What Are Your Food Traditions for 4 July?

[Jade Emperor]

I have done a little research into this, but I am much more interested in your thoughts, from our US cohort

 

[dragnlaw]

Me mum's birthday was July 4th. Traditional birthday cake, sometimes going out for supper, but mostly she liked to cook it herself! LOL

always a good time - and I miss her.

 

[blissful]

A good number of people in the US travel for vacations and visiting relatives on the 4th of July. There are parades in many cities and small towns sponsor fireworks displays in the days surrounding the 4th. People picnic and barbecue at friends/neighbors/parks eating hotdogs/steaks/bratwurst/fried chicken, potato salad, jello salad, watermelon, vegetable platters, potato chips and dip. People have bon fires, or cooking fires at their get-togethers, shooting off fireworks of their own in the evenings. I'm in the midwest US, and that is what I see in our area.

 

[Marlingardener]

We have no specific 4th food traditions. We just fix whatever suits our fancy--usually an Italian dish.
There is a terrible tradition of having hot dog eating contests, in which contestants cram as many hot dogs down their throats as possible in a small amount of time. Ghastly, considering the amount of obesity in the USA and the danger of choking (can you tell I'm not a fan of these contests?).
I'm all for cookouts and family gatherings, backyard picnics and pot luck dinners for the 4th.
The cat doesn't like the fireworks noise . . . .

 

[cjmmytunes]

This is the first year I will be celebrating with my cousins that I am now living with, so we have no set plans. When my mom was living, I would fix rib eye steak and baked potatoes, and have watermelon for dessert.

 

[thymeless]

I tend to want to do something different every time

 

[GotGarlic]

A good number of people in the US travel for vacations and visiting relatives on the 4th of July. There are parades in many cities and small towns sponsor fireworks displays in the days surrounding the 4th. People picnic and barbecue at friends/neighbors/parks eating hotdogs/steaks/bratwurst/fried chicken, potato salad, jello salad, watermelon, vegetable platters, potato chips and dip. People have bon fires, or cooking fires at their get-togethers, shooting off fireworks of their own in the evenings. I'm in the midwest US, and that is what I see in our area.

Our holiday in the South is very much like this. Our city is across the river from another city that sets off a fireworks display over the river.

We're not traveling this year, so it will be just the two of us. We're making grilled burgers, potato salad and baked beans. I have watermelon, but I also have fresh peaches from the farmers market, so I might make peach cobbler for dessert.

 

[Aunt Bea]

My experience is similar to others, a family picnic day.

Kids catching lightning bugs and toasting marshmallows.

 

[FrankZ]

One of my favorite memories of the fourth was sitting at anchor on the Magothy river and watching fireworks displays, large and small, in a 360 degree view. They were everywhere, including the awesome show from the southern point of Gibson Island (this is where the really rich live).

Good times.

 

[Andy M.]

We probably won't have soup.

 

[GotGarlic]

One of my favorite memories of the fourth was sitting at anchor on the Magothy river and watching fireworks displays, large and small, in a 360 degree view. They were everywhere, including the awesome show from the southern point of Gibson Island (this is where the really rich live).

Good times.

This reminds me of one time growing up we took our boat up the Detroit River from the island where we lived (Grosse Ile, MI) to Detroit to watch the fireworks there. It was great.

 

[fmw]

No traditions from me. I doubt we have eaten the same thing twice on independence day. Yesterday was soup making day to stock the freezer. I made a batch of French Onion soup and a batch of Minestrone. Nothing American at all. We had a serving of the onion soup with ciabatta and gruyere cheese along with loaded BLT sandwiches. In addition to the normal BLT we also add onion, avocado and cheddar cheese then bake it in the panini press.

 

[GinnyPNW]

Whatever we eat, it will be homemade. We stay home on most of the "weekend warrior" holidays (working folks that need to get away for a few days)...and most especially on any holidays that will or may include loud noises (fireworks)...to make sure the dogs are safe and comforted, as much as possible. We watch TV, a little too loud...or play music, a little too loud. We've been doing this for many, many years. Currently, we have 2 dogs. One is completely oblivious to the fireworks or loud bangs, and the other is super sensitive. They were raised the same, but they are their own doggies?