With summer barbecues and holiday celebrations coming up, you might need a little help to make it a success with new and different 4th of July food ideas, decorations, and games. Here are some of our favorite stress-free tips that are budget friendly — what KCL does best — and so easy that kids can help.
A lot of our 4th of July food ideas include items — popsicle sticks, muffin tins, and sprinkles — that you can easily pick up at Dollar Tree or on Amazon. Before you start shopping, browse our food coupons page to download savings. Or, download the Krazy Coupon Lady app for printable coupons and rebate offers. For immediate tips, text HACKS to 57299.
1. Serve barbecue condiments in a muffin tin.
2. Turn red Dollar Tree mini cups into 4th of July decorations with electrical tape and star stickers.
- Wrap the white tape around and then overlap the blue electrical tape around the top of your cup. The tape is flexible, which makes this process quick and easy. Don’t pull too hard on the tape — it will stretch and leave your stripes uneven.
- Using a craft knife, cut an “X” in the bottom of each cup. Make sure the “X” is large enough for the light to push through. If not, forcing the bulb too much can cause the cup to crack.
- Finish them off by applying star stickers, inserting the light bulbs into each cup, and hanging them for your guests to enjoy!
Need some ways to save on outdoor string lights? We’ve already done the research for you. You’re welcome.
3. Prepare a sticky fingers station for messy holiday foods.
Use a metal or plastic tub and fill it with wet wipes, paper towels, and hand sanitizer pumps. Here are paper towel coupons and hand sanitizer deals to get this idea going.
4. Create a fireworks photo backdrop on concrete with spray chalk.
Once the chalk is dry, have your kids pose for photos. When you’re finished, simply wash it away with water. You could also make an American flag photo backdrop using fabric, a wooden dowel, paint, and hot glue.
Related: July 4th Food Deals
5. Popsicle sticks make eating watermelon easy and mess free.
Slice the watermelon (or honeydew, or cantaloupe) into triangles and insert the stick into the rind. Don’t forget to use fruit coupons, because fresh fruit can get costly.
6. Dip ice cream cones in white chocolate and red, white, and blue sprinkles.
Dip the top of the sugar cone in melted white chocolate, then in sprinkles. Add a few scoops of ice cream and voilà!
You could also add sprinkles to pre-scooped ice cream and eat it out of disposable food boats or waffle bowls. Use ice cream coupons to make sure you have enough.
7. Add food coloring to a vase of flowers for an easy 4th of July decoration.
If you have more time, add food coloring to a vase with white flowers the day before to turn them colors! Do one with red and one with blue, then on the day of your party transfer the red, white, and blue flowers to a new vase.
8. Make a no-sew 4th of July decoration by tying bandanas together.
Tie them from end to end and hang them on a fence, front door, or along a folding table. No sewing needles involved!
Use these multi-colored pieces of fabric as a table runner, utensil wrapper, or as reusable napkins. You could even make a door knocker by hot gluing bandanas around a round foam wreath.
9. Use Mod Podge to create American flag lighting with mason jars.
Drop in a tea light to illuminate a pathway, or use them as 4th of July decorations on tables.
10. Tie-dye an Old Navy baby onesie in red, white, and blue.
Just so you know, tie-dye is runny and permanent, so protect your work surface by covering it well. I use zip ties with my tie-dye projects instead of rubber bands (you’ll get cleaner lines this way).
What you’ll need:
- Disposable rubber gloves (one for each color)
- Mini tie-dye kit with red and blue dye
- Zip ties
Directions:
- Twist the onesie from the top right-hand side, and fasten the zip ties into place.
- With the zip ties secured, mix your dye as instructed.
- Apply the dye to the onesie in sections, skipping sections that you want to stay white. Be careful — if you add too much dye, the colors can bleed together and you’ll end up with a purple onesie.
- When you’re done with the dye, place your onesie in a plastic bag and put it in the sun for 6 – 8 hours.
- Rinse the onesie under warm water with the zip ties still in place until the water runs clear.
- Carefully remove the zip ties and wash the onesie in your washing machine on the hottest setting. The heat helps the ink to set.
And remember, don’t wash it with any other items the first time, because some of the ink may transfer. Discover other money-saving tie-dye ideas or more ideas to bling out your Old Navy Shirt.
11. Turn plain paper plates into a wind catcher.
Then paint your star blue. Use a hole punch to create holes, attach string to the spiral and the star, and hang it in your entryway, from the family room ceiling, or just let the kids run around with it.
12. Shield kids’ hands from sparkler burns with a plastic cup.
13. Prevent a fire by extinguishing fireworks in a bucket of water.
Depending on the size of the fireworks, a large Home Depot bucket (only $5) will work. As long as you’re picking up a bucket, get familiar with Home Depot hacks.
14. Make DIY confetti poppers with toilet paper tubes, balloons, and flags.
Tie a knot at the base of a balloon. This will be where your kids grab and snap the balloon, making the confetti fly.
15. Grill foil-wrapped s’mores for one of your best 4th of July food ideas.
16. Use a shower cap and ice to keep food cold during your party.
To keep food safe, add ice to a shower cap then place a bowl filled with cold food (like pasta salad) in the cap, allowing the elastic to stretch over the sides to create an ice-box effect. Your food should stay cool for hours.
And while you’re at it, use a second shower cap to cover any food that’s sitting out. Gotta keep those bugs away.
17. Make a twirly hanging banner out of red and blue Solo cups.
Use a hole punch to make a hole through each strip. Thread a piece of string through the hole, and display your twirly cups as a decorative banner.
18. Pop balloons filled with confetti for a fun 4th of July party idea.
TIP: For easy cleanup, lay a sheet or disposable Dollar Tree tablecloth on the ground to catch the confetti as it flies.
19. Light up your drink cooler with red, white, and blue glow sticks.
Dollar Tree has patriotic glow wands that are perfect for helping guests find their favorite drinks after dark. The glow should last for several hours. You’ll probably want beverage coupons to stay within your budget.
20. Make your 4th of July party’s bonfire magical by adding color flame packets.
21. Use a cookie cutter to create watermelon stars for your drinks.
Another fun 4th of July food idea is to make fruit skewers. Make star shapes with the cookie cutters, slide grapes along the skewer, and finish with your melon star at the end. It’s like an edible sparkler.
22. Play 4th of July games with decorated cans and socks filled with rice.
Fill a couple of small socks with rice and tie the ends with rubber bands and patriotic ribbon. Then, cover six empty and cleaned 15-ounce cans with red, white, and blue duct tape, making sure the tape covers any sharp edges.
Set cans up in a pyramid and have kids stand several feet away. Whoever knocks down all the cans within two tries, wins!
23. Create lawn stars with marking chalk and cardboard.
Position the stencil where you’d like to decorate your lawn and use marking spray paint in different colors. Kids can join in to help spray and even make their own mini stars.
This spray is the same one used for electrical work, so it dries easily and is safe for grass. And, it withstands general weather patterns, so your stars will stay even if the weather is acting up.