There’s no time like a hot summer picnic to let your patriotic spirit show. These all-American snacks are the perfect solution for nearly any summertime celebration – including the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or Labor Day. And they are easily dairy-free for everyone to enjoy. These fabulous little recipes can even be made gluten-free, vegan, paleo, or allergy-friendly.
5 Easy, Fun & Delicious Dairy-Free Recipes for a Patriotic Picnic
These healthy, delicious treats combine a touch of nostalgia and a big dose of pride with some fresh ideas from the fruit-loving folks at watermelon.org.
Red, White and Blueberry Fruit Parfaits
In glasses or small canning jars, layer 1/3 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup thick dairy-free yogurt (vanilla or coconut flavor preferred) or coconut cream, and 1/3 cup chopped seedless watermelon (can sub hulled, quartered strawberries or raspberries). Top each with a dollop of dairy-free whipped cream for garnish (homemade or store-bought).
Make Ahead Tip: Reduce the moisture in the dairy-free yogurt by draining it in cheesecloth (I’ve found that this works great with Silk brand yogurts) or on paper towels. Or start with a really thick dairy-free yogurt, like Coyo. It can also be used for the topping.
Melon-Berry Infused Water
Place 2 cups seedless watermelon balls or cubes, 1 cup blueberries, and some basil or mint in a pitcher and cover with water. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Starry Surprise: Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut large pieces of honeydew melon or watermelon into stars for your infused water. Or you can slice star fruit for the same fun effect with a different flavor twist.
Stars & Stripes Fruit Salad
Slice 1/4 inch off the bottom of a seedless watermelon, lengthwise, to create a stable base. Use a pencil to draw zig-zag lines as your stencil for the basket opening. Use a paring knife to make cuts through rind along your stencil. Carefully remove the top section, pull out large chunks of flesh and cut them into 3-inch cubes. Trim 3/4-inch thick slices off squares to use for cutting out stars with 1 1/2 to 3-inch, star-shaped cookie cutters.
Use an ice cream scoop to remove the remaining flesh from inside the watermelon basket. Cut the scoops into quarters and place them in the bottom of the basket.
Slice open and seed a honeydew melon. Cut some of the honeydew into narrow rectangles for “stripes.” Scoop the remaining honeydew melon flesh using a melon baller, and add the melon balls to the watermelon basket. Add a pint of blueberries (reserving a few for garnish) to the watermelon basket. Gently toss to combine the fruit salad.
Garnish the fruit salad with the watermelon stars, honeydew stripes, and reserved blueberries.
Fruity Patriotic Charcuterie Board
Arrange the following on a large board or platter:
- 1/2 medium seedless watermelon, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
- 10 strawberries (dipped in dairy-free white chocolate – store bought or homemade – if desired)
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and sliced
- Dairy-free soft “cheese” (1 Cashew Cheeze Wheel batch or Seedy Cheeze from Go Dairy Free, easy Yogurt Cheese, or store-bought like Treeline or Miyoko’s)
- 1/2 cup toasted salted cashews or macadamia nuts
- 2 ounces cured meats like dairy-free prosciutto, pancetta, coppa, salami, soppressata, sausage or pepperoni (check ingredients carefully; can use vegan version or omit)
Drizzle the apples with lemon juice. Garnish the board with fresh basil leaves just before serving.
Flag Kebab Cake
Trim the golden outside from a dairy-free angel food cake (store-bought or homemade; gluten-free optional). Go ahead and snack on it – I won’t tell. Cut the remaining white angel food cake into 1-inch cubes.
Slice open a watermelon and cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes.
Grab a pint of blackberries and thread five blackberries on each of five wooden skewers. Then alternate threading the dairy-free angel food cake cubes and watermelon cubes onto the rest of each skewer, ending with watermelon.
Alternate threading watermelon cubes and dairy-free angel food cake cubes onto seven more wooden skewers so the first and last cubes are watermelon. Place the skewers on a platter, lining them up like the image below to create the American flag.
Serve with dairy-free Cheesecake Dip, Caramel Sauce, Hot Fudge Sauce, Coconut Whip, Date Caramel Dip, Chocolate Whipped Cream, or Yogurt for dipping, if desired.
