I’m a Food Editor, and Here’s My Ultimate Summer Cookout Haul

At first, I dismissed this as Instagram bait, but Pinkglow truly is a premium pineapple. Beyond its blush-colored core, it stands out for its juiciness. It’s also not as sour as traditional pineapple, and it makes for a standout garnish for drinks or surprising charcuterie board addition. At my last get-together, I cored one, put the pineapple chunks on skewers, then poured tequila into the pineapple hull and let the skewers soak inside for an hour or two for a booze-soaked treat to serve to adults.

It’s a swicy summer, with Mike’s Hot Honey collabs popping up everywhere, but this is arguably one of the best combos. Hot honey provides a subtle heat here, complementing the sweetness of the beans nicely. Now, if you want to doctor them with thick-cut, crumbled bacon and diced, sauteed peppers and onions, I won’t blame you, but they’re great as-is.

Come summertime, I seek out kettle corn at any festival or street market. But those crispy kernels can get lodged in my teeth. Khloud’s take is crunch-free, and while the texture is surprisingly at first (it has a powdery finish, much like cheesy popcorn), the flavor is on point, nailing the salty-sweet mix. It’s whole grain, gluten-free and non-GMO, and every serving packs 7 grams of protein.

Caesar salad, French fries, Diet Coke has been regaled as the ultimate girl dinner. Well, for 2025, it deserves a glow-up, in the form of this romaine salad kit. It includes tortilla strips, corn and grated Parm, which you toss with avocado Caesar dressing. It’s the summery twist you didn’t know you needed—until you try it. (Might I recommend adding a few avocado slices to complete the effect?)

Not only are these crispy-yet-not-too-crunchy crackers great to serve for your gluten-free friends, they’re the secret ingredient to Kale Junkie’s high-protein “fried” pickle dip, which calls for crushing and toasting the crackers on the stovetop with butter, then combining them with cottage cheese, ranch seasoning, fresh dill and chopped dill pickles. The first time I made it, I couldn’t believe how quickly it disappeared.

I was stunned by the flavor of these smash burgers—which are designed for the grill, no griddle necessary. This pack comes with 16 patties, enough for eight double cheeseburgers (though they’re massive enough that a single patty will be fine), but you get so much more than that. You’ll also receive 20 six-ounce PureGround burgers in a variety of styles: Porterhouse, ribeye, brisket and sirloin. The meat is seriously premium, and it comes with a wildly addictive Omaha Steaks seasoning, which I’ve sprinkled on roasted veggies and fries alike.

I swear by this ultra-creamy, refrigerated mac and cheese for busy weeknights. For a party, though, I’ll stick it in my slow cooker on low and sprinkle some shredded sharp cheddar on top. Just before serving, I’ll toss crumbled Ritz crackers with melted butter and toast them in a skillet for a few minutes, until lightly golden, and sprinkle it on top. People freak out, and it was half the price (and a third of the effort) of making it from scratch.

Back in 2023, we tested all kinds of veggie burgers, and Beyond Meat’s version reigned supreme. It’s yet to be dethroned at PureWow, thanks to its savory, fatty and almost buttery flavor (a surprising feat, given its pea protein and rice protein base). They’re gluten- and soy-free, boasting 20 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber per patty, too.

Whenever someone heads to Austin, Texas, I tell them to go out of their way to dine at Terry Black's Barbecue. The smoked turkey is so juicy, so smoky, so flavorful that it will make you rethink everything you know about turkey. And it turns out that you don't need to hop on a plane (or embark on a road trip) to enjoy it—you can order three to four pounds of the meat, ready to reheat and slice, via Goldbelly. The turkey's smoked over Post Oak wood for up to six hours, and it's packed frozen, surrounded by dry ice, to protect it on its journey to your door.

Yes, it's a pricey option, even if it serves 10 to 12 people, but if you really want to treat your guests, it's a showstopping option.

Sweet tea is a way of life in the South, and riffs on it are often met with skepticism. My Floridian and Texan relatives were pleasantly surprised—raving, even—when I shared Halfday’s new Tropical Tea with them. It’s like an Arnold Palmer went on vacation: a green tea base with pineapple, passion fruit and guava flavors that liven up the drink without veering too sweet. The fact that it includes prebiotics is simply a bonus.

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of Jaws, so what better time to bring another great white to the party? (And excuse to host an outdoor movie night.) The shark on the label is fitting, because there’s a little bite to this oaky chardonnay, which features notes of apple, Asian pear and vanilla bean but never tastes syrupy. There’s also a refreshingly light honeysuckle aroma, but don’t just take my word on this one—it’s also been awarded 92 points by Wine Enthusiast.

With cherry, lemon and raspberry flavors, this limited edition take on Mountain Dew will conjure memories of savoring a bomb pop by the pool as it drips down your hands under the blazing sun. It unlocks a core memory for everyone who tasted it, even if it is on the bounce-off-the-walls sweet side. (But honestly, do you expect any less, given the inspo?)

With its summery label, Whispering Angel’s “little sister” rosé makes for a great addition to any summer party. It’s crisp and fresh, with light fruity notes, making it a refreshing choice for a hot afternoon.

ICYMI, Hidden Valley recently launched seven new varieties of ranch dressing. This is the one to try. The cracked pepper tastes surprisingly fresh, livening up the classic dressing’s flavor without overpowering it. It reminded me of having blackened chicken alfredo, where the seasoning mixes with the sauce, creating a more robust flavor that’s still creamy and satisfying. Slather it on everything from salads to burgers. I do.

I truly cannot get enough of this stuff. I drizzle it on anything and everything that’s lacking oomph, from pizza to fries to scrambled eggs. It’s excellent on burgers and hot dogs too.

Bitchin’ Sauce defies expectations. It’s made with almonds, yet it’s this creamy, tangy, umami-rich spread that also happens to be vegan. How can it be so many things?! And do them well? All I know is this Whole Foods-exclusive flavor (designed for burgers, dogs and fries) will be the MVP of my next shindig.

Remember how I said it was a swicy summer? My husband’s been grilling corn and drizzling it with this hot honey since Memorial Day, and it’s quickly become a new favorite. It’s pricey, but a little goes a long way. (It’s a very thick hot honey, and it’s infused with organic crushed chiles and chile extract, so you feel the heat, fast.)

Ghirardelli is almost universally considered the makers of the best brownie mix on the market (it’s won our taste test), and it recently launched a gluten-free version. This iteration is even fudgier than the original, and while there’s a slight grittiness to it, the rich, decadent dark chocolate flavor more than makes up for it.

When hosting a party, I like to have one chocolatey, over-the-top dessert and one that’s a bit lighter (or simply not so cocoa-y). Banana pudding is oh so refreshing on a hot day, with a creaminess that makes it prime comfort food. Magnolia makes arguably the best around, and its frozen variety, sold in grocery stores, is shockingly similar to the kind sold in its bakeries.

You don’t have to go to Disney World to enjoy a Dole Whip anymore. Dole recently launched its iconic, pineapple soft-serve-esque frozen treat in mini cup form, sold in the frozen foods section of many major grocery stores and in Costco. It’s light, it’s sweet, it’s refreshingly cool—basically, it’s everything you crave on a scorching day.