A classic BBQ menu filled with traditional and southern favorites! Perfect for your next BBQ (backyard, summer, family, or even a party!) This menu includes grilled chicken kabobs, sides, and even dessert and I’ve included a full shopping list.

Planning a summer BBQ? You’ve come to the right place- I’ve got the ultimate summer BBQ menu with my favorite tried and true dishes that are always a hit! If that’s not enough- I’ve thrown my other favorite BBQ dishes at the end of the post.

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Chicken Kabobs

5 from 19 votes

Chicken Kabobs

My favorite Chicken Kabobs recipe requires just a few simple ingredients and is the most delicious summer dinner!

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“These were delicious. Will make again soon.” Debra

Grilled Corn on the Cob

5 from 3 votes

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Nothing beats Grilled Corn on the Cob charred to smokey perfection right on the grill! It pairs well with any summer meal.

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“So easy and yummy!” Jessica

Traditional Potato Salad

4.99 from 896 votes

Classic Potato Salad

This Classic Potato Salad recipe is made with Yukon Gold potatoes, hard boiled eggs, and a creamy dressing. It is a family favorite, and a must-have at any BBQ!

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“I’ve never had great luck with potato salad but I decided to give this one a try. It is the BEST! I served it at a friend’s and everyone loved it.” Trisha

Baked Beans

5 from 47 votes

Baked Beans

Ditch the can and make this homemade Baked Beans recipe! It's smokey, sweet, and absolutely incredible! They feed a crowd and everyone will be impressed you made them from scratch! They only take 15 minutes to prep and can even be made in advance.

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“This recipe is fantastic. It is like the recipe my Mom used to make years ago for backyard picnics and barbecues. You will never want to go back to serving canned beans once you know how good this homemade recipe is.” Cindy

Sugar Cookie Bars

4.95 from 120 votes

Sugar Cookie Bars

Thick, soft and chewy Sugar Cookie Bars are everyones favorite, and so easy to make, without having to chill, roll or cut the dough.

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“These are So Good and Easy! Needed a large dessert for a supper at church and tried the recipe for it. Will definitely be used many more times!” Gigi

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Additional BBQ Recipes:

5 from 26 votes

Corn Salad

This fresh Corn Salad recipe features grilled corn tossed with onion, bell pepper, avocado and a simple homemade dressing. It's as delicious as it is appetizing and it's perfect for Summer potlucks and BBQ's.

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4.88 from 16 votes

Watermelon Salad

This simple and delicious Watermelon Salad includes feta cheese, blueberries and fresh basil, with a hint of lime. Not only is it beautiful (and patriotic), it pairs with any meal!

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5 from 91 votes

Cucumber Salad

This easy Cucumber Salad is a delicious combination of cool cucumber, sweet onion, and tangy marinade that can be made in advance and is perfect for any BBQ or Summer party!

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4.94 from 33 votes

Macaroni Salad

This easy, classic Macaroni Salad recipe has favorite add-ins like celery, onion, bell pepper and shredded carrot, tossed in a creamy mayo-based dressing.

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4.95 from 144 votes

Broccoli Salad

Everyone loves this easy Broccoli Salad recipe made with bacon, almonds, craisins and onion in a delicious creamy and tangy dressing. Serve it at a potluck or bbq or as a side dish for holiday dinner.

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5 from 1 vote

Gourmet Baked Mac and Cheese

4.91 from 106 votes

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Tomato Cucumber Salad garnished with red onion and fresh basil. One of our favorite fresh and healthy summer side dishes! 

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5 from 125 votes

Pesto Pasta Salad

This easy Pesto Pasta Salad only requires 6 ingredients and a few minutes to prepare, made with pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella and any bite-size noodles. 

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4.97 from 27 votes

Skillet Cornbread

This simple and delicious Southern Skillet Cornbread recipe is made with real corn, cornmeal, buttermilk, and basic pantry ingredients and baked in a cast iron skillet.

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4.92 from 157 votes

Homemade Lemonade

The best fresh squeezed Lemonade recipe, made with just 3 ingredients! It's perfectly sweet and our favorite refreshing summer drink.

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A Classic Thanksgiving Menu with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and homemade rolls.  I also included tips for preparing each recipe ahead of time as well as a grocery shopping list to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving holiday.

