Food

This Labor Day Menu Will Help You Create the Ultimate Dinner Party, from Drinks to Dessert

It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later

Katherine Gillen

By Katherine Gillen

Updated Jul 31, 2025

Additional reporting by
Taryn Pire
labor day menu recipes: grilled melon with tahini sauce and sesame seeds

All good things come to an end—summer included. But let’s not mope about it, OK? Instead, host a soirée to toast to all the beach days, alfresco meals and ice pops you’ve enjoyed since Memorial Day. If you feel like you’re out of summer dinner ideas, no worries: This Labor Day menu has everything you need to end the season on a delicious note.

From frozen Aperol spritzes to homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream, these recipes are impressive, yet easy to pull off. They epitomize everything delicious about summer with seasonal produce and many are easy to prepare in advance (or in a pinch), so you’ll wow your guests while keeping the stress to a minimum. Shall we?

Former Senior Food Editor

Katherine Gillen

Former Senior Food Editor

  • Headed PureWow’s food vertical
  • Contributed original reporting, recipes and food styling
  • Studied English Literature at the University of Notre Dame and Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education

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