Find delicious, family-friendly, and easy Fourth of July recipes to share with the kids, including no-bake options, slow cooker mains, burgers, popsicles, fruit options, patriotic favorites, and more!
Whether for a potluck, neighborhood party, cookout, barbecue, or a dinner with your own family, these desserts and main dishes are so fun for the Fourth of July! I’m including my go-to summer desserts that work for this holiday (like my Rocket Pops!) so you have vetted options to choose from.
Know that each recipe is easy to execute, relies on accessible ingredients, can be made ahead of time, and is suitable for little kids…and adults!
(You may also like my favorite frozen dessert recipes, including my Strawberry Popsicles and Fruit Popsicles, as well as my super easy Strawberries and Cream.)
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Easy Rocket Pops
You can make these with fresh or frozen fruit, and there are a few options for added flavors, too—which means they are super versatile and can work with any allergies or budgets.
Packed with produce and flavor, these easy Rocket Pops are a fun homemade popsicle that’s perfect for celebrating. (Plan to make these at least 6 hours before you plan to serve them, or the day before to be sure they’ll be firm enough to serve.)
Easy Rocket Pops
Homemade Gummies
These homemade gummies are made with whole watermelon and blueberries, with a middle layer made from coconut milk. They may look hard to make, but they are actually really quite simple and are a fun dessert for the 4th of July.
Graham Cracker Icebox Cake
All you need is graham crackers and pudding. You can choose ones that work for food allergies or your preferences, and you can even make the whole thing ahead of time—all without turning on the oven.
Quick, easy, and no baking required? Yes, please! This easy Ice Box Cake is a delicious dessert to share with the kids—and it’s so darn simple to make.
Graham Cracker Icebox Cake
Fruit Sticks
You can do it with fruit the kids already love and with fruit they are learning to like. And you can make it for the kids or with the kids.
Call them fruit sticks, fruit wands, or fruit skewers, these are a perfect way to serve up a mix of fruit. You can make as few or as many as you like—adjust the quantity of fruit as needed.
Favorite Fruit Sticks
Easy Fruit Pizza
This recipe is easy to make and assemble, it’s versatile (you can use whichever fruit you have on hand and prefer), and it’s so delicious.
With an easy method and a delicious taste, this easy Fruit Pizza is such a fun dessert to share with the kids. It’s the best of all worlds with a sugar cookie crust, cream cheese frosting, and fresh fruit on top!
Easy Fruit Pizza
Fresh Watermelon Popsicles
These are fun enough to serve at a party or for a holiday and can be prepped in advance. We love them as a summer treat or an easy snack.
Learn how to turn fresh watermelon into popsicles by either blending and freezing into popsicle molds or freezing watermelon sticks or wedges. This added-sugar-free popsicle recipe is refreshing and delicious.
Fresh Watermelon Popsicles
Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake
This can be made ahead and hang out in the fridge, because it’s best served chilled. The ingredients are straightforward, there are fresh berries right in the batter, and the combination of the strawberry flavor with the strawberry cream cheese is just the most delicious.
The sheet cake is my go-to dessert for a potluck or picnic since you can make it up to one day ahead and serve it straight out of the fridge. The Strawberry Frosting seals the delicious deal.
Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake
No-Bake Cheesecake Cups
Make these fun and fast individual cheesecakes to share with friends for the Fourth!
With minimal ingredients, low added sugar, and the easiest method, these No-Bake Cheesecake Cups are an easy dessert to share with the kids. Plus, you can make them ahead of time and stash them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
No-Bake Cheesecake Cups
Easy Pasta Salad
The beauty of this recipe is that you can swap ingredients and dressings in an out to make it your own. You can make the easy pasta salad recipe more or less complicated as you like. And it’s so easy to serve to the kids since they can see what’s in the mix and eat whichever parts they prefer.
With one simple method, you can make the best pasta salad ever using your family’s favorite ingredients and dressing. This is infinitely flexible, it stores well so you can make it ahead, and it’s great cold or at room temperature. (See the Notes for variations!)
Best Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
Easy Zucchini Burgers
I’m always looking for ways to make veggies appealing and easy for kids to eat, and adding zucchini to burgers is a favorite. These burgers are super moist and delicious—trust me, I’m super picky about my burgers!
Stretch your ground beef and add a veggie right into moist burger patties with this simple family dinner recipe.
Easy Zucchini Burgers
Salsa Chicken Tacos
The shredded chicken is so tender and easy for kids to gum or chew. And it’s flavorful enough without being overly spicy. (Plus, it’s delicious for adults, too!)
With just two main ingredients and the option to cook this easy dinner in a pan on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot, these Salsa Chicken Tacos are the flexible meal we all need. Plus: You can scale this up or down as needed!
Salsa Chicken Tacos
Cilantro Chicken
Use the slow cooker option to make shredded chicken for a crowd to pair with cilantro lime rice or to use in tacos. So good!
With options to cook it in a pan or in a slow cooker, to let it marinate or cook it right away, this Cilantro Chicken is a perfectly easy option to feed a crowd—or just your family. It has the flavors of carne asada and is so delicious!
Easy Cilantro Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
Potato salads, corn on the cob, chips and dips, sliced veggies like cucumbers and bell peppers, hummus and pita, fresh fruit with sauces such as Yogurt Dip, and corn bread.
Try a simple Caprese Salad, my Cherry Tomato Pasta and more.
Best Tips for Success
- Follow basic food safety guidelines when serving food outside and keep food cold as needed.
- Avoid foods with mayo if they will be in the sun and not kept very cold.
- Rely on the grill for easy options including hot dogs (be sure to cut them into half-moon slices for toddlers to avoid the choking hazard), burgers, grilled vegetables, and grilled corn.
- Pick up premade classics at your favorite supermarket to keep things easier on you.