Summer is in full swing, and there’s no time better to relax in the sun with family and friends than a Labor Day cookout. A national holiday since 1894, Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers—and our Labor Day food traditions of barbecued entrees and tasty side dishes are ingrained into our national consciousness. It’s a fun and filling time for all.
Your Labor Day food doest’t need to be work-intensive to be delicious and healthy!
Labor Day celebrates workers, but that doesn’t mean your Labor Day recipes need to be work-intensive! What’s the use of a holiday if you spend 8 hours working in the kitchen instead of the company? To figure out the ideal Labor Day menu, it’s best to focus on recipes that meet the following criteria:
- Delicious
- Healthy
- Easy to Prep
At HOPE Foods, we’ve spent years crafting healthy Labor Day recipes that don’t skimp on rich flavor or quick prep time, while still honoring time-tested Labor Day menu traditions.
Tips for a Tasty Labor Day Menu
Your Labor Day cookout is gonna be the best on the block. Why? Because guests love a party with great food! You don’t need all the bells and whistles—you just need to plan your Labor Day menu around the following guidelines:
Get out the Grill! Whether you’re a carnivore or herbivore, grilled food is a guaranteed winner. Guests love that mellow barbecue flavor on entrees or sides. And what Labor Day cookout would be complete without a few pals chatting around the BBQ?
Mix it up. Your Labor Day food should reflect a variety of options. There’s no telling what mood your guests are in, so while there’s no problem serving mac ‘n’ cheese, potato salad, and chips, you want to balance ‘em out with healthy Labor Day recipes rich in greens, healthy macronutrients, and vitamins and minerals.
Appreciate the Apps! While you’re hosting, the last thing you need is nosy guests scrounging for food. Rather than keeping them waiting while the grillmaster is hard at work, figure out some easy-to-prep Labor Day appetizer recipes that will keep them occupied.
Thankfully, these guidelines aren’t hard to follow when you throw hummus into the mix! With tons of delicious flavors, an amazing nutritional profile, and most of the work already done, hummus is an indispensable part of your healthy Labor Day menu. Don’t believe us? Try one of the delicious recipes below.
Delicious and Healthy Labor Day Recipes
It’s time to see what we’ve got cooking. These recipes are just the tip of the iceberg, though—because we’ve got hundreds of delicious entrees and Labor Day appetizer recipes at our HOPE Kitchen, Instagram foodie community, and YouTube channel. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, then do a little surfin’ and find the perfect Labor Day menu options in just a couple clicks.
Buffalo Bleu Wings
When you want to serve up classic buffalo sauce taste without loading on greasy calories, these bite-sized morsels are the perfect Labor Day appetizer recipe. Simply coat chicken wings with a sauce made from Buffalo Bleu hummus and bake ‘em up… how much easier could things get? Plus, it’s healthy! And if you’re a vegetarian, you can do the same thing with cauliflower florets for a little more crunch.
![Sea Salt & Olive Oil Vegan Pasta Salad](https://hopefoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Sea-Salt-Olive-Oil-Pasta-Salad-Featured-150x150.jpg")
Sea Salt & Olive Oil Vegan Pasta Salad
No Labor Day menu is complete without a pasta salad. This tasty treat is super quick to whip up, and it’s full of healthy and hasty ingredients: rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, corn, and basil mixed together with Sea Salt & Olive Oil hummus. Voilá—a perfect Labor Day appetizer recipe or side dish!
Beautiful Veggie Tray
If you’d like a Labor Day recipe your guests can graze on while you’re entertaining, set out some chips and a veggie tray. But ditch the ol’ carrots-and-celery routine and try something new, like this platter of sliced cucumber, micro arugula, pickled carrots and onions, sliced avo, bell peppers, and hummus dip! You can use whatever flavor hummus speaks to you—but we recommend Kale Pesto, Jalapeño Red, or Black Garlic.
Spicy Zucchini Noodles with Strawberries
This holiday, you can use HOPE Hummus to prep up the perfect Labor Day menu for celebrating with your loved ones. Enjoy the sun, the outdoors, and a delicious meal. And then get back to work.
For something fresh and healthy, but with a rich flavor that evokes the best of Labor Day food traditions, try this zesty number. Toss up some zucchini noodles with hemp hearts, chopped pecans, strawberries, and Spicy Avocado hummus—but make a lot, because it’s gonna disappear fast!
