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At my house, Memorial Day is the unofficial, official start of grill season! My friends and I always get together for it, sometimes I’m hosting, sometimes I’m just showing up with a dish, but either way, I end up spending way too long figuring out what to make.

This is the list I actually pull from when I’m planning. It’s a bunch of Memorial Day recipe ideas organized by category so I (and you) can map out a full spread without bouncing between tabs.

43 Memorial Day Recipe Ideas

There are the classics: hamburgers, grilled shrimp, chicken drumsticks, corn, mustard potato salad, coleslaw, and deviled eggs. A dips and spreads section with buffalo chicken dip, Greek dip, and cream cheese fruit dip. Burgers get their own section: salmon, ground chicken, lamb, chickpea, black bean, and turkey.

The grilled protein ideas cover lemon chicken, grilled salmon, lamb kabobs, chicken shish kabobs, chicken wings, and steak. Sides are avocado pasta salad, corn ribs, and air fryer baby potatoes. Memorial Day dessert ideas include banana pudding cups, yogurt popsicles, vegan lemon bars, watermelon fruit pizza, and no-bake cookie dough bars. And for drinks: mint lemonade, strawberry lemonade, homemade lemonade, and raspberry iced tea.

Whether you’re running the whole Memorial Day cookout or just need one good thing to bring, this should help you figure out what to make.

How to Plan Menu for Memorial Day

• Count your guests – Plan for about 1 main per person, plus 2-3 sides and a dessert to round out a good Memorial Day menu.
• Account for dietary needs – Include options for gluten-free, vegetarian, and dairy-free eaters. And make sure to include lots of seasonal produce like fresh berries, stone fruits, lettuces, and asparagus.
• Include make-ahead recipes – Choose a few dishes that can be prepped the day before to keep things stress-free. Desserts and salad dressings are great for this.
• Don’t forget the extras – Stock up on condiments, drinks, napkins, and plenty of ice for outdoor gatherings.
• Keep it casual – Choose recipes that don’t require a knife and fork for easy serving and cleanup. And keep a large trash can nearby for guests to clean up their mess.

How To Keep Food Warm

• Oven: As long as you’re not cooking anything in the oven, you can set it to 200°F and store dishes in there to keep them warm.
• Aluminum Foil: If your oven is not free, you can simply use aluminum foil, which has reflective properties that protects the food from light and oxygen. The foil reflects the thermal energy back to the food which maintains the moisture, flavor, and texture.
• Crock Pots and Instant Pots: Think of recipes that can be made in your crock pot or instant pot that will keep warm during the party. You can even use them to keep foods warm even if you don’t cook in them.
• Insulated coolers: You can use a cooler to keep food hot as well as cold. The insulation technology that keeps out the heat to maintain cold foods also works to trap heat in and keep food hot for hours at a time. You can even line the cooler with aluminum foil for even better results.

For more similar collection of recipes, be sure to check out:

• Fourth of July Recipes
• Salad Recipes
• No-Bake Desserts
• Summer Recipes
• Recipes with 5 Ingredients or less
• What to Serve with Burgers