Say goodbye to summer in the best way possible with a thrilling Labor Day picnic. These recipes are great for celebrating the holiday while hanging out with friends and family.
Best Labor Day Picnic Recipes
Happy Labor Day! Celebrate all the hard workers in your life with a picnic dedicated just to them. Labor Day also celebrates the unofficial end of the summer, so what better way to say goodbye to the warm weather than with a picnic in its honor?
All of these recipes are excellent to make for a meal outside. They are portable, fan favorites, and most importantly, taste pretty good. No matter who you are celebrating this holiday with, all of these recipes are guaranteed to be a hit.
Appetizers To Begin Your Labor Day Picnic
1. Fried Zucchini
It will be hard not to fill up on these fried zucchini before the main meal.
Zucchini season is in full swing, making these little bites super fresh.
Go ahead and double the recipe for these small bites. They will quickly disappear once they make an appearance at the picnic.
2. Cheeseburger Sliders
Would it really be a Labor Day celebration if burgers were not involved?
Start the celebration off right and serve up a plate full of cheeseburger sliders.
The mini burgers will be a hit for everyone at the picnic. Plus, the mini burgers will be easy to eat outside.
3. Chip Dip
If you had a picnic without having chips and dip, did you really have a picnic?
Serve up a big bowl of this chip dip combo and make all of your guests happy.
The dip is the perfect thing to snack on as you enjoy the last remaining days of summer.
4. Creamy Avocado Yogurt Dip
Love dip but not the heaviness it brings to the plate? Switch it up and go the lighter route with this creamy avocado dip.
The dip has everything you love about classic dip but with a healthy twist.
Switch out the chips with cut up veggies to turn this dip into a true healthy bite.
5. Ham & Swiss Sliders
Sliders are the perfect food to serve when it comes to a picnic. The mini sandwiches are perfect to eat while moving around outside.
These ham and cheese sliders are bursting with delicious flavor in each bite.
The sliders have multiple layers of ham and melty cheese, making for a mouthwatering treat.
6. Cold Vegetable Pizza
Cold vegetable pizza may not sound super appetizing. However, after one bite of this clever appetizer, you will be sure to change your mind.
This pizza isn’t like your typical pizza. Instead of sauce, it gets tops with a creamy ranch spread and loads of cut up veggies.
It will be the best kind of cold pizza you’ve ever had.
7. Fried Green Tomatoes
Don’t let all of those green tomatoes go to waste.
Fry them up and turn them into fried green tomatoe goodness.
The Southern snack is the best way to use up all of your unripe tomatoes at the end of the season.
8. Southern Tomato Pie
It wouldn’t be a complete summer without a true tomato pie.
The classic summertime dish takes seasonal tomates and combines them with cheese, garlic, and basil for a super fresh flavor.
Everything is wrapped up in a flakey crust to make for a truly irresistible bite.
Side Dishes And Salads To Add To Your Plate
9. The Best Potato Salad
Potato salad is a must have on your Labor Day picnic menu.
The classic dish never goes out of style and always goes with everything else on the plate.
This potato salad recipe adds red onion, celery, and even some chopped up eggs making for a full party of flavors in your mouth.
10. Fresh Corn Salad
Corn and summer picnics are like two peas in a pod. The seasonal vegetable is at its peak towards the end of the summer.
This recipe takes everything you love about seasonal, fresh corn, and combines it with summertime tomatoes, cucumber, onions, avocado, feta, and fresh herbs.
It has all the makings of the perfect summertime salad.
11. Italian Pasta Salad
If you need a last minute dish to add to your picnic menu, go with this Italian pasta salad recipe.
The pasta salad is basically like a twist on an antipasto salad. It has basically all of the same vegetables and is topped with a super tangy dressing.
You might as well add some extra of this pasta salad on your plate, as you’ll be going back for seconds anyway.
12. Ramen Noodle Salad
Ramen noodles are not just for soup anymore.
The noodles transform into a bright play on pasta salad that is great for any side dish or appetizer. The noodles pair with crunchy cabbage slaw, cashews, and sesame seeds for a packed house of flavor.
The dish is super crunchy in the best way possible.
13. Peach Arugula Salad
You may not think peaches belong in a salad, but this peach arugula salad is about to prove you wrong.
Summertime peaches are so fresh and sweet. The sweetness pairs perfectly with savory vegetables making for the ultimate combo.
The salad is topped with a smooth balsamic vinaigrette, putting the whole thing together.
14. Mexican Corn
If you are new to Mexican corn, get ready to fall in love.
Mexican corn salad, also known as elote, takes corn and chars it down on the grill. It is then tossed with a mayo-based sauce, cotija cheese, lime juice, and other spices.
Do yourself a favor and double — or even triple — this recipe as it will go fast!
15. Crispy Parmesan Potatoes
Potatoes are always a good idea when it comes to a picnic.
These potatoes are next level due to their crispy parmesan coating. Don’t worry about losing the crisp at the picnic. The potatoes will stay in prime condition so everyone can enjoy them.
They will go fast, so make sure to get a helping on your plate!
16. Grape Salad
If you’ve never had grape salad, get ready to fall in love.
Now, this grape salad isn’t like your typical fruit salad. It’s a salad that is tangy, rich, and refreshing.
It is the perfect side dish to add to your Labor Day picnic menu.
17. Corn Pasta
Is there anything better than having fresh corn in the summer?
