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What are the best picnic recipe ideas for Memorial Day? Even if you are picnicking in your backyard, a Memorial Day meal can ensure it’s a complete success. A Memorial Day is typically considered the unofficial start to cookout season, even if the first day of summer is not until June.
Memorial Day is an important holiday, and while you decorate your home for the memorial, planning a picnic with your family is another essential part of celebrating Memorial Day. Since it’s a 3-day weekend, you want to ensure you have all your favorite dishes narrowed down.
Memorial Day also allows you to include all of your favorite dishes since it’s a three-day course meal. However, it can be unclear what you have to pack for this picnic.
You can pack tons of foods for a Memorial Day picnic, but to ensure you are more creative, we have rounded up the perfect picnic recipes for a memorial for you.
25 Picnic Recipes for Memorial Day
To plan the perfect picnic for Memorial Day, you can stick to classic dishes like corn on the cob or plenty of pasta salad. For a chance to whip up the best summer recipe, whether you are taking a trip to the beach, planning a small picnic with family, or having a big backyard cookout, we have compiled lists of top-rated recipes.
1. Red, White And Blue Potato Salad
Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad is a delicious and patriotic dish, it incorporates red, white, and blue ingredients, such as red potatoes, white potatoes, and blue cheese. And this makes it perfect for celebrating holidays like the Fourth of July or Memorial Day.
Get the Red, White And Blue Potato Salad recipe
2. Strawberry Pretzel Pie
This strawberry pretzel pie is a lovely and refreshing dessert option for Memorial Day. The combination of sweet strawberries, creamy filling, and salty pretzel crust can be a delightful treat for any summer celebration.
Get the strawberry pretzel pie recipe
3. Presto Caprese Salad
This is a tasty recipe as it has fresh and vibrant flavors making it a perfect dish for a summer holiday gathering. The combination of juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil will impress your guests. Plus, it’s quick and easy to make, leaving you more time to enjoy the company of your loved ones.
Get the Presto Caprese Salad recipe
4. Creamy Broccoli Salad
Creamy broccoli salad is a nice addition to your Memorial Day menu. It offers a mix of flavors and textures with creamy dressing and crunchy broccoli. It’s a crowd-pleaser and can be a refreshing dish for a summer gathering.
Get the creamy broccoli salad recipe
5. Blueberry Zucchini Bread
The mix of sweet blueberries and nutritious zucchini creates a moist and flavorful loaf that is perfect for a summer treat. This blueberry zucchini bread is a delicious and versatile recipe that can be enjoyed for Memorial Day or any occasion. Whether served as a breakfast option or a dessert, this bread is sure to be a hit with your guests.
6. Greek Chicken Souvlaki Kabobs
This easy Greek chicken souvlaki kabobs are simply bursting with the Mediterranean flavors of garlic, onion, and oregano. You get to grill this in under 15 minutes and have it ready for your picnic. This is also perfect to be enjoyed together with family on a weeknight, you can serve it along with some homemade tzatziki sauce for entertaining.
Get the Greek chicken souvlaki recipe.
7. Banana Pudding
Need some creamy dessert that is easy to pull the crowd then this banana pudding is perfect. This banana pudding is quite fast and made with half and half egg yolks and cornstarch to give it richness and sure thickening. This has the right amount of sweetness and it’s perfect for a Memorial Day picnic.
Get the banana pudding recipe.
8. California Club Wraps
This giant slice of California Club Wraps sandwich is perfect for a picnic. This is loaded with crispy bacon, avocado, tomatoes, rotisserie chicken, and lettuce with a delicious dressing. There are basic ingredients that come together to make this delicious, simply wrap it properly to transport it.
Get the California Club wraps recipe.
9. Easy Grilled Shrimp Boil
This quick grilled shrimp boil includes large tiger prawns, fresh corn, baby potatoes, and sausage. They are super perfect for Memorial Day picnics, it is buttery, garlicky, and lemony after being tossed in the classic seafood seasoning blend with fresh parsley and then drenched in melted butter. This gives you a delightful taste.
10. Tortellini Pasta Salad
This cheesy Tortellini Pasta Salad gives you a flavor that will have you coming back for more. This dish comes together in less than 30- minutes and has a simple homemade dressing while also being flavorful. Another benefit is that it is loaded with veggies and much of the dish can be prepared ahead to save time.
Get the tortellini pasta salad recipe.
11. Grilled Chicken Wings
Who doesn’t love a grilled chicken BBQ, it’s super crispy and can be served as an appetizer or main dish. This is one of the best choices of dishes for a cookout party and with this classic recipe, you will never go back to the boring chicken wings again.
