When attending a cookout, it's ideal to bring a mix of main dishes, sides, and drinks that complement the grilled foods and satisfy a variety of tastes. Here are some popular and well-loved items to bring:

Main Dishes and Proteins

• Hamburger patties, hot dogs, chicken, or shrimp for grilling
• Smoky baby back ribs or grilled chicken
• Grilled fish or lemon pepper shrimp skewers
• Vegetarian options like grilled bean burgers or vegetable steak kabobs

Side Dishes

• Classic potato salad or soulful southern-style potato salad
• Macaroni salad or baked mac and cheese (baked is preferred)
• Coleslaw with cabbage and carrots
• Deviled eggs, including variations like dill pickle or buffalo chicken deviled eggs
• Pasta salads such as bow tie pasta salad with ham and cheddar
• Grilled vegetables like okra, bell peppers, asparagus, and carrots
• Fresh fruit like watermelon, strawberries, cherries, peaches, or a fruit salad
• Corn soufflé or corn salad with fresh corn and basil
• Nutty broccoli slaw or chopped Mediterranean cucumber salad
• Classic Texas caviar or marinated three-bean salad

Desserts and Treats

• S’mores or s’mores cupcakes
• Frozen gooey brownies or no-bake cookies
• Fruit galettes or strawberry pretzel salad
• All-American banana split for a fun dessert option

Drinks

• Cold drinks such as water, soda, lemonade, or iced tea
• Beers or themed cocktails for adults
• Refreshing homemade lemonades like blackberry lemonade

Bringing a combination of these items ensures a balanced and crowd-pleasing contribution to any cookout