Right in the heart of summer, there's a holiday we eagerly await each year: the Fourth of July! This day of independence is all about embracing our patriotic spirit, from backyard BBQs to dazzling fireworks lighting up the night sky.
Independence Day is the perfect time to come together, enjoying Bomb Pops in matching Fourth of July pajamas, lounging by the pool with a cold drink, twirling sparklers late into the night, or whipping up a personalized holiday menu. No matter how you choose to celebrate, what matters most is that everyone, from the kids to the parents, is having an absolute blast – fireworks optional.
A fun way to get into the festive spirit is by involving everyone, even the little ones, in preparing delicious food for the day’s celebrations. With some easy, kid-friendly recipes, you’re all set for a day of tasty fun!
Ready to craft some patriotic eats with your children? Read below for some delicious bites everyone in the family can help make — from red, white, and blue fruit skewers to star-shaped mini pies!
Red, White & Blue Fruit Skewers
Want a healthy recipe your kids will not only love preparing, but also eating? These red, white, and blue fruit skewers are super simple to make. All you need to do is teach your kids some patriotic color coordination.
Ingredients:
Strawberries
Blueberries
Bananas
Skewers
For the ingredients, grab some strawberries, blueberries, and bananas, as well as some skewers for piercing. Depending on your children’s ages, they may or may not be able to help you slice the produce. If they aren’t quite ready to wield a knife just yet, go ahead and pre-cut the fruit yourself, or better yet, snag some pre-sliced fruit at the store to save on prep time.
When it’s time to assemble the skewers, walk your kiddos through the color pattern and repeat it again and again so they get the jist: “Red, white, and blue, red, white and blue!” You’ll soon have a heaping of kid-favorite fruit skewers that’ll disappear before day’s end!
Sweet & Syrupy Patriotic Pancakes
Ingredients:
Pancake mix
Red & blue food coloring
Whipped cream
Star-shaped sprinkles
Before the festivities blast off, start the day with a stack of sweet, syrupy patriotic pancakes. Clad in your Star Spangled PJ sets, you and your kiddos can prepare this breakfast in a hurry — and the good news is there’s no wrong way to whip them up.
All you’ll need is some pancake mix, red and blue food coloring, whipped cream, and star-shaped sprinkles. These pancakes are completely customizable, too, so let your stomachs be the guide here.
Feel free to source whatever pancake mix you prefer, whether that’s a family recipe or a box of premade pancake mix from the store. You can be extra fancy and make your own whipped cream in a stand mixer, but the canned stuff is just fine. Prefer to create a natural food coloring? Go ahead!
You’ll need to create two batters: one for the red pancakes and one for the blue pancakes. Next, put in around three to five drops of the food colorings, or more or less depending on your preference. Once the mixes have been colored, pour the batters onto a hot griddle pan, and when the dough starts to bubble, it’s time to flip. You know the drill from here.
Stack those flapjacks in a red-and-blue pattern, top with whipped cream, and sprinkle on some stars. Your kids will love the way they look, and feel proud about their contribution to the first course of the day!
Starry Mini Berry Pies
Ingredients:
Pre-made pie crusts
Canned pie fillings (blueberry and cherry)
Star-shaped cookie cutter
Egg wash (optional)
What is the Fourth of July without pie? These star-spangled mini pies are just the treat your family feast is missing.
For these hand pies, all you’ll need is some pre-made pie crusts, canned pie fillings (blueberry and cherry are great), and a star-shaped cookie cutter. Like the pancakes, this dish can be customized if you want to prepare your own dough or even make a fresh filling.
Have your kids lay out the pre-made crusts (four to six crusts is what we estimate you’ll need) cutting the dough with the cookie cutter. Once all the pie crust has been sliced into stars, dollop the pie filling onto half the shapes, leaving half an inch along the edges for sealing.
Place the empty star halves onto the fruit-filled halves, using a fork along the edges to seal the sides together. You can even use a bit of egg wash to help keep the pies extra sealed. Slice two to three small slits on the top of each mini pie to allow steam to escape during baking.
We recommend using parchment paper on a baking sheet and cooking these mini pies at 350°F for around 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Enjoy those starry pies!
Fruit-Filled Liberty Lemonade
Ingredients:
Fresh-pressed lemon juice (or store-bought)
Sugar
Water
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
While you’re getting food on the table, you might as well get the refreshments going. Nothing is quite so summery as lemonade, and we love this version because it’s not only fresh, it’s Fourth of July-themed!
This lemonade is completely make-it-your-own if you want to use a base recipe or create your own personalized potion. What makes this version particularly patriotic is the addition of vibrant fruits, like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries.
Juicing lemons is no easy endeavor, especially for kids, so there’s no shame in buying fresh-pressed lemon juice to jumpstart the prep. Once you and the kids have mixed your lemonade base with sugar, water, and lemon juice, have them toss in the fruit. Not only will the addition of produce add a punch of fruity flavor, it’ll also make your drinks picture-perfect!
Star-Spangled Ice Cream Sammies
Ingredients:
Large pre-baked cookies
Vanilla ice cream
Red, white & blue sprinkles
Mini chocolate chips
No matter how old you are, there’s something about an ice cream sandwich that brings out the kid in all of us. This nostalgic dessert is a must-have for Independence Day, and while there are great pre-packaged options out there, it’s super fun for the kids to assemble their own.
For this Fourth of July treat, you’ll need large pre-baked cookies, a favorite vanilla ice cream, red, white, and blue sprinkles, and mini chocolate chips. Go easy on yourself for this recipe and snag a dozen or so cookies in the bakery aisle ahead of time.
Once the ice cream has softened a bit, lay the cookies out on a flat surface and have the kids place a generous scoop on the flat side of one cookie. Then, take another cookie and gently press the smooth side of that cookie until the ice cream flattens out to the edges of the sandwich. After that, roll the ice cream edges along a mix of the sprinkles and chocolate chips, until the sides are saturated. After making all the sandwiches, cover them in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer for a few hours before serving!
It's easy to get swept up in the Fourth of July fun and fireworks, but it’s also a perfect time to create lasting memories with your little ones. Whether you're flipping patriotic pancakes or making DIY ice cream sandwiches, enjoy these festive moments together. From all of us at LS, have a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Have any Fourth of July traditions you and your family cherish? Any special crafts or recipes you recommend for the holiday? Share in the comments, or tag us in your sweet pictures on social media!
