Best 4th of July Food Ideas (Red, White & Blue)

Do you ever promise yourself you’ll be more prepared for holidays?

Me too, but somehow I’m always scrambling last minute!

Not this year though.

My littlest has been BEGGING to help make red, white and blue goodies (she’s obsessed with those flag cake videos on YouTube kids), while my oldest is inviting friends over.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have some easy recipes you can actually make with kids underfoot?

Or options that look impressive but take minimal effort?

I’ve rounded up treats that are perfect whether you’re hosting a 4th of July backyard BBQ or need something to bring to the neighborhood potluck.

Some are my tried-and-true favorites, others are new ones that just look too delicious to pass up.

Trust me, your family will devour these faster than my girls go through popsicles on a hot day!

Let me know which ones you try!

Easy Red, White & Blue 4th of July Food Ideas

These red, white, and blue food ideas are cute, festive, and actually easy to throw together.

Perfect for cookouts, block parties, or just keeping the kids excited while they wait for fireworks.

1. 4th of July Cupcakes

These patriotic cupcakes are a LIFESAVER when you need something festive but dont have hours to spend decorating.

My girls go absolutely bonkers for them!

What you’ll need:

• Box of white cake mix
• 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
• 2 tbs Vanilla
• 3/4 cup Sour cream
• 3/4 cup Heavy cream (+ extra for frosting)
• 4 egg whites
• Red white blue M&Ms (optional but fun!)
• 2 cups Unsalted butter (for frosting)
• Salt (just a pinch)
• 10 cups Powdered sugar
• Red and blue food coloring
• Star sprinkles
• Cupcake liners

Quick Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake pan
2. Mix wet ingredients first (oil vanilla sour cream heavy cream eggs) then add cake mix and M&Ms
3. Fill liners 3/4 full and bake about 14 mins
4. Let cool completely before frosting
5. For frosting whip butter til fluffy then add vanilla and salt
6. Mix in powdered sugar and heavy cream bit by bit
7. Divide frosting into 3 bowls and color one red one blue leave one white
8. Put each color in its own piping bag and decorate in circles
9. Add star sprinkles on top!

2. No Bake American Flag Icebox Cake

You wouldn’t believe how impressive this No Bake American Flag Icebox Cake looks considering it takes barely any effort!

What you’ll need:

• 1 full quart heavy cream
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2½ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 3 sleeves graham crackers
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 lbs. strawberries
• 9×13 dish

Steps:

1. Chill mixing bowl in fridge 15 mins (makes cream whip better!) and wash berries slice strawberries set aside
2. Whip cream with sugar vanilla and salt til stiff peaks form (no droopy tips!)
3. Smear tiny bit of cream on dish bottom then layer graham crackers
4. Spread 1/3 cream then most blueberries
5. Another graham layer another 1/3 cream then most strawberries
6. Final graham layer final cream spread
7. Make flag design: blueberries in top left corner (5 rows of 8) and strawberry stripes
8. Cover refrigerate at least 4 hours til crackers soften

The girls always fight over who gets the blueberry corner piece but honestly any slice tastes like summer magic!

This no bake cake also tastes great with Cool Whip.

3. 4th of July Milkshakes

The girls and I whipped these up last year when it was too hot to even THINK about turning on the oven!

Takes literally 2 minutes to make and my youngest said it was “the most delicious blue thing ever” haha.

What you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 Oreos =
• Blue food coloring (few drops)
• Vanilla ice cream (3 big scoops)
• Whipped cream
• Patriotic sprinkles

Steps:

1. Toss 3 Oreos ice cream milk and blue dye into blender
2. Blend til smooth (my oldest likes hers extra thick!)
3. Pour into tall glass cups
4. Top with mountain of whipped cream
5. Sprinkle red white and blue sprinkles all over
6. Crumble remaining Oreo on top

4. Red White and Blue Popsicles

For that hot July 4th day, whip out these “rocket pops!”

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1 tbsp Powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup Water
• Vanilla extract (splash)
• 1 cup Vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 Bananas
• 1 cup Blueberries
• Food coloring (optional if you want brighter colors)
• Popsicle molds

Steps:

1. Blend strawberries sugar water and vanilla til smooth (add red coloring if needed)
2. Pour strawberry mix into molds filling 1/3 way freeze 1 hour
3. Blend yogurt with 1 banana til creamy
4. Add white yogurt layer on top of frozen red layer filling to 2/3 freeze again
5. Blend blueberries with remaining banana (add blue coloring if needed)
6. Pour blue mix on top insert sticks
7. Freeze at least 4 hours (overnight works best!)

5. Red White & Blue Fruit Salad

This fruit salad is my go-to when I need something healthy that still screams “4th of July!”

What you’ll need:

• Pink Lady apple (1)
• Strawberries (1 pound)
• Blueberries (1 pound)
• Small star cookie cutter
• Big bowl

Super Simple Steps:

1. Wash all fruit pat dry
2. Quarter strawberries toss in bowl
3. Add blueberries to strawberries
4. Slice apple then press cookie cutter to make star shapes
5. Gently mix apple stars with berries
6. Chill til serving time (but not too long or apple browns!)

6. American Flag Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

For a fancier 4th of July cake, I like making this for a statement!

What you’ll need for cake:

• Yellow cake mix (1 box)
• 3 Large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

For cream cheese frosting (the BEST part):

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup room temp butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

For the flag design:

• Fresh strawberries (sliced thin)
• Fresh raspberries
• Fresh blueberries
• White chocolate stars (optional)

Quick Steps:

1. Refrigerate until serving (cream cheese needs to stay cool)

2. Preheat oven to 350°F spray 9×13 pan

3. Mix cake ingredients until smooth (dont overmix or it gets tough!)

4. Pour batter in pan bake about 25 mins til toothpick comes out clean

5. Cool completely in pan (patience is key here!)

6. Beat cream cheese and butter until super smooth then add sugar vanilla and salt

7. Spread thick layer of cream cheese frosting over cooled cake

8. Arrange blueberries in top left corner for stars section

9. Create stripes with alternating rows of strawberries and plain white frosting

7. Red White and Blue Chocolate Bark

You wont believe how quick this patriotic chocolate bark comes together or how fast it disappears at parties!

My littlest calls it “flag candy” and the older girls fight over who gets the pieces with the most M&Ms.

What you’ll need:

• Semi-sweet chocolate morsels (2 cups)
• White chocolate morsels (2 cups)
• Red candy melts (1/2 cup)
• White candy melts (1/2 cup)
• Blue candy melts (1/2 cup)
• Star sprinkles (1 tablespoon)
• Red white blue M&Ms (1/4 cup)
• Baking tray
• Parchment paper

Steps:

1. Line tray with parchment paper
2. Melt semi-sweet chocolate in microwave (30 second bursts) spread on tray
3. Chill til firm
4. Melt white chocolate pour over dark layer chill again
5. Melt colored candy melts separately
6. Drizzle colors over white layer swirl with toothpick
7. Sprinkle M&Ms and stars while still sticky
8. Chill til completely firm
9. Break into rustic pieces serve

8. Red, White & Blue Bites

These are great for an end of year soccer party or a BBQ bash!

What you’ll need:

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/3 C powdered sugar
• Fresh blueberries
• Fresh strawberries (sliced)
• Crackers (I used the circular kind but any sturdy cracker works)

Steps:

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture onto crackers.

Not too thick or it squishes out when you bite it.

Top with fresh berries in whatever pattern makes you happy.

That’s literally it!

If you make these ahead of time the crackers can get soggy so wait to put the mixture on until right before serving or just bring all the stuff and let people make their own.

9. Patriotic Pizza

I tried this patriotic pizza recipe last weekend as a test run for our 4th of July cookout and WOW!

The kids went absolutely crazy for it.

For the Dough:

24 oz of your favorite pizza dough recipe

For the Sauce:

¼ cup onion balsamic jam
¼ cup balsamic black pepper fig jam
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
heavy pinch kosher salt
several grindings black pepper

Toppings:

6 oz bacon par-cooked
4 oz freshly grated mozzarella cheese
5-6 small blue or purple potatoes
8 oz fresh goat cheese crumbled
8 oz roasted red pepper diced

Quick Steps:

1. Cut dough into 4 balls (6oz each).
2. Roll into 8″ circles.
3. Brush one side with oil.
4. Set up grill with hot and cool zones.
5. Place dough oil-side down on cool zone.
6. Grill 1-2 minutes, turning halfway.
7. Flip dough over.
8. Add sauce and toppings.
9. For extra patriotic touch, cut some red peppers into stars!
10. Close grill lid and cook 4-5 minutes.

These were SO GOOD and honestly not that hard!

Perfect for when you want something special but still have to drive kids to three different places before the fireworks.

10. Flag Parmesan Garlic Chip Dip

You know those recipes that look super impressive but are actually so easy? This flag dip is exactly that! Made it for the girls soccer team party last weekend and the moms all asked for the recipe.

What you’ll need:

8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 c. sour cream
1 c. Parmesan
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2/3 c. cherry tomatoes halved
blue corn tortilla chips

Steps:

1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, garlic powder and onion powder until smooth.
2. Spread dip in bottom half of a white 9×13 dish.
3. Arrange halved cherry tomatoes in rows on top of dip (like the red stripes on flag).
4. Add blue corn chips to the other half of dish (for the blue part of flag).
5. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

This is so perfect for 4th of July or any summer get-together.

If you’re taking this somewhere, wait to add the chips until right before serving so they dont get soggy.

Nobody likes a soggy chip!

Let me know if you try this one!

