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Fourth of July Food

Fourth of July food with star-cut watermelon, a berry flag tray, red-white-blue skewers, and a grilled corn-and-ribs spread. Layers of strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream create a flag pattern, while smoky BBQ and golden corn round out the platter.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Watermelon
  • 1 1 watermelon, cut into stars and cubes
Strawberries
  • 2 cup 2 cups strawberries, halved
Blueberries
  • 1 cup 1 cup blueberries
Whipped cream
  • 1 cup 1 cup whipped cream
Grilled corn on the cob
  • 1 grilled corn on the cob
BBQ ribs or hot dogs
  • 1 BBQ ribs or hot dogs
Star-shaped cookie cutter
  • 1 star-shaped cookie cutter
Skewers
  • 1 skewers for berry skewers

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the berry flag
  1. Layer the strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream in rows on a tray to form a flag-style pattern, visible enough from across the room.
  2. Chill the tray until ready to serve so the whipped cream holds its shape; keep it in the refrigerator at 40°F for up to 24 hours.
Cut the watermelon stars
  1. Cut star-shaped watermelon pieces using a star-shaped cookie cutter, then keep the remaining watermelon cubes alongside for a mix of shapes.
Assemble red-white-blue skewers
  1. Alternate strawberry, marshmallow, and blueberry on the skewers to create red-white-blue rows of fruit and marshmallow.
  2. Arrange the skewers standing upright on a serving platter so the colors read clearly from the front edge.
Grill and build the festive spread
  1. Grill the corn on the cob over medium-high heat (around 400°F) until hot and lightly charred, about 10–15 minutes.
  2. Grill the ribs or hot dogs over medium-high heat (around 400°F) until heated through and browned, about 5–10 minutes, turning as needed for even color.
  3. Arrange all items—berry flag, watermelon stars and cubes, skewers, grilled corn, and ribs/hot dogs—on a single festive spread with clear color separation for the star-spangled look.

Notes

Pro tip: prep all fruit-cutting and tray assembly steps the night before, cover, and refrigerate so the whipped cream stays thick and the display looks sharp. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days; freezer is not recommended because fresh watermelon and cream don’t freeze well. For a lighter option, use low-fat whipped cream (and keep the berry flag portion slightly smaller) without changing the layout.