Don’t miss all my Thanksgiving recipes HERE!

To save this Thanksgiving meal plan to your recipe collection, click here. You can even add additional recipes and customize it.

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I have been SO excited to share this special Thanksgiving meal plan with you all! Not only does it have my favorite tried and tested Thanksgiving dinner recipes on it, but I’ve taken time to detail out how to make each recipe ahead of time, and I’ve included a grocery shopping list! I truly hope this helps you have a stress-free, but still delicious Holiday dinner!

1. Easy, No-Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey

4.99 from 9537 votes

Easy, No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey

Foolproof Thanksgiving Turkey recipe that packs all of the flavor and juiciness you expect from the perfect roasted turkey, with none of the stress! Step by step for how to cook the perfect turkey.

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“After 30+ years of cooking turkeys a much more laborious way, we decided to give your recipe a try. A smash hit! Truly is stress-free and absolutely delicious. We made it exactly to your recipe, right down to putting the bird on a bed of chopped veggies because we couldn’t find the roasting rack. We will be making this again! Thank you for all the helpful tips too.”

Make-ahead tips;

• Give the turkey plenty of time to thaw. A good rule of thumb is to allow one day in the fridge for ever 5 pounds of turkey. I always give myself one extra day, just to be safe.
• Make the herb butter as instructed and store it in the refrigerator.
• Chop vegetables and have them ready in the refrigerator for quickly assembly.

2. Perfect Mashed Potatoes

5 from 207 votes

Mashed Potatoes

This easy Mashed Potatoes recipe will take your homemade mashed potatoes from average to fantastic! Follow my simple tips and step-by-step photos for the most perfect light, fluffy mashed potatoes!

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Make-ahead tips:

• Add a little extra milk to make sure they’re really soft and not too thick. (The potatoes will absorb moisture as they rest.) Spoon mixture into a casserole dish or large tupper-ware. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.
• To reheat: Remove from fridge 1 hour before baking. Taste and add additional seasonings as needed, or milk, to make sure they are nice and soft. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until warm. You could also reheat them in a saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave.

3. Turkey Gravy

5 from 2710 votes

Turkey Gravy

The BEST Turkey Gravy recipe is made with turkey drippings, is full of flavor, and only takes minutes to make! Embrace the giblets for turkey giblet gravy, or leave them out!

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make the gravy as directed.  Allow it to cool and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• To reheat, pour it into a saucepan and add a couple tablespoons of chicken broth or water to thin it (use your best judgement for how thin/thick you like it).  Heat it on medium low heat until warmed through (about 15 minutes).

4. Homemade Rolls

5 from 266 votes

Best Homemade Rolls

Nothing compare to these soft and fluffy Homemade Rolls, and they're so easy to make! We enjoy them all year round, and they freeze well too!

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make the roll dough, cover and refrigerate overnight. The dough will complete its first rise overnight. In the morning, just follow the recipe, starting with punching down and shaping the dough.
• To freeze homemade rolls, first bake them as instructed and allow them to cool completely.  Then put the rolls in a gallon freezer bag and store for up 1 month.  When ready to eat, just pull them out of the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature before eating or pop one in the microwave for a few seconds, and serve warm.

5. Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing

5 from 740 votes

Thanksgiving Stuffing

The BEST traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe, made with dried bread cubes, sausage, diced vegetables, and chicken broth.

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Make-ahead tips:

• Prepare the entire stuffing 1 day in advance but don’t bake it (put it in the casserole dish or in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator).  This allows the flavors to settle.  Before your Thanksgiving meal, bake the stuffing at 35oF for 30 minutes.

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Additional (Make-ahead) Thanksgiving Sides:

Sweet Potato Casserole

5 from 6219 votes

Sweet Potato Casserole

This easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is topped with a brown sugar pecan toppings, and always steals the show on Thanksgiving.

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make the filling 1-2 days in advance and smooth into your baking dish. Make the topping and place it in a ziplock bag. When you’re ready to bake it just take it out of the fridge and sprinkle the topping on!

Funeral Potatoes

5 from 4081 votes

Funeral Potatoes

These easy and delicious Funeral Potatoes (also called cheesy potatoes) are a cheesy hash brown casserole that makes the perfect warm side dish for any meal, holiday dinner, or potluck.

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Make-ahead tips:

• To make funeral potatoes ahead of time, make the recipe through step 4 when the mixture is spread into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Store covered in the fridge for up to 1 day. Add crushed cornflake topping before baking.

Holiday Cranberry Fruit Salad

5 from 5 votes

Holiday Cranberry Fruit Salad

Layered fruit salad, topped with fresh cranberries and an amazing vanilla yogurt whipped cream makes a delicious, festive side dish for the holidays. 

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Make-ahead tips:

• Cut all of your fruit the day before and store it separately. (Be sure to toss the apples really well in lemon juice so that they don’t brown).

Cranberry Fluff Salad

5 from 335 votes

Cranberry Fluff Salad

An easy Cranberry Salad recipe made with fresh cranberries, pineapple, cream cheese, and fresh whipped cream. It's that holiday side dishes that people go CRAZY for! 

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make the entire dish the day before and refrigerate overnight.

Apple Cranberry Fruit Salad

5 from 42 votes

Apple Cranberry Fruit Salad

Apple cranberry fruit salad with fresh fruit, fresh cranberries, mini marshmallows and whipped cream!  This recipe is a must-make during the holidays!

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Make-ahead tips:

• Cook cranberries as directed and refrigerate overnight. Combine other other fruits (not marshmallows) and refrigerate overnight, separately. Stir the two together before serving, adding marshmallows and topping with whipped cream if desired.

Creamy Fruit Salad

4.96 from 203 votes

Creamy Fruit Salad

This creamy fruit salad recipe, using Greek yogurt, is sweet and creamy without the added calories!

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Make-ahead tips:

• Drain the fruit and combine it in a bowl the night before. Drain the juices in the morning and then add the yogurt, marshmallows and coconut.

Broccoli Salad

4.95 from 144 votes

Broccoli Salad

Everyone loves this easy Broccoli Salad recipe made with bacon, almonds, craisins and onion in a delicious creamy and tangy dressing. Serve it at a potluck or bbq or as a side dish for holiday dinner.

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make entire salad 1 day in advance!

Fresh Cranberry Relish

4.99 from 870 votes

Fresh Cranberry Relish

This 3-ingredient cranberry relish has been a family favorite for generations! It’s sweet and tangy and perfect paired with Thanksgiving turkey or even for topping on chicken or pork

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make up to a week in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Deviled Eggs

5 from 888 votes

Deviled Eggs

This Classic Deviled Eggs recipe is always a winner, made with simple ingredients including pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper.

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make the day before. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mini Cheese Balls Bites

5 from 265 votes

Mini Cheese Ball Bites

Mini Cheese Ball Bites are the perfect party appetizer that’s easier to eat and more practical then a large cheese ball! 

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make the day before but don’t place the pretzels in them until you are ready to serve.

Classic Cheese Ball

5 from 2620 votes

Classic Cheeseball

This Classic Cheese Ball recipe makes the perfect party appetizer. A cheese ball made with cheddar cheese, cream cheese, green onion and spices, and coated in chopped pecans.

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Make-ahead tips:

• This can be made serval days in advance.  If you are making this more than one day in advance, wait to put to the nuts on so that they don’t get soft.

Perfect Pie Crust

4.98 from 1487 votes

Perfect Pie Crust

This easy homemade Pie Crust recipe is the BEST for any type of pie, whether filling with your favorite flavor, blind baking or freezing for later use.

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make the dough and flatten it into a disc. Place in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze until the day you make the pie. Remove from the freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling out.

Absolutely Amazing Pumpkin Pie

5 from 5572 votes

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

The BEST Pumpkin Pie recipe is perfect in every way, and you can choose to serve it with a simple homemade caramel pecan topping that takes it over the top!

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Make-ahead tips:

• Make and bake the day before. Allow to cool completely. Make topping and cover and refrigerate both separately, overnight. Warm topping in the microwave and spoon on top.

Make sure to check out all my PIE Recipes and Thanksgiving Recipes!

Also, don’t miss my list of Leftover Turkey Recipes!

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