4th of July 2026

 I am welcome to the 4th of July Pick Your Budget holiday series. As always these prices are current prices in my area from Walmart, unless otherwise noted, at the time of this writing. So let's get into it:

SIDES

Deviled Eggs
12 hard-boiled eggs (Great Value Large Eggs - $1.47)
½ cup mayonnaise (Great Value 15oz - $2.12)
1 tbsp yellow mustard (Great Value 8oz - .68¢)
¼ tsp salt (Great Value 26oz - .84¢)
⅛ tsp black pepper (Dollar Tree - Supreme Tradition 2oz - $1.25)
Paprika for garnish (Great Value 2.5oz - $1.08)

To make: See the * below for how to make perfect hard boiled eggs. Peel the eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Remove all the yolks and place them in a bowl. Mash yolks slightly and add mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Spoon or pipe mixture into egg whites. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and chill until you are ready to serve.

Dressed-Up Baked Beans
2 (28 oz) cans baked beans (Great Value 15oz - $1.23) (you will need four cans)
½ cup onion, chopped (whole fresh yellow onion - .88¢/lb.) or (Great Value Frozen chopped 10oz - $1.56)
¼ cup brown sugar (Great Value
32oz - $1.98)
2 tbsp ketchup (Great Value 24oz - $1.47)
1 tbsp yellow mustard (Great Value 8oz - .68¢)
Optional: ½ lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (Great Value Hickory Smoked 12oz - $3.94)

To make: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Mix well all the ingredients above in a bowl before pouring into a greased baking dish. Bake your beans uncovered for 45 minutes. Let your beans rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Potato Salad
3 lbs potatoes, peeled or unpeeled and cubed (I prefer mine peeled) (Russet Potatoes 5 pounds - $2.54)
4 hard-boiled eggs*, chopped (Great Value Large Eggs - $1.47)
1 cup mayonnaise (Great Value 15oz - $2.12)
2 tbsp yellow mustard (Great Value 8oz - .68¢)
½ cup celery, diced (Fresh Bundle - $2.37)
¼ cup onion, finely diced (whole fresh yellow onion - .88¢/lb.) or (Great Value Frozen chopped 10oz - $1.56)
1 tsp salt (Great Value 26oz - .84¢)
½ tsp black pepper (Dollar Tree - Supreme Tradition 2oz - $1.25)
Optional: Paprika for garnish (Great Value 2.5oz - $1.08)

To make: once your potatoes are cool, in a new large bowl combine your salt, pepper, mustard and mayonnaise - whisk well. Add your onion, chopped eggs and celery, making sure that you mix well again. The final thing what to do is to gently fold in your potatoes. Refrigerate this for at least 2 hours. When you're ready to serve you can sprinkle the top with paprika if you desire.

Coleslaw
1 bag (14–16 oz) coleslaw mix (Marketside Tricolor 16oz - $1.97)
¾ cup mayonnaise (Great Value 15oz - $2.12)
2 tbsp sugar (Dollar Tree - Domino 1lb box - $1.50)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (Dollar Tree - Olds 32oz - $1.50)
½ tsp salt (Great Value 26oz - .84¢)
¼ tsp black pepper (Dollar Tree - Supreme Tradition 2oz - $1.25)

To make: start by washing your potatoes as well especially if you're going to leave them unpeeled. Then cut them into evenly cubed pieces so that they will cook evenly. Place your potatoes in a large pot and cover at least one inch above your potatoes with cold water. The cold water ensures that your potatoes cook at an even rate. Season your water generously with salt. It should taste like salty sea water. Place your pot on the stove over high heat and bring your potatoes to a boil, uncovered. Once your potatoes are boiling turn down the heat slightly making sure to keep your potatoes at a continuous gentle simmer. Cook your potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes before checking to see if they are done. To check for doneness, simply insert a fork into one of the biggest thickest pieces. If your fork slides in and out easily with no resistance means your potatoes are done. If they are not done, continue to cook for a few more minutes and test again. Once your potatoes are done, drain them well and allow them to cool. 

