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Memorial Day Backyard Party Essentials That Won't Disappoint
22
items Memorial day party ideas for the host who wants the backyard to feel effortless even though 20 people just RSVP'd. We've thrown this exact party more times than we can count, and the picks here are the ones that actually got reached for, not the Pint...
Sections
4
The Grill
The Drinks
The Setup
The Sweet Stuff
The Grill
Burgers, brats, and the pre-marinated kits that make Saturday lazy in the best way. Crowd-pleasers, not chef-level showpieces.
If you're hosting more than 8, ButcherBox is the move. Pastured meat ships frozen, you build the box around what you'll grill.
ButcherBox Custom Build (Grill-Heavy)
Spatula, tongs, basting brush, skewers, carry case. The starter-set that's actually good. Sub-$45.
Cuisinart Deluxe 20-Piece BBQ Grill Set
Every Memorial Day they release a bundle with burgers, dogs, and brats. It's the easiest 'showed up like a hero' move when you're hosting.
Memorial Day Grilling
Three sauces, three burger bars. Lets your guests build their own without you being the sauce-curator all night.
Specialty Hot Sauce Sampler
Wagyu beef hot dogs that taste closer to a brat than a hot dog. The 'what ARE these?' moment at every backyard party we've brought them to.
American Wagyu Hot Dog 12-Pack - Snake River Farms
Heavy enough to smash a real smashburger; sub-$30. Pairs with a cast iron griddle for the back patio.
Weber Original Cast Iron Burger Smasher
The Drinks
Yeti coolers, batch-cocktail mixes, and the hard seltzer flight everyone keeps reaching for. Built for a 20-person backyard.
Brew a pitcher of their hibiscus the morning of. Looks like sangria, refreshes everyone, and the kids like it too.
Tea Forte Iced Tea Sampler
Holds ice 4+ days. The 'real Yeti' under the $250 mark. For the host who wants drinks cold past sunset.
Yeti Roadie 24 Hard Cooler (Patriotic Charcoal)
Lemonade-tasting electrolyte sticks. Means your DD-friends or non-drinkers feel hosted, not afterthought-ed.
Instant Hydration : Hydration Sticks
Pocket-sized tin with bitters, raw cane sugar, spoon, and recipe card. Sub-$25 host gift, pairs with any bourbon bottle for a $40 combo.
W&P Craft Cocktail Kit, Margarita, Portable
Hilariously branded canned water for the cooler. The non-alcoholic option that doesn't read as boring. $20 a case.
Liquid Death Mountain Water 12-Pack (Tallboy)
Carbonates wine, juice, cocktails, not just water. Plays better than SodaStream for a backyard bar setup. Sub-$120 for the starter kit.
Drinkmate OmniFizz Sparkling Water Maker (Carbonates Anything)
The Setup
Folding tables, citronella that doesn't smell like a hospital, and string lights for when it goes past 9 PM. The under-the-radar wins.
Goes from grocery-store to wedding-photo in 60 seconds. Solar-powered — no extension cord wrangling.
Solar Outdoor String Lights 48ft 15 Bulbs
If you're going to drag a folding table out of the garage, a real linen runner makes it a setting. Wrinkles forgivingly.
Linen Tablecloth
The mosquito-repelling candle that doesn't smell like the gas station kind. Pricier but you'll burn it every weekend, not just Memorial Day.
Garden Neroli Citronella Boxed Candle - Anthropologie
The enamelware is the host trick — instantly elevates a paper-plate situation into something photogenic.
Watermelon Melamine Serving Bowl
Sub-$60 folding table that stores flat in the garage. The 'add a second food line so people aren't crowding the grill' move.
6FT Folding Outdoor Table (Plastic, White)
The Sweet Stuff
Mini pies from Goldbelly, a quality ice cream maker, and the s'mores kit that doesn't disappoint. Worth the Insta photo.
Stars, flags, hearts. The lazy-baker shortcut for Memorial Day sugar cookies. Done in 30 minutes.
Patriotic Cookie Cutter Set
Bowl-style attachment for the stand mixer you already own. Make vanilla in 25 minutes; tops the Memorial Day pie. Sub-$80.
KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment (Quart Bowl)
Real telescoping skewers, not bent coat-hangers. Pair with chocolate, Hershey bars, marshmallows, and gourmet graham crackers. The after-grill move when the fire pit's still hot.
Stainless Telescoping S'mores Roasting Sticks Set
Ships dry-ice frozen to the door. Jeni's , Ben & Jerry's, or Tipsy Scoop.Strawberry Cheesecake, Cherry Garcia, Phish Food. The 'just bring dessert' contribution that wins.
Goldbelly Ice Cream Pints (Dry-Ice Ship) Jeni's | Tipsy Scoop
Ships ready-to-thaw mini pies from famous bakeries. Apple, blueberry, cherry. The patriotic dessert that doesn't require baking.
Goldbelly Mini Pie Sampler (Red, White, Blue Pies)