Festive Fourth of July Recipes that Save Time and Money

4th of July Jello Shots

Everybody loves a fun Fourth of July party. Here are some easy ways to celebrate in style. These are the recipes that I think give the most value for your money and time. And they are yummy! Try a few and then kick back to enjoy the day!

Serve Red, White, and Blue Treats

The most popular recipe on Square Pennies for the Fourth, by far, is the one for 4th of July Jello Shots. These are so cute with a cherry stem sticking up making them look a bit like firecrackers. Make these alcoholic or not. Click here for the directions at The Picket Fence.You could become known for these!

I love an easy to decorate Flag Cake. Just frost a sheet cake with whipped topping and add blueberries and strawberries to make the flag. Very pretty and so yummy! Serve it in the pan to keep all the berries in place. This looks nice in a clear glass pan. Click here for the tutorial at All Recipes. Bring it out of the refrigerator at the last minute to keep the topping from melting.

Easy Watermelon Stars

Make a 4th of July White Wine Spritzer for a special 4th of July drink. Make easy watermelon stars with a star cookie cutter and add them and blueberries to the drink. A spritzer is usually just wine added to carbonated water, ginger ale, seltzer water, etc. You can add the amount of wine you like. You can have more of these than straight wine and I love the bubbles! By the way, it you have a Soda Stream machine (no affiliation) you can put bubbles directly into white wine to have something very close to champagne! You might like to serve these with dessert or greet your guests with one. It sets a festive tone to your party. This is also nice in lemonade for a non-alcoholic version.

Lower Your Meat Costs

Try kebabs to use less meat while adding plenty of flavor and style. Bacon-wrapped Chicken Kebabs are a welcome addition to the menu and could become one of your new favorites. Click here for the recipe at All Recipes. Beef and veggie kebabs and 100% veggie kebabs are popular also. Yum.

Grilled Chicken for Sandwiches

If chicken is cheaper than beef this year, grill some barbequed chicken. Everyone loves barbequed chicken. Add the sauce at the last minute to prevent burning. Click here for an inexpensive barbeque sauce for chicken that is famous. If you grill chicken breasts, slice them for sandwiches. Set out sandwich toppings and buns to stretch the chicken even further. Be generous with the topping selections–remember they cost less than meat! All the sandwich options show generous hospitality that your guests will appreciate. No one will feel deprived with this opportunity to make a sandwich to their exact taste! Click here for some sandwich spread recipes you might want to try. Offering one should be enough, though some make great dips for celery, carrots, or crostini–also inexpensive. By the way, you can partially cook the chicken breasts in your microwave just before putting them on the grill to finish them. It saves time and fuel on your grill. You can grill the chicken more quickly this way if you need to put other things on the grill or even a second batch of chicken. My brother does this all the time and the chicken is always delicious.

You can serve Sloppy Joe’s that you make ahead of time and just reheat. Simple and the kids love these. This can be one of the choices if you don’t want to serve this as your only meat dish. Click here for my really fast version of Sloppy Joe’s.

Serve Quick and Easy Side Dishes 

Want a money-saving side that is totally quick to throw together? Make Lemon Apple Cole Slaw from Southern Living. It’s a fresh-tasting side to any meat. Click here to link to this simple recipe.

Make super quick baked beans at the last minute with my recipe. Or make ahead and just reheat. Either way, they will have that cooked all day flavor  even though it took you just a few minutes. You can even serve them in a slow cooker to complete the illusion! Click here for my recipe for “Doctored-Up” Baked Beans.

Serve Cooler Corn! This is the easiest corn on the cob ever and keeps most of the steam out of your kitchen. Click here for  how to make “Cooler Corn” that frees up your grill and makes having corn on the cob so easy! Break the ears in half for easier serving and less waste.

So these are my tips for having a great Fourth of July party that save you money, time, and energy. Have fun, my friends!

Click on any of the labels below this post for more recipes and ideas.