Note: Or you could just use Kraft Coleslaw Dressing (16oz bottle -$3.12) for a quick easy shortcut. 

To make: Whisk everything together, excluding the coleslaw mix until nicely blended. Pour this mixture over your coleslaw mix and toss well before refrigerating for at least 1 hour. 

Pasta Salad
1 cup cucumber, diced (Fresh - .66¢ each)
1 cup tomatoes, diced (Fresh Roma .32¢ each or $1.27/pound)
½ cup bell pepper, diced ( Fresh Green - .86¢ each) or (Great Value Frozen Chopped 10oz - $1.56)
½ cup shredded carrots (Fresh Whole 2lbs - $2.26) or (Fresh Shredded 10oz - $1.93)
1 cup Italian dressing (Great Value Traditional 8oz -$1.47)

1 lb rotini pasta (Great Value 16oz - .98¢)

To make: Start by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the back of the package. Once your pasta is cooked immediately drain it and rinse it under cold water for a few minutes. Combine your prepared vegetables and the pasta, mixing gently. Finally pour on your Italian dressing and mix again gently. Refrigerator pasta salad for a minimum of 2 hours.

Note: if you do not want to go to all the work of prepping all of the vegetables you can toss in as many frozen peas ( Great Value Sweet Peas, 12 oz (Frozen) - .98¢) as you would like instead. We also toss in a handful of shredded cheddar cheese (Great Value Cheddar Finely Shredded 8 oz - $1.97). And finally, we prefer our pasta salad with mayonnaise instead of Italian dressing. 

*How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

To make: Gently place a single layer of eggs in the bottom of a saucepan. Add enough cold water to the pan to cover the eggs with one inch above the eggs. Put your eggs onto the stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil. You want this to come to a full rolling boil. Once it does, put a lid on your pants and turn off the heat. Gently slide your pan to a cool spot on your stove top. Now let your eggs sit covered in their hot water for 12 minutes for fully cooked hard boiled eggs or 13 minutes if you want them to be extra firm for deviled eggs. When your timer goes off immediately drain your eggs and place them into a bowl of ice water. They will need to rest in the ice water for 5 to 10 minutes, this will stop the cooking and make peeling your eggs much easier. 

Note: eggs that are about 10 days old will feel much better than fresh eggs.

POTATOES
Potato chips plain and bbq is probably your best bet, but you can do as you desire. 

Aldi carries a brand called Clancy they range from $1.79 for original (10oz) and $2.45 for the honey barbecue (12.5oz).

They have other flavors as well but the size and the cost may differ.

To make: you can just open the bags and put them on the picnic table or you can put them in nice bowls if you desire.

MEAT/MAIN
Hamburgers (Aldi Simple Nature Grass Fed 85% - $5.99/lb) or
Ground Turkey Burgers (Festive Frozen 1lb - $1.98)
Hot dogs (Bar S 8 count - $1.00) or 
Bratwurst (Parkview Cheddar Brats 6 count - $2.69)

To make: for hamburgers or ground turkey burgers take a chunk off of the meat tray, roll it gently between clean hands then flatten and shape into a patty.

For hot dogs and bratwurst just pull them out of the package and cook. In fact you don't even need to cook the hot dogs if you don't want to. They could be eating raw but of course taste much better when they have a little barbecue flavor from the grill infused into them.
So for grilled hamburgers about 3/4 inch thick you're going to cook them about 4 to 5 minutes per side to get a medium burger, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium well or 6 to 7 minutes per side for a well done burger.

For food safety, ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160°F, so please use a meat thermometer if you own one.

Note: Please try not to press down on the tops of your burgers while they are cooking. This will literally squeeze out all of the juices that make a hamburger delicious.

Turkey Burgers
Follow the patty making instructions above for your turkey burgers as well. Because turkey dries out more easily than beef you can consider adding a ½ to one tablespoon of mayonnaise into every turkey patty you make. This will help keep them moist. 