Get the grilled chicken wings recipe.
12. Cacio e Pepe Pizza
Want a classic picnic both your guests and the kids can enjoy? Cacio e Pepe Pizza is known to be a party staple, it’s a crowd-pleaser as well. No utensils are needed to enjoy it and the layers give you something you can enjoy at any time of the day but can be customized by piling toppings.
Get the Cacio e Pepe Pizza recipe.
13. Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake
Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake is a great recipe for a Memorial Day picnic as it’s very easy to bake and transport. It serves as a fruit-filled dessert for any summer gatherings as well.
Get the plum berry cornmeal sheet cake recipe.
14. Healthy Yellow Summer Squash Casserole
Squash casserole is a dish that can be enjoyed at the first of cookout season and its super perfect for a Memorial Day picnic. This is one of the most underrated all-occasion kinds of dish, it is healthy and easy to make and you get to make it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven.
Get the healthy yellow summer squash casserole recipe.
15. Grilled Ratatouille Pasta
To switch things up from the usual grilling of steaks, pizza, and skewers, time to try this grilled ratatouille recipe. The high heat from your grill lets you toast to perfection ingredients such as bell pepper, onions, zucchini, eggplant, and all kinds of hearty vegetables you plan to add.
Get the grilled ratatouille pasta recipe.
16. Grilled Chicken Marinade
Grilled chicken is always a winner at any memorial picnic. This chicken recipe should be the perfect go-to, the marinade soaking ensures you get a perfect juicy taste, not only did it infuse the chicken with flavor but it’s tender as well. Another key feature is that it is easy to make this chicken with the ingredients you have available in your pantry.
Get the grilled chicken marinade recipe.
17. Lamb Burger
Want to make the best-ever lamb burger? We have got the right recipe to enable you to achieve that. This is a Greek(ish) lamb burger, another delightful food you should have on the menu for your picnic. This particular burger has some extra flavor built in, so you can’t help but love it.
18. Caprese Skewers
Caprese appetizers do come in handy, they are quite colorful and you get to make them ahead of time for a fun summer picnic. It’s easy to make and serve appetizers, to be enjoyed by anyone.
Get the Caprese appetizer recipe.
19. Mexican Hot Dog
Want a simple summer dinner? This Mexican hot dog recipe gives you a delicious hot dog topped with chipotle mayonnaise, cheese, avocados, and cilantro. This is one of our favorite options and it’s super perfect for picnics.
Get the Mexican hot dog recipe.
20. Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Since you can’t have a Memorial Day celebration without firing up the grill then it is only expected that you add shrimp to the menu. This spicy grilled shrimp is filled with an unforgettable burst of flavor, and it’s fast and easy to prepare.
Get the spicy grilled shrimp recipe.
21. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
This looks fantastic and we can assure you that it tastes even better than it looks. This is the old-fashioned rhubarb recipe and it has been thickened with tapioca. However, it does include more strawberry and less Rhubarb to give you the perfect balance of tartness.
Get the strawberry rhubarb recipe.
22. Mexican Street Corn
This Mexican corn is also called Elote and it’s a popular traditional street food in Mexico. It is simply corn on the cob charred on an open grill and here is one of our best recipes worth trying, it has been smothered in cheese, a cream sauce, and chipotle seasoning so you can be sure it is insanely delicious.
23. Cheeseburger Sliders
Cheeseburgers are fun and easy meals you can share with your family at any time of the day. So, they are perfect for picnics on Memorial Day. This Cheeseburger slider is just what you need to feed crowds on Memorial Day.
Get the cheeseburger slider recipe.
24. Pepperoni Pizza Roll
Here is one of the easiest and time-saving homemade pepperoni pizza roll to make. These pizza rolls put a twist on the usual menu for picnics on Memorial Day, it’s a great choice of recipe, and also perfect for a game day snack or weeknight dinner.
Get the homemade pepperoni pizza roll recipe.
25. Greek Chicken Kebabs
The trick to making the best chicken kebabs is to work with the best marinade. The marinade in this recipe can be prepped days in advance, and the chicken only needs 30 minutes to marinate and give you the perfect flavor after grilling. It is pretty easy and delicious!
Get the Greek chicken kebab recipe.
Wrapping Up
Memorial Day will be here any time soon, and the unofficial start to summer, so it’s only best that you get armed with all your favorite recipes.
Tradition also demands that a picnic happens in your backyard and that also involves a long weekend cookout with your grill.
This is why we have listed these amazing recipes above to help you that memorial activities in order. The recipe lineup above should surely kick-start summer and Memorial Day picnics effortlessly.
