10 Red, White & Blue Food Ideas
Classic Flag Cake
The king of Fourth of July themed foods, no Independence Day party is complete without a flag cake! The classic flag cake is a rectangular sheet cake with white frosting, strawberry stripes and blueberry stars. But many varieties can be made with different fruits, frostings, or Jell-O. We once saw a "hidden flag" cake that looked plain from the outside, but was made from stacked, colored layers. Once the cake was cut, the slices resembled Old Glory. Get creative and add candy, sparkler candles or fillings and celebrate away!
Red White and Bleu Burgers
Burgers are a staple at Fourth of July barbeques, and this red, white and bleu cheese version only ups the patriotic appeal. After grilling your red meat burger to perfection, place it on a fluffy white bun. Add tomatoes, onions, bacon, ketchup and finally bleu cheese for a festive bite.
All-American Cocktails
Adults can celebrate the Fourth with festive colored cocktails. Invent your signature Independence Day drink using fruit juices such as cranberry or pomegranate and alcohols like as white wine or blue Curacao. Another fun tip: use Pop Rocks to line the glass rim to create a firecracker in guests' mouths!
Patriotic Kabobs
Fire up the grill and let guests create their favorite kabobs using an array of red, white and blue ingredients. Provide cherry tomatoes, red peppers, red meat, chicken, scallops, cauliflower, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, white and blue corn and blue skin potatoes.
Blue Corn Chips and Salsa
Crisp and refreshing, homemade tomato salsa is perfect for an outdoor summer party. Add blue corn chips, a dollop of sour cream and as much spice as you like to heat up the celebration.
Red, White and Blue Skinned Potato Salad
The perfect side to those patriotic hamburgers! Create a multi-colored potato salad using a trio of white, red and blue skinned spuds. Make it even better by adding bright cherry tomatoes or tasty red onions. If you can't find blue-skinned potatoes, purple ones also look (and taste) great.
Patriotic Cup Cakes
Practically an American obsession, these cute little cakes are fun to make and eat. So why not whip up a batch for the Fourth? Decorate them yourself with different colored frostings, stars and stripes, or let guests adorn the cupcakes themselves.
A Berry American Parfait
This beautiful dessert is also simple to prepare. Just create layers of yogurt or pudding with fruit and top with a dab of whipped cream. You can kick it up a notch by adding red and blue Jell-O, chocolate shavings, nuts, or vanilla extract.
Stars and Stripes Coleslaw
Coleslaw is easy to make and perfect for barbeques because it tastes great with grilled meats. To make an all-American slaw, use shredded red and white cabbage in your recipe and finish off with a handful of crumbly bleu cheese.
Red, White and Blueberry Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is a healthy addition to the picnic spread, and with so many beautiful red, white and blue fruits to choose from, it's a breeze to make. Create yours using any of the following: watermelon, blueberries, apples, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, cranberries, blackberries, grapes, or pineapple. Toss in a little lime juice, honey and mint for added refreshment.
Have more great ideas for red, white and blue treats that we missed? Leave a comment, or better yet…a recipe!
Charli James is a 20-something writer, reporter and editor. Raised in Nashville and the Virgin Islands and schooled at American University in Washington, DC, she now lives in New York City. Follow her at twitter.com/CharlianneJames