Cook your turkey burgers for 5 to 7 minutes per side on a medium heated area of your grill. It usually takes between 10 and 14 minutes total to get your turkey burger cooked. The internal temperature for your turkey burger is 165°F.

Bratwurst
Bratwurst are best cooked a little slower so find a less heated area of your grill.

You are going to want to cook your bratwurst for 15 to 20 minutes total, turning and rolling them every few minutes. You want to reach an internal temperature of 160°F.

Please Note: you can simmer your bratwurst first before you cook them on the grill by putting them in a pan of beer, water or broth and bringing them to a simmer for 10 or 15 minutes. Then you can finish them on the grill for 5 to 8 minutes just to get them a little brown and flavorful. This does help prevent burnt outsides and undercooked centers.

Hamburger Buns (Aldi L’oven 8 count - $1.39)

Hot Dog Buns (Aldi L’oven 8 count - $1.39)

Bratwurst Rolls (Aldi L’oven Deli Rolls 6 count - $2.49)

Yellow Mustard (Great Value 8oz - .68¢)

Spicy Brown Mustard (Great Value 12oz - $1.62)

Ketchup (Great Value 24oz - $1.47)

Mayonnaise (Great Value 15oz - $2.12)

Dill Pickles (Great Value Hamburger Slices 16oz - $2.24)

Sweet Pickle Relish (Mt. Olive 8oz - $1.47)

Onion, sliced (whole fresh yellow onion - .88¢/lb.)

Tomatoes, sliced (Fresh Roma .32¢ each or $1.27/pound)

Iceberg Lettuce (Fresh Head - $2.28)

Cheese Slices (Sandwich Mate Imitation American 10 2/3oz 16 slices - $1.47) or (Great Value 8oz 12 slices - $1.67 with a ton of options to choose from including cheddar colby jack pepper jack and more)

DESSERT
Watermelon (Fresh Whole - $3.88 to $4.67 each depending on size)

Patriotic Fruit Kabobs by threading strawberries (Fresh 8.8 oz - $1.54 or 1lb - $2.24), blueberries (Fresh pint - $2.97 or 18oz $4.78), and marshmallows (Great Value 10oz - $1.17) onto skewers (Mainstays Bamboo Skewers - .97¢) for a red, white, and blue treat.

Cool Whip, Apple, Snicker Salad
4 apples, chopped (Fresh Fuji - .71¢ each or 3lb bag Gala - $3.24)
6 Snickers bars, chopped (single 1.86oz - $1.25 or package of six 11.16oz 6 count - $7.88)
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip (Cool Whip original 8oz - $2.22)
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix (Jell-O 3.4oz - $1.48)
½ cup milk (Kemps Select 2% 16 fl oz - $1.42)

To make: in an appropriate sized bowl start by whisking your pudding mix together until smooth with your milk. Then fold in your whipped cream gently so you don't deflate your whipped cream and finally stir in your chopped apples and your chopped Snickers bars. Refrigerate this for at least an hour before serving, I would even suggest two hours.

Rice Krispie Treats
3 tbsp butter or margarine (Great Value 8 oz (2 sticks) butter - $1.94 or Imperial 16 oz (4 sticks) margarine - $1.24)

1 (10 oz) bag marshmallows (Great Value 10oz - $1.17)
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (Great Value 12 oz - $1.97)

To make: Start by buttering (or margarine) a 9 by 13 inch pan, set it aside. In a large pot, melt your butter or margarine then add your marshmallows and stir until everything melts and combines together. Remove your mixture from the heat and stir in your Rice Krispies cereal. You want to ensure that your cereal is well coated in the mixture. Then press this into your pan that you set aside earlier. Allow these to cool completely before cutting them into squares.

Classic S'mores
Graham crackers (Great Value Honey Graham 14.4oz - $2.16)
Marshmallows (Great Value 10oz - $1.17)
Chocolate bars (Hershey's 1.55 Oz - $1.62 or an Extra Large 4.4oz - $2.97)

To make: Start by roasting your marshmallows over a fire or under a broiler until golden brown. Place an appropriate size of chocolate on a graham cracker square, then top with your hot marshmallow. Add another graham cracker and gently press it together to form your sandwich. Let it sit for about 30 seconds so that your chocolate can soften slightly. Then eat and enjoy! 

