Summer Cookout Ideas - Celebrations at Home (2024)

WHAT'S IN THIS GUIDE?

Outdoor Table Setting

• Setting up a table for 6 or 8 is pretty easy. Use a piece of fabric right off the bolt and layer it onto the table.
• Use white melamine plates with colorful napkins. Red and white makes a wonderful color combination for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.
• Bamboo forks are kinder to the environment than plastic. And you can actually wash them by hand and reuse them a few of times.
• Create an easy and inexpensive summer centerpiece with clean cans and white spray paint. This is another way to recycle or “up-cycle” household goods. They make fantastic diy flower vases.

Set up a Buffet Table

Place the food on a large serving table so guests can help themselves.

• Find a creative way to serve the main dish. Here we used a 2-tiered wire stand to hold burgers on the top tier and sausage dogs on the bottom. It adds height and interest to a simple display of food.
• Serve gourmet mustard like chipotle or dill flavored for an updated twist, along with ketchup and mayonnaise. Serve them inside glass votive containers and line them up on a wooden paddle or cheese board.
• You can use popsicle sticks from the craft store to label each condiment. And the sticks double as spreaders! Use a stamp set or a Sharpie pen to write on the stick.

Easy Main Dishes

If you want easy menu ideas for your outdoor party, then classic dishes are the way to go. They’re universally loved which is why they’re “classic.”

• Grill up one of my favorite appetizers of all time. These bacon wrapped chicken bites are a family recipe that everyone loves.
• For the main entrée grill the best juicy burgers and top them with all the fixings.
• My Asian-style burgers are incredibly flavorful and can be made with ground chicken, turkey or beef. Top with sweet chili sauce for the perfect bite.
• My sun dried tomato burgers have feta cheese for a rich depth of flavor. They’re like a combination between Mediterranean and Italian, and taste great on ciabatta rolls with lettuce and red onion.
• Not to be overlooked, these Greek burgers with tzatziki sauce are so good with lettuce and tomato on pita bread. Use ground lamb or beef to make them.
• Include a fun hot dog roast because nothing goes together quite like hamburgers and hot dogs.
• Of course you can get creative with new food trends and special diets too. Consider adding veggie burgers or Impossible Burgers to the menu.

Use scrapbook paper to maketoppers for canning jars. This will help keep any flying insects at bay. I punched a hole in the top and pushed a straw through for the perfectly sized drinking glasses.

PARTY TIP: Make yummy fizzy sherbet sodas by adding 2 scoops of sherbet to a glass and topping with ginger ale. Kids love them and adults can add a splash of vodka.

What to Bring to a Cookout Last Minute

Although this party plan is focused on a 24-hour timeline, sometimes you have even less notice. In that case here are some easy last minute foods you can bring to a cookout.

• Watermelon – Fresh sliced watermelon is a summer favorite and can act as a snack or a dessert.
• You can make easy baked beans with ground beef in less than 2 hours, making it a terrific hot dish idea.
• Crudites Platter – Bring fresh, sliced vegetables and Ranch dip. People love to nibble on a veggie platter, and it suits all diets.
• Chips – You can never have too many chips at a backyard party. Bring interesting flavors of potato chips, or tortilla chips with salsa. People can snack on them before the meal and eat them with their burgers and hot dogs.You can elevate them with this recipe.
• Caprese Salad – Slice some tomatoes and combine it with fresh basil, mozzarella, and a little balsamic vinaigrette for a simple caprese salad everyone will love.
• Brownies or Cookies – Stop at the bakery and pick up a box of cookies or brownies. No matter how many homemade desserts there are, people will always go for those.
• Fresh fruit – Another easy food is fresh fruit. Just as watermelon is great on its own, a fruit salad, a bowl full of berries, or sliced fruit with caramel dip are easy and delicious.
• Family Friendly Drinks – Bring a gallon of iced tea or lemonade for everyone to drink. Pour them into your own pitchers or bottles for prettier display.

Side Dishes for a Cookout

Keep in mind that people love variety at a cookout, so the more you have, the better. These are some of the best summer party side dishes for burgers and hot dogs.

• Corn on the cob
• Potato Salad with bacon
• Creamy Pasta Salad
• Veggie Salads like Cucumber, Broccoli, or Corn
• Slaw – can double as a hot dog topper
• Caprese Salad
• Fresh Fruit
• Fresh Cut Vegetables or Crudités
• Chips

Easy Desserts

Remember that cookout parties are likely outside in the heat. Therefore you want to have dessert options that can stand up to that environment for short periods of time while they’re being served.

I don’t suggest anything too fancy. Save that for an elegant dinner party. Here are some of the best ideas for desserts at a backyard party.

• Bars – chocolate marshmallow bars, lemon bars, or Rice Krispies treats.
• Sheet Cakes – easy mini dump cakes and simple sheet cakes serve a crowd.
• Cookies – peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, shortbread cookies.
• Cupcakes and Brownies – mini sizes are great for young kids.
• Interactive dessert station – build your own shortcakes, and an ice cream sandwich bar are super fun!
• Cobblers and Crumbles – Make simple individual cobblers using canned fruit pie filling and my crumble topping recipe below.

Timeline for a Last Minute Cookout

24 Hours Ahead

• Make a quick trip to the store for groceries and pick up the meat to make burgers. Grab some hot dogs or sausages to serve with sautéed peppers and onions. TIP: You can make the burgers smaller like sliders so people can have a burger and a sausage dog without getting too full.
• Purchase jugs of iced tea or lemonade and serve it from your own bottles, pitchers, or drink dispenser.
• Pick up a bouquet or two of mixed flowers so you can make simple flower centerpieces.

Morning of Party

• Make any creamy bound salads so the flavors can mingle and develop all day.
• Get a watermelon and chill it if you have room. Otherwise, place it in an ice water bath about an hour before you’re ready to serve it.

3-4 Hours Ahead

• Prepare hamburger patties and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Mix together the crumble topping and assemble easy berry cobblers. Get the recipe below.
• Set up the outdoor party space with folding tables, chairs, grill, ice tubs and coolers.

Fruit Crumble Dessert

Here’s the recipe for my all-purpose crumb topping for any fruit crumble or cobbler dessert. Just sprinkle it over canned fruit pie filling and bake, for the easiest dessert for a last minute party.

You can make six mini desserts, or a 9 x 9 pan. Double the recipe as needed.

All-Purpose Dessert Crumble Topping

Yield: 6 individual desserts or one 9x9 dish

Use this all purpose crumble mix on top of fruit cobblers, pies, or ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup All purpose flour
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 3 Tablespoons quick cooking /old fashioned oats
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

1. Mix all dry ingredients together, and combine well.
2. Add melted butter and mix until moistened through.
3. Sprinkle topping over cobbler or canned pie fruit filling, and bake until filling is bubbly and topping is browned.
   

Notes

You can easily double this recipe as needed.

Did you make this recipe?

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