Celebrate Labor Day with These Six Ideas

From outdoor barbecues to themed parades, Labor Day weekend is a time of celebration of summer and all things red, white, and blue. Whether you go all out for these festivities or soak in the chill vibes, this hallmark of summertime is a great time to gather with friends and family for fun and of course, food. 

Many holidays have staple foods that are traditional for the season. Labor Day is no different. When you think of foods of summertime holidays, what comes to mind? 

Six Fun and Festive Labor Day Dishes

Here we share six fun and festive Labor Day dishes that are both traditional and adventurous. The colors of red, white, and blue can also be easily incorporated into your dishes for an added level of festive entertaining.

Grill Up Some Burgers 

It’s no surprise that burgers are some of the most commonly prepared foods to celebrate the holiday. Take your regular beef burgers up a notch with some additional ingredients. As you mix in your ground meat (whether turkey or beef), bread crumbs, eggs, and other ingredients, drizzle in some balsamic like 18 Year Traditional balsamic vinegar or Espresso Bean balsamic vinegar for an extra pop of flavor. 

Fruit Kebabs

Take small sticks and make festive kebabs with blueberries, strawberries or watermelon, and marshmallows or bananas. Making these kebabs can be a fun activity for your kids, too. As an added flavor boost, drizzle a fruity balsamic like Raspberry or West Michigan Blueberry over top when made.  

Grilled Corn 

Fresh corn on the cob is another staple of the season that’s easy to make and fun to eat. While boiling it on the stovetop or sticking an ear in the microwave are the most often thought of preparation methods, you can also roast it on the grill for an extra level of flavor. Whether you cook it with the husks on or off, top off the ears with some extra heat using Chipotle extra virgin olive oil and parmesan cheese. Other oils that go great with grilled corn include Persian Lime and Tuscan Herb.

Potato Salad 

Add some starch to the menu with your own homemade potato salad perfect for your holiday outing. Amp up the flavor from the boring store-bought varieties with recipes like this Creamy Potato Salad that adds in a kick of mustard and sweet citrus with Sicilian Lemon balsamic vinegar.  

Watermelon

The fruit that’s often found on celebrating summertime holidays, watermelon is a sweet, refreshing treat that you can do a lot with. From eating right from the rind to throwing it in a fruit salad, its versatility makes it a perfect addition.

For a new twist on this juicy fruit, try making watermelon caprese by stacking a cube of watermelon, a piece of fresh mozzarella, and a sprig of basil on a toothpick and drizzling your favorite balsamic on top, such as 18 Year Traditional or Peach. 

Pie

Pies, pies, and more pies. This common summertime dessert comes with a lot of variety. Create a festive pie your family will love by incorporating fresh ingredients from the farmers market and with your favorite oils and vinegars.

If you’re set with a traditional apple pie, you can add a flavor boost with Michigan Apple balsamic into the pie mix and fresh hints of lemon into the crust with Meyer Lemon extra virgin olive oil.

Use those blueberries you’ve picked into a Blueberry Buckle dessert as a new take on a pie.

Amp up your typical cherry pie with this recipe that incorporates Traverse City Cherry balsamic into both the pie filling and sweet glaze topping. Whatever your pie preference, you can discover fresh new ways to add new flavor into classic tastes. 

Fuel Your Festive Foods with Flavor 

The summer season and the Labor Day weekend holiday is a great opportunity to amp up your warm-weather flavors with new ideas and creations your family and friends will love. These six dish ideas are just the start of celebrating the summertime flavors. Take these ideas and make them your own as you create the perfect menu for your summertime entertaining.