Home › Recipe Index › All Recipes

20 Memorial Day Party Recipes

Avatar photo - 1 Avatar photo - 2

Where has 2012 gone? It’s almost half over! But now is the time of year to kick off summer, throw a party and have friends over, and enjoy some great food and drinks.

These are all easy, no-fuss recipes that will please the party go-er’s and please the chef. Everything is no-bake or nearly no-bake and all are hassle-free.

Drinks

Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria

Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria - 3 Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria - 4

Coconut Water Champagne Fruit Punch (Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, No Sugar Added)

Coconut Water Champagne Fruit Punch - 5 Coconut Water Champagne Fruit Punch - 6

Horchata (vegan, GF)

Homemade Horchata in Jars - 7 Homemade Horchata in Jars - 8

Snacks, Sides, and Finger Food

Spinach and Artichoke Dip (no-bake, fat-free, vegan, GF)

Spinach and Artichoke Dip with crackers - 9 Spinach and Artichoke Dip with crackers - 10

Mango Basil Personal-Sized Tortilla Pizzas

Mango Basil Personal-Sized Tortilla Pizzas - 11 Mango Basil Personal-Sized Tortilla Pizzas - 12

Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls and 2-Minute Peanut Sauce

Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls - 13 Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls - 14 Tempeh and Cucumbers on a Stick with Brown Sugar Balsamic Reduction Dip - 15 Tempeh and Cucumbers on a Stick with Brown Sugar Balsamic Reduction Dip - 16

Rosemary Chipotle Roasted Almonds

Rosemary Chipotle Roasted Almonds - 17 Rosemary Chipotle Roasted Almonds - 18

Sweet Corn Salsa with Mango, Lime, Red Pepper

Sweet Corn Salsa with Mango, Lime, Red Pepper - 19 Sweet Corn Salsa with Mango, Lime, Red Pepper - 20 Sweet Corn Salsa with Mango, Lime, Red Pepper - 21 Sweet Corn Salsa with Mango, Lime, Red Pepper - 22

Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches - 23 Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches - 24

Raw Pasta Salad with Creamy Lemon & Herb Dressing (vegan, GF)

Raw Pasta Salad with Creamy Lemon & Herb Dressing - 25 Raw Pasta Salad with Creamy Lemon & Herb Dressing - 26

Avocado, Cream Cheese, and Salsa-Stuffed Puff Pastries

Avocado, Cream Cheese, and Salsa-Stuffed Puff Pastries - 27 Avocado, Cream Cheese, and Salsa-Stuffed Puff Pastries - 28

Fruit and Desserts

Watermelon dipped into Frozen Mango Banana Dip (vegan, GF) – or just eat the dip as “ice cream”

Frozen Mango Banana Dip - 29 Frozen Mango Banana Dip - 30 Half of watermelon - 31 Half of watermelon - 32

Fresh Pineapple and a How to Clean a Pineapple Tutorial dipped into Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate Sauce

Pineapple slices - 33 Pineapple slices - 34

Strawberries and Chocolate Coconut Cashew Butter (vegan, GF)

Strawberries and Chocolate Coconut Cashew Butter - 35 Strawberries and Chocolate Coconut Cashew Butter - 36

White Chocolate Vanilla Peanut Butter Puppy Chow (GF)

White Chocolate Vanilla Peanut Butter Puppy Chow - 37 White Chocolate Vanilla Peanut Butter Puppy Chow - 38

Vanilla Cake Batter and White Chocolate Chip Caramel Corn

Vanilla Cake Batter and White Chocolate Chip Caramel Corn - 39 Vanilla Cake Batter and White Chocolate Chip Caramel Corn - 40

Strawberry Banana Bread

Strawberry Banana Bread - 41 Strawberry Banana Bread - 42

Buttery Toasted Cap’n Crunchies

Buttery Toasted Cap'n Crunchies - 43 Buttery Toasted Cap'n Crunchies - 44

Pink Lemonade Freezer Bars

Pink Lemonade Freezer Bars - 45 Pink Lemonade Freezer Bars - 46

Mounds Bar Chocolate Coconut Cake Mix Cookies

Mounds Bar Chocolate Coconut Cake Mix Cookies - 47 Mounds Bar Chocolate Coconut Cake Mix Cookies - 48

Do you have a favorite crowd-pleasing or party food recipe?

Link it up

Do you have Memorial Day Plans?

We don’t have any formal plans and I’m not throwing a party. We plan to stay close to home, off the roads, and enjoy the day as a family. Maybe a park, walking around our neighborhood, relaxing, and keeping it mellow.

In San Diego, there are a few holidays (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day) you just don’t go to the beaches. Traffic is a total mess and parking is impossible. We learned that lesson that hard way the first year we lived here and thought it would be “fun” to go to the beach for the day. Along with a half million other people. Locals, Northern Californians, half the population of Arizona, Mexico, and tourists who come here for holidays.

Keep the car in the garage, walk as much as possible, and soak in nice weather are our plans. And eat some party food, minus the party.

Have a Happy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend!