Summertime should be about light summer lunches, cookouts in the backyard and simple suppers that take little effort. You want healthy summer recipes and summer side dishes that make the most of the season’s best produce, and summer barbecue staples like grilled meats, potluck salads and fruity drinks.
Don’t forget summer fruit desserts, from fresh strawberry pie to every crumble, crisp and cake under the sun. Make the dog days cool and breezy with our favorite summer recipes!
One of the best things about summer celebrations is the food. And while we love char-grilled mains and slow cooker recipes that let us spend less time cooking, they’ve got nothing on snacks and apps! This list of Labor Day appetizers and snacks makes the most of summer produce with watermelon cups, fresh artichoke and pickled veggies. And it doesn’t forget the classics like guacamole, pinwheels, Buffalo dip and much more.
Mix and match these apps with a few potluck salads and side dishes for a spread so good you might just skip the mains. But make sure you save room for one of these gorgeous Labor Day desserts!
By Alyssa Asaro
Reviewed by Emily Racette Parulski
Taste of Home’s Editorial Process
Updated: Aug. 08, 2024
A creamy, easy pasta salad perfectly complements a plate piled with grilled meats and barbecue sides. You may think pasta salads are all the same, but this summer classic has so many variations. Maybe you’ve made a mayonnaise dressing for your pasta salad, but what about ranch? Have you ever changed up your pasta shapes? And don’t forget adding a protein like chicken.
The next time you’re looking for an easy summer recipe, start with one of these pasta salad recipes. We chose these recipes as quick-to-make odes to the classic pasta salads you’re already used to, with fresh new twists.
By Rachel Vigoda
Taste of Home’s Editorial Process
Updated: Jun. 27, 2024
There’s no need to heat up the house when you can plug in your slow cooker. These summer slow cooker recipes are perfect for barbecues and backyard parties.
At Taste of Home, almost all of our recipes come from home cooks—we get several thousand submissions every year from people all over the world.
But before we publish a recipe on our website or in one of our magazines or books, our expert Test Kitchen team must approve it. We put every recipe through a rigorous selection, testing and evaluation process to ensure we share the best recipes that work every time.
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree 