen
- Strawberry Lemonade by Yummy Mummy Kitchen
- Kid Friendly Patriotic Punch by Mom Endeavors
Memorial Day Food Ideas for Desserts to Sweeten the Day 🍨
- Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars by The Sea Side Baker
- Boozy Grapes by Lena Abraham (Delish)
- No Bake Berry Lasagna by OMG Chocolated Desserts
- Nutella Fruit Dip by Lil Luna
- Mixed Berry Crisp by Feel Good Foodies