Drinks & Water
Water Bottles (Great Value Purified Drinking Water 16.9 fl oz 24 count - $3.68) or (Great Value 1 Gallon Jug - $1.37) if you have cups.

Soda Pop - If you plan to do cups (Great Value 16 oz cups 25 count - $2.62), you can go with Great Value 2 liter bottles in a variety of flavors for $1.00 or you could opt for 12 fluid ounce cans 12 count for $4.74 or a 24 pack of cans for $10.48. 

*I personally like the idea of going with 2 litter bottles because then you can get a variety of different flavors. You should probably include at least some sugar-free soda for those that don't like excessive sugar or are diabetic.

Lower Income Budget

Banquet Backyard BBQ Meal $1.87 it comes with mashed potatoes and corn

Great Value Pulled Pork in BBQ Sauce 2.6oz pouch $1.74

You could also add: 
Hamburger Bun (Aldi L’oven 8 count - $1.39)

A single-serving cup of coleslaw or a couple deviled eggs could be added if you can find them at a deli counter. I could not, so I don't know what the price is. 

*You could also stop at a local restaurant or barbecue restaurant that you know sells coleslaw and possibly deviled eggs and ask them what they would charge for a small to-go cup. 
You can maybe even look at a convenience store that sells food. You might be able to get a roller hot dog in a bun for a pretty decent price - maybe $1.50 to $3.00. 

Some of the fancier convenience stores may even sell potato salad or deviled eggs.

You could also just make potato salad, pasta salad and/or deviled eggs if you have a rogue potato, a handful of pasta or a few eggs floating in the fridge. It doesn't take much to make a classic dressing - as long as you have mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
If you don't have moyo you could actually make some if you have an immersion blender to make one cup of: 

homemade mayo

1 large egg (at room temp) 
1 cup neutral oil (like avocado, canola, or vegetable oil) 
1 tbsp lemon juice, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar 
1 tsp Dijon mustard or yellow (this acts as an emulsifier to keep the mayo stable) 
¼ tsp salt

To make: making sure that all of your ingredients are room temperature (this is important to help with the emulsification of your mayonnaise) put all of your ingredients into a narrow container so your immersion blender is close to the sides. Let your ingredients rest for 10 seconds or so until the egg settles on the bottom. Gently insert your immersion blender pushing it completely to the bottom of your container. Turn it on and hold it completely still at the bottom of your cup for 15 to 20 seconds - you will see the mayonnaise start to form at the base. Once the mixer is thick and creamy at the bottom slowly tilt and move your blender up and down to incorporate all the remaining oil at the top of your cup. Transfer your mayonnaise to an airtight jar. You can store this in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Important Note: if your egg, lemon juice or vinegar, and mustard all need to be at room temperature before you start to blend them. If they are not at room temperature this can easily cause your emotion to break, preventing it from thickening correctly.

Note: using white vinegar in your mayonnaise will give it a sharp clean taste. Using apple cider vinegar in your mayonnaise will give it a milder, slightly fruity tang. Using yellow mustard over Dijon mustard will give you a brighter yellow color as well as a more familiar tangy flavor to your mayonnaise 

If you would like potato chips you could actually purchase a 1 oz single bag at Walmart for as low as 48¢ each and they do have quite a variety.

Hot and Ready-to-Eat Mashed Potatoes Single Serve Cup 5 oz - .97¢

Can of Baked Beans (Van Camp's Pork And Beans In Tomato Sauce 15 oz. - $1.08)

Rice Krispie treat (Rice Krispies Treats Original 2.2 oz - $1.48)

4th of July Picnic Tips:
Be sure to toss ketchup, mustard, relish, etc (listed above) into your cooler to take with you. If you are adding other things like lettuce, tomato, and maybe even cheese, be sure to toss those in your cooler as well. 

Always keep your cold foods in your cooler until you're ready to serve them. Be sure to put your cooler in the shade as well to help keep the cooler cool. This will help keep your ice packs frozen longer. Pack food in coolers with plenty of ice packs or ice. If you do not have many ice packs you can place your serving bowl inside of a larger bowl filled with ice to help keep it even colder or pack your cooler with ice (Bolsa de Hielo 20lb bag of ice - $4.97) you can also use the ice to add to drinks if you bring plastic cups (Great Value 16 oz cups 25 count - $2.62) as well. 

You could also freeze water bottles (Great Value Purified Drinking Water 16.9 fl oz 24 count - $3.68) a day or two ahead of time and use them as ice packs. And then as they thaw people can drink them as well.

Be sure to bring lots of napkins (Way to Celebrate 24 count - $1.00 or Black & White Paper Towel Rolls 88 sheets each - .68¢) as well as paper plates (you will want sturdier paper plates like Dixie Ultra 10 inch 20 count - $3.38) and plastic utensils (Way to Celebrate 8 each of knives, spoons and forks (just be aware these are colorful and definitely not 4th of July colors - $1.00). 

You may also want to pack wet wipes to clean up small children (Equate Antibacterial Hand Wipes 24 count - .98¢) and trash bags for easy cleanup (Basic Trash 13 gal Bags 10 count - $1.18 these are thin so you maybe want to pack the whole box to be on the safe side.)

Be sure to pack a can of bug spray as well as sunscreen for the children. (Repel Tick Defense Aerosol Insect Repellent 6.5 ounces - $4.97) (Equate Sport Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50 5.5 ounce - $4.88). If you do not want to buy the repellent or sunscreen please remind the parents to pack it and bring it with them to the picnic.

BONUS 
Corn on the Cob ( Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob -.33¢ each)

To make: start by picking whether you're going to do your corn on the cob in the husk, foil wrapped, or naked. If you want a juicier steam you're going to want to leave it in the husk, if you want to add spices, seasonings and butter to cook your corn in your going to want to do aluminum foil and finally if you like a really charred corn on the cob you're going to want to do it naked. I'll give you the instructions below on how to prepare your corn on the cob but until then let's continue with how to cook it. You are going to want to grill your corn on the cob on a preheated grill that is set for medium high heat. You are going to cook it for 12 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes so that the kernels remain tender. Then simply remove from the grill and if you elect to do aluminum foil or husk slowly and carefully remove the corn as it will be extremely steamy inside, so don't get burnt and enjoy. You can serve your corn on the cob with extra butter or margarine, salt, pepper or anything else you like on your corn.

How to Prep Your Corn on the Cob:

Husk: like I stated above if you leave it in the husk it is going to be the juiciest. Simply pull back the husks without detaching them and remove all of the silks inside. Pull the husks back into place and soak the entire ear in cold water for 15 to 20 minutes; as this will help prevent the husks from burning. Place the corn directly on your grill and grill for 15 to 20 minutes turning frequently until the husks are nicely charred, then simply peel the husk; again being careful because it will be steamy and could easily burn you! Season your corn however you desire

Foil Wrapped: this method is best if you want to preseason your corn on the cob and it will as impart steam to help keep your kernels tender. Start by checking the corn and removing all of the husk and silks, then place each ear of corn on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with butter or margarine, salt, pepper or any other seasonings you would prefer. Then wrap the foil tightly around your corn to form like a burrito. Place your foil packets on the grill for 15 to 20 minutes turning occasionally. Finally carefully unwrap your foil, because there will be escaping steam that could easily burn you and serve.

Naked: this method will give you the most char and smoky flavor. Simply shuck the corn completely, meaning remove all of the husks and silks. Lightly brush the kernels with vegetable oil and place your corn directly over the heat. Grill for 10 to 12 minutes making sure that you turn it every few minutes to get those delicious charm marks on all sides. Remove the corn from the grill and immediately slather it with butter, margarine, salt, pepper or any other seasonings you'd like.

Well I hope you enjoyed this and I wish you a safe and happy 4th of July! 

💗 Jo