Now, fresh corn can sometimes be tricky to eat, especially when it comes to a picnic. That is where this corn pasta comes into place.
The creamy corn sauce dresses the pasta salad for a bite that is out of this world.
Main Dishes For The Main Occasion
18. BBQ Ribs
Ribs might be a messy thing to eat at a picnic, but they will be well worth the mess.
The secret to getting these ribs to be mouthwatering and delicious is all in the cooking process. They are cooked at a super low temperature for a long time in the oven.
It may seem like a process, but after one bite, you will see that it is worth it.
19. Pesto Chicken Kabobs
Kabobs are always a great main dish to serve at a picnic. They are portable and easy to eat whether you are sitting on the grass or at an outdoor table.
These kabobs will be great for your Labor Day celebration. They are stacked with chicken, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella. Plus, they can be ready in under 30 minutes!
It’s a win-win recipe no matter how you look at it.
20. Crispy Chicken Strips
You better add a few chicken strips to your plate before all the little ones make them disappear at the picnic.
Chicken strips are traditionally for all of the kids at the picnic, but everyone knows adults love them just as much.
Set up a table full of dipping sauces to go with the chicken strips and see which one you like best.
21. Spiral Cut Hot Dogs
If you didn’t eat a hot dog this summer, did you really enjoy the summer?
Fulfill your summertime eating duties with these hot dogs. Now, these hot dogs are not the typical dogs you would get off the grill.
They are cut to have a spiralized look, making sure they are grilled inside and out. It will put a spin on the classic dish in the best way.
22. BBQ Chicken Burger
If you are looking for a load of flavor at your Labor Day picnic, look no further than this BBQ chicken burger recipe.
The recipe has everything you could want in a burger. The burger starts with a juicy chicken patty and then is topped with sweet barbeque sauce, creamy coleslaw, and melty cheese.
It will fill you up in the best way.
23. Italian Pressed Picnic Sandwich
If you are looking for a loaded bite that you can easily make ahead of your Labor Day picnic, this Italian-pressed sandwich is just for you.
The sandwich takes everything you love about a classic Italian deli sandwich and presses them all together.
By making them ahead of time, you are actually giving the flavors more time to meld, which makes the sandwich even better.
24. Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Add a dish to your Labor Day picnic menu that everyone will want seconds of with these grilled chicken kabobs.
The hearty protein mixed with the seasonal vegetables makes it a perfect main dish for the picnic. Plus, it is super easy to eat on a skewer.
The zesty Italian dressing brings the whole dish together to make a perfect meal for a picnic.
25. Million Dollar Tortilla Roll Ups
6 simple ingredients are all you need to make these million-dollar tortilla rolls ups.
The quick and easy wrap is perfect for the picnic as a main dish or appetizer. The portable roll-up is super easy to eat on the ground or picnic table.
You could even turn the roll-ups into a dip if that is more your speed!
Super Sweet Treats To End The Labor Day Picnic
26. Apple Pie
It may be a little early for apple season, but pie season is in full swing come Labor Day.
This apple pie is piled high with tart apples and cooked with loads of warming spices to make a gooey, delicious filling.
Do yourself a favor a top it high with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. You can thank us later for this one!
27. Oreo Brownies
Oreos mixed with brownies? Say no more!
Mash up two favorite sweets into one with these Oreo brownies. The classic sandwich cookies are the perfect complement to the chocolatey brownies.
Go ahead and double this recipe and save extras in the freezer. That way, you’ll be able to have a treat whenever you’d like.
28. Skillet S’mores Cookie
Have everything you love about s’mores minus the gooey mess with this giant skillet s’mores cookie.
The giant skillet cookie takes everything you love about the classic summertime dessert and bakes it all into one giant bite.
Add some ice cream on top to make this treat even sweeter.
29. Crazy-Good S’mores Cupcakes
There will be no campfire needed to make these sweet melty marshmallow treats.
To get that classic s’mores flavor, these cupcakes use chocolate cake and a creamy fluff frosting. One bite, and it will taste just like it came from the campfire.
30. Strawberry Lemonade Bars
If you love lemon bars and fresh strawberries in the summer, get ready to fall in love with these strawberry lemonade bars.
The bars are sweet from the strawberries and tangy from the lemons. The two flavors complement each other and make an excellent flavor combination.
31. No-Bake Key Lime Pie
Is there anything better than a no-bake dessert in the summer?
Sure, you might have to wait a few hours for this no-bake key lime pie to all come together, but it is much better than turning your oven on during a super hot day.
This key lime pie will be the perfect bite to end your Labor Day picnic with friends.
32. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
With one bite of these chocolate chip cookie bars, you’ll forget all about classic chocolate chip cookies.
The bars take everything you love about the classic cookie and turn them into a chewy bar full of chocolate.
The thick bars are great for packing up and bringing to the Labor Day picnic celebration.
33. Mississippi Mud Cake
If you’ve never had Mississippi mud cake, get ready to fall in love.
The chocolate-based cake combines with a rich layer of toasted marshmallows, pecans, and chocolate frosting to make a bite that will melt in your mouth.
Bring the extra napkins for this treat! It will be well worth it.
More Picnic Recipes To Enjoy
Soups and Salads
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Quick & Easy Desserts
Peach Pie
Recipes
Macaroni Salad
Recipes
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Best Chicken Recipes
