Our nation’s birthday, which is a great holiday for yummy festivities with friends and family while enjoying the summer weather ☀️. Today I’m featuring some of my favorite 4th of July cocktails and bites to help you prep for your celebration 👍. Some of the picks in this post have already appeared on Jackie’s Eats & Treats, while others are tremendous selections that I’ll be sure to post at some point this summer!

July 4th Cocktails, aka “Treats”

Limeade Margaritas – Margaritas are a perfect cocktail for summer entertaining, simply make a large pitcher and enjoy the 4th with friends and family! This recipe uses Limeade making it super easy to create, cheers!

Whiskey Blackberry Lemonade – Any cocktail with the word ‘lemonade’ in the title is sure to be refreshing on a warm summer day. You want this cocktail in your repertoire, trust me. It is great at anytime of the year and again, trust me 😉.

Sangria – This summer cocktail allows for lots of creativity; Strawberry Peach, Raspberry Lemonade, Berry Spritzer, the list could go on and on. Here’s a great video from Tasty , Sangria 4 Ways, to get you inspired for your July 4th celebration🍹.

Beer – No holiday BBQ or 4th of July is complete without beers, cheers 🍻

July 4th Munchies aka “Treats”

Now that you have your cocktails ready for the celebration, let’s get to cooking some delicious food 😋

Chargrilled Oysters – We visited New Orleans, Louisiana back in 2016 and I’ve dreamt about these oysters every day since 😉. All kidding aside, they’re absolutely AMAZING. Oysters grilled to perfection with garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, creole seasoning, topped with cheese and served with fresh bread to scope up that yummy New Orleans butter 😋.

Buffalo Chicken – Holiday festivities aren’t complete without buffalo chicken, am I right 👍. Buffalo chicken can come in the form of a dip, monkey bread, sliders, wings, pizza, grilled cheese and of course the beloved wings.

Pimento Cheese Spread – I know I keep posting this, but it’s worth posting OVER and OVER again 😜 because it’s THAT GOOD! My pimento cheese has great soul and flavor and you need this recipe in your saved items because it is always a crowd-pleaser and a perfect “treat” on a warm day and a pint of beer 🍻

Muffuletta Pinwheels – This tidbit was inspired by our New Orleans visit too. I make my own olive salad (you’ll find that here) and I add that to pizza dough with provolone cheese, salami, pepperoni, hot ham or hot capicola; roll and cut into perfect rings of joy. It’s a guilty recipe for sure, but boy is tasty 😋 and perfect “treat” for summer holiday entertaining.

Charcuterie Board (read about my obsession with a perfect Charcuterie board in this post) – Simply roll up some Italian cured meats and cheeses, add some pickled goodness, fresh veggies, an assortment of crackers, a dip or two, some nuts or fruit and voilà an impressive spread of delicious bites for your outside entertaining! Plus the puppies 🐾 love it too ❤. I’m actually planning for a Patriot Charcuterie 🇺🇸 for this 4th, stay tuned for that!

Salsa – Always a crowd-pleaser and you can make it fresh, like my Salsa Verde, or buy some at your local grocer.

Queso Fundido – It’s fun to say and even more delicious to eat! This is another recipe I post OVER and OVER again, but again it’s THAT GOOD! Chorizo (if you want to make your own, check out my recipe), onions and cheesy goodness, yum! Super easy to make and you’ll be sure to have a favorite with your guest.

July 4th Salads/Sides aka “Easts”

The beauty of these salads/sides is you can make them ahead of time and serve once you’re ready 👍

Antipasto Tortellini Pasta Salad – Cheese tortellini, cured Italian meats, fresh and pickled veggies, fresh basil, mozzarella pearls and my Better than Olive Garden Italian Dressing 😋 This salad is so easy to whip together and super yummy!

Mexican Black Bean & Corn Salad – So fresh and tasty. Again, super easy to make and packed with flavor.

Apple Kimchi Slaw – If you’re looking to jazz up your slaw a bit this 4th, try my yummy Korean slaw you can find in this post. You have crunch from the green apple and caba cabbage, zip from the Kimchi and Sriracha and this will be a tasty slaw for your BBQ spread.

Loaded Potato Salad – This is always a favorite and one I need to post soon for your summer festivities. Red bliss, cheddar cheese, green onion, ranch, oh my 😋. Super basic, but so delicious. Sorry I couldn’t find a photo of this salad for you ☹️.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad – Again, a super easy salad to make ahead and couscous is a great a great alternative to your traditional pasta salads. Simply grill some veggies, like mushrooms, peppers or zucchini; add some fresh veggies, like tomatoes or red onion; fresh herbs, like basil or parsley; and toss with your favorite Mediterranean Dressing, like my Italian Dressing; voilà a great summer Mediterranean inspired side!

4th of July Meals aka “Eats”

Smoked meats, taco bars, grilled goodies and even my bites can fit in this category for your entertaining!

Smoked Meats – We plan to smoke a pork shoulder this 4th for some pulled pork! Typically we smoke for 12 hours and then finish in the oven so we get extra juicy smokey pork. I’m hopeful for leftovers for meals like, Pulled Pork Enchiladas (I need to post this recipe too), chili (my Salsa Verde Chili will definitely get posted someday on this site), Cuban sandwiches or BBQ pulled pork pizza 😋

Taco Bar 🌮 – Building your own tacos with all the fixins could be a fun way to entertain on your 4th. Check out my Birthday post for my spread and my famous marinated chicken.

Grilled Goodies – Burgers (check out the secret to the perfect cheeseburger here), dogs, sausages, marinated chicken, tofu, kebabs and the list goes on and on. I love my Chili Lime Soy Marinade that’s been featured more than once on my site because it is always a crowd-pleaser and has even been used with Tofu!

My favorites could go on and on, but I just need to get cooking now 😉. I hope this post has inspired your holiday entertaining! Enjoy your July 4th festivities with family and friends, cheers 🍻!