My seven- and nine-year-old children helped with many of these dishes so you know they're simple to make, and only one item on this list took more than 15 minutes to make.
Swap the mac and cheese and hamburgers for these healthier options for this year's Fourth of July celebration, your whole family will love the taste and the lack of calories.
Freedom Fruit Kabobs
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Red, white and blue fruits team up to make a healthy treat kids will adore. A few fruit suggestions are blueberries, grapes, blackberries, apples, bananas, pears, raspberries, strawberries and watermelon.
Red, White and Blue Chips and Salsa
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White and blue chips around red salsa are a quick and easy way to give a classic appetizer the Fourth of July treatment.
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
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These classic kabobs combine some of the best veggies for grilling, and topped off with a honey-garlic marinade, all of your guests will be asking for more.
Ingredients:
Kabobs:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 medium red onion
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
Marinade:
1 packet Italian dressing dry seasoning mix
3 tbsp oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp honey
Directions:
Place meat in a freezer baggie. Cut veggies into bite-size pieces and place in another baggie. Place all ingredients for marinade into a water bottle and shake until combined. Pour dressing into bags, distributing evenly among both bags. Seal shut and refrigerate overnight. If short on time, they only need to marinate for 2 hours. Place meat and veggies onto skewers. Grill kabobs over a grill or broil in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, rotating every 3 minutes until cooked thoroughly.
Star-Spangled Pasta Salad
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A star-shaped cookie cutter turns your favorite pasta salad into a memorable holiday side dish.
Apple Bacon Coleslaw
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Enjoy the rich creaminess of this BBQ side with a few healthy swaps that you'll find quite yummy (hello, bacon!).
Ingredients:
Dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/8 cup honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
Coleslaw:
1 head cabbage, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 medium granny smith apple
Other additions:
1/3 cup almonds, chopped
5 pieces center cut bacon, crumbled
Directions:
Mix together ingredients for the dressing. In a separate, larger bowl, mix everything together except for almonds and bacon. Pour dressing over coleslaw mix and let sit in the fridge overnight, if possible. Sprinkle bacon and almonds over the coleslaw before serving.
Zucchini Fries
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Fries are a staple with burgers and hot dogs, but they're not always the best for your health. These guiltless fries are perfect with just a little parmesan sprinkled on top.
Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp minced onion flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Parsley, basil, and oregano to taste
Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and grease. Cut zucchini lengthwise and cut in half, making wedges. Line fries on baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese and all seasonings. Bake until golden and tender for about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy with ketchup, if desired.
Old Glory Graham Crackers
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Top a graham cracker with cream cheese and let the kids decorate their own American flags with strawberries and blueberries.
Patriotic Popcorn
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Toss some blue and red M&Ms into a bowl of kettle corn. DONE.
July Four-Layer Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits
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My kids adored these beautiful and delicious parfaits. A little crumbled graham cracker in the bottom, a layer of vanilla Greek yogurt, your favorite red and blue berries, and another layer of yogurt make this a simple breakfast or dessert everyone will love.
Raspberry Lemonade
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Talk about a thirst-quenching treat for your portable cooler!
Ingredients:
2 lemons
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups water
1 pint raspberries
Directions:
Grate 1 teaspoon of peel from the lemon and squeeze 1/4 cup juice. Heat sugar, lemon peel, and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in raspberries. Cool to room temperature. In food processor, puree mixture. Press through sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds. Stir in lemon juice and the rest of the water. Pout into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cover and freeze for about 1.5 hours. Mix it around with a fork until it all turns to icy shards. Serve right away.
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