Labor Day weekend is when the guest list actually fills up, and these ten picks are what I grab at Target to put a real spread on the table without making the shopping the hard part.
1. Steakhouse Seasoned Beef Burger Patties – Frozen – 48oz/12ct – Good & Gather™ – $16.49
Pre-seasoned and shaped, twelve quarter-pound patties go from frozen to grill without any mixing, shaping, or seasoning on your end — which matters a lot when you’re running a cookout for a crowd. The 75/25 lean-to-fat ratio is fatty enough to stay juicy over high heat, and twelve patties at $16.49 means you’re covered without making two grocery trips.
Taste: The steakhouse seasoning blend forms a bold, peppery crust once they’re cooked, and the higher fat content keeps the interior genuinely juicy rather than dense and dry. You get a real burger texture — not a hockey puck, not a crumble.
Make It Better: Stack them with a cheese slice during the last minute of grilling and tent the lid briefly — even a mild cheese gets beautifully melty in seconds and takes the whole burger up a level.
Parting Thoughts: For anyone grilling for more than six people, a 12-pack at this price is a genuinely easy call.
2. Oscar Mayer Original Classic Beef Franks Hot Dogs – 15oz/10ct – $5.99
I always throw a pack of these in the cart alongside the burgers — not everyone wants a burger, and hot dogs disappear faster than you expect. These all-beef, precooked links just need heat, and a proper grill gives them the char and snap that makes a cookout feel complete.
Taste: All-beef franks have a meatier, saltier snap than mixed-meat versions, and Oscar Mayer’s classic formula delivers that familiar balance of smoky and savory that’s hard to improve on. The casing gives a satisfying burst when you bite in — especially straight off the grill.
Make It Better: Grill on medium-high until you see char marks and the skin just begins to split — that’s the signal to pull them, and it also releases extra juiciness at the right moment.
Parting Thoughts: These are the reliable crowd-pleaser; the kids head straight for them and the adults don’t think twice either.
3. KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce – 18oz – $1.99
At $1.99 for 18 ounces of certified gluten-free, mild-heat BBQ sauce, this is the easiest line item on the whole shopping list. Keep it at the grill station for glazing and set a second bottle on the condiment table for dipping — one bottle per task, and you’ve got it covered.
Taste: Thick and slow-pouring, with a sweet-tangy flavor built for broad appeal — the sweetness leads, followed by a mild vinegar finish that keeps it from becoming too heavy. It works on burgers, chicken, ribs, and hot dogs without overwhelming any of them.
Make It Better: Brush it on during the last two minutes of grilling rather than the full cook — it caramelizes instead of burning and gives you a glossy, lacquered finish on the meat.
Parting Thoughts: Dollar-for-dollar, this is the most essential condiment in the Labor Day lineup.
4. Bush’s Brown Sugar Hickory Baked Beans – 28oz – $2.69
Sweet, smoky, and fully cooked, these beans go straight from the can to the stovetop — a short simmer and they’re ready to anchor the side dish spread. At $2.69 for 28 ounces, they feed a table of six without anyone feeling shortchanged.
Taste: Brown sugar and hickory smoke come through together — the sweetness lands first, then a subtle wood-smoke depth that makes it taste like someone’s been tending a pot all afternoon. The beans hold their shape rather than turning mushy, which matters when you’re serving from a pot that’s been sitting warm.
Make It Better: Stir a spoonful of your BBQ sauce into the pot before serving — it deepens the smoke note and ties the whole plate together in a way that feels deliberate.
Parting Thoughts: Gluten-free, low-fat, and vegan, so this is the one side dish that works for nearly every guest at the table.
5. Fresh Sweet Corn – 18oz/4ct – Good & Gather™ – $3.19
Four ears of fresh, US-grown corn for $3.19 is a deal worth grabbing for a cookout. They’re raw and ready to cook however you like — grill them in the husk, shuck them first for grill marks, or take them in a completely different direction.
Taste: In-season sweet corn has a natural sweetness that peaks when it’s cooked close to purchase — tender with a little snap, and genuinely flavorful with nothing but butter. Grilling adds a faint char that deepens the whole taste without masking the sweetness.
Make It Better: For an easy elote treatment, brush cooked ears with mayo, dust with chili powder, and squeeze lime over the top — it sounds involved but pulls together quickly and consistently gets more requests than anything else on the table.