11. Red, White & Blue S’Mores Brownies

Summer means s’mores season at our house but sometimes I just don’t have the energy for campfires and sticky marshmallow fingers.

These s’mores brownies are my lazy mom hack and they’re ALWAYS a hit!

Brownies:

1 box Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix (Family size)
2 eggs
1/4 water
2/3 oil
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 bag Crunchy S’mores M&M’s (8 oz, divided)

Topping:

2 oz white chocolate melted

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix brownie ingredients according to box directions.
3. Stir in chocolate chips, marshmallows and 3/4 of the M&M’s.
4. Spread into greased 13×9″ pan.
5. Bake about 25 minutes until tester has fudgy crumbs.=
6. Let cool completely.
7. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.
8. Sprinkle remaining M&M’s on top.

These brownies are dangerously good.

If you’re bringing these to a potluck cut them small because they’re super rich. Plus then you can sneak an extra piece without anyone noticing!

12. Patriotic Jello

I made this for last year’s 4th of July block party and people thought I was some kind of dessert genius! Little did they know how simple it actually was. My girls have been begging me to make it again this year.

What you’ll need:

2 large boxes of Jell-o (red & blue)
Water
2 packs of plain Gelatin
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Steps:

1. Make red Jell-o in one dish and blue in another using 1 cup hot water for each.
2. Refrigerate overnight until firm.
3. Cut Jell-o into small cubes.
4. Arrange cubes in a 9×13 baking dish.
5. Dissolve 2 packs of plain gelatin in 2 cups boiling water.
6. Add can of sweetened condensed milk and stir well.
7. Let mixture cool to room temp.
8. Pour over Jell-o cubes.
9. Refrigerate at least 7 hours.
10. Slice and serve cold!

The middle one was fascinated watching the white part set around the colored cubes.

She said it looked like the Jell-o was “trapped in ice” which I thought was pretty clever.

Make sure the white mixture is completely cooled before pouring over the cubes or they’ll melt and you’ll lose that pretty stained glass effect.

13. Red, White, Blue Pesto Pasta Salad

This pasta salad saved dinner and everbody ate it!

What you’ll need:

• 1 box pasta (I used bow ties because the girls think they’re cute)
• 2 chicken breasts, grilled and diced
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan (optional)

Steps:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.
2. Grill chicken with salt and pepper. Dice when cooled.
3. Mix pesto, olive oil and lemon juice in bottom of large bowl.
4. Add cooled pasta and toss to coat.
5. Fold in chicken, berries and spinach.
6. Sprinkle with parmesan if using.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The great thing is you can make this ahead of time so its ready when you get home from activities.

It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a bit.

14. Red, White, and Blue Margarita Slushies

I made this layered slush drink for our 4th of July cookout and I swear, people were filming it like it was a fireworks show.

The colors are that pretty, and honestly, it tastes even better than it looks.

What you’ll need:

For the Red Layer

• 3½ cups ice
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1½ oz blanco tequila (1 shot)
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 2 oz grenadine
• 1 oz fresh lime juice

For the White Layer

• 3½ cups ice
• 1½ oz blanco tequila (1 shot)
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp agave nectar or honey

For the Blue Layer

• 3½ cups ice
• 1½ oz blanco tequila (1 shot)
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 2 oz blue curaçao
• 1 oz lime juice

Steps:

1. In a high-powered blender, make the red layer by blending ice, frozen strawberries, tequila, Cointreau, grenadine, and lime juice until slushy. Divide evenly into 6 glasses. Rinse out the blender.
2. Make the white layer by blending ice, tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and agave (or honey). Gently pour over the red layer in each glass. Rinse the blender again.
3. Blend the blue layer: ice, tequila, Cointreau, blue curaçao, and lime juice. Carefully pour over the white layer.
4. Garnish with fresh fruit (we used blueberries and strawberries). Serve immediately and enjoy!

If you’re layering, make sure each layer is thick enough to float the next, otherwise the colors will blend.

Still pretty, but not the wow moment you’re going for.

15. Patriotic Pretzels

These are the perfect mix of salty, sweet, and festive 4th of July food idea.

Honestly, they’re so easy you’ll want to make them for every holiday (just switch up the colors).

What you’ll need:

• 16 oz bag pretzel twists
• 24 oz vanilla candy coating, melted
• Red, white, and blue sprinkles

Steps:

1. Melt candy coating in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth (about 90 seconds total).
2. Dip the tops of the pretzels in the melted coating.
3. Place on parchment or wax paper.
4. Add sprinkles right away before the coating sets.
5. Let them dry for about 30 minutes until firm.
6. Store in a sealed container or Ziploc bag.

Make a big batch—these go fast!

Easy 4th of July Food to Enjoy

I hope you found some patriotic and festive July 4th food ideas for your next BBQ or potluck party!

For more food ideas, make sure to follow me on Pinterest.