Parting Thoughts: Fresh corn is the kind of side that makes guests ask what you did differently this year.
6. Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix – 15oz – $2.29
Baked cornbread alongside grilled meats is a combination that needs no defense, and this honey version makes it genuinely easy — it’s a mix, so you combine it with a few ingredients at home and the oven takes care of the rest. It bakes as cornbread or muffins, whichever works for your setup.
Taste: Honey cornbread lands in that nice zone between savory and lightly sweet — the corn flavor is real and slightly grainy in texture, not cakey like some mixes can go. The honey note is present without tipping the whole thing into dessert territory.
Make It Better: Bake it in a cast-iron skillet if you have one — the edges get crispier than in a regular pan, and it looks properly rustic on the table without any extra effort.
Parting Thoughts: Worth baking the night before if you’re hosting — it slices cleanly once cooled and is one less thing to manage when the grill goes on.
7. Vegetable Tray with Ranch Dip (Veggies may Vary) – 18oz – Good & Gather™ – $7.99
For the host who wants something fresh on the table before the burgers are done, a pre-cut veggie tray with ranch dip does exactly that job — no chopping, no prep, just open and set out. At $7.99, it fills the appetizer gap while the grill heats up without requiring any thought.
Taste: The veggie mix varies by batch, so expect crunch and freshness rather than a fixed combination — the ranch dip is the reliable constant here, and it anchors the tray while people are snacking before the main event. It’s straightforward and does exactly what it needs to do.
Make It Better: Put it out early as a grazing station while everything else cooks — it takes the edge off hunger without filling anyone up before the patties hit the table.
Parting Thoughts: Not the most exciting item on the list, but it earns its place as the one thing that requires literally zero effort from you.
8. Lay’s Wavy Original Potato Chips – 7.75oz – $3.49
No-prep is the actual theme of a good cookout spread, and wavy potato chips are the purest expression of that — open the bag, pour into a bowl, done. The wavy cut is practical too: they hold up to thicker dips without crumbling mid-scoop, which matters at a busy condiment table.
Taste: Each chip has a sturdier crunch than a flat variety, and the flavor is clean salty-potato without any greasiness. Gluten-free with no artificial flavors, which you’ll mention exactly once to the one guest who asks.
Make It Better: Set a wide bowl right next to the burger station — wavy chips make a legitimately good side in place of fries, and the ridges catch any runaway BBQ sauce from the plate.
Parting Thoughts: You’ll probably want two bags for anything over eight people, but $3.49 makes that an easy decision.
9. Breyers Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream – 48oz – $4.99
When the grill finally cools and people are drifting toward dessert, a large carton of good vanilla ice cream is always the right call. The 48-ounce carton is generous for a full table, and at $4.99 it’s the kind of finish that feels more indulgent than it actually cost.
Taste: Creamy and genuinely scoopable, with a clean vanilla flavor that doesn’t veer into artificial sweetness — it’s rich enough to satisfy on its own but neutral enough that it plays well with anything you set alongside it. The texture is smooth without being icy or hard to work with.
Make It Better: Set out fresh berries or sliced peaches alongside the carton — the contrast between cold ice cream and ripe summer fruit is hard to beat at the end of a hot afternoon.
Parting Thoughts: A 48-ounce carton goes fast when you’re scooping for a crowd — grab two if your party runs more than eight people.
10. Swoon Sugar Free Half and Half Black Tea and Lemonade – 12 fl oz – $2.19
Black tea and lemonade in one caffeinated, gluten-free, dairy-free can makes this a useful option for anyone who wants something besides water but is skipping alcohol at the afternoon cookout. It comes in an aluminum can and is shelf-stable, so you can carry it in without worrying about refrigeration until it’s time to crack one open.
Taste: The sweet-tart balance lands where a good half-and-half should — enough lemon brightness to feel genuinely refreshing, enough black tea depth to taste like more than juice. The sugar-free formula means the sweetness doesn’t linger the way a traditional version would.
Make It Better: Pour it over a glass of ice at the drink station — it looks intentional, tastes better cold, and keeps people from making cocktail runs every time they need a refill.
Parting Thoughts: Especially useful for the guests who are driving, pregnant, or just pacing themselves — it’s the most crowd-inclusive drink option at the table.
