19 Unique Family Reunion Food Ideas

Planning an upcoming family reunion? Then you know it can be a lot of work! Meal planning doesn’t have to be difficult, however, not when you have Peerspace to help. We’ve collected 19 unique family reunion food ideas to get you started. After all, special event planning is what we’re good at!

1. Bake a luscious strawberry cake

Let’s start with the desserts on this list of family reunion food ideas. A strawberry cake is a colorful addition to the dinner table that’s guaranteed to leave no leftovers! The bright pink frosting and cake interior add a bit of color and contrast as well, especially when topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

2. Whip up some deviled eggs

Deviled eggs are one of those recipes that can find a place in any special occasion, be it a family reunion, birthday, or anniversary celebration. There are so many ways to make them, however, we think Southern Living does it best with its recipe, including tips on how to make the perfect yolks.

Before you start whipping up the yolks you should have a venue for the upcoming family reunion! Did you know that Peerspace has all kinds of reunion venues, with amenities like swimming pools, BBQ pits, and TV rooms? Something like a two-story house in the Chicago suburbs is just what you need to bring the entire family together for a day of fun!

3. Add a colorful side with vermicelli pasta salad

Family reunion food ideas don’t have to be super involved. If you want a dish that can be ready in less than 30 minutes, check out this vermicelli pasta salad from Taste of Home! It’s as simple as boiling your pasta and then mixing the ingredients together in a large bowl. Let it chill for a few minutes and it’s ready to serve.

4. Bake hot and gooey ham and cheese delights

Ham and cheese delights are one of those dishes that you make when you have picky eaters in the crowd. Who doesn’t like hot ham and melted cheese on a thick bun? The dijon mustard and everything bagel seasoning this recipe calls for makes it that much more unique as well! It’s just fancy enough without scaring off folks who don’t like unusual foods. 

5. Bring some nostalgia with a chicken pot pie

There are many dishes that people buy rather than make because they’re afraid of the commitment involved and chicken pot pie is one of them. Time to try something different for your upcoming family reunion; a homemade pot pie using this recipe from Southern Living! Since it calls for frozen mixed vegetables you can customize the recipe as you like to suit the taste of your family.

Check out these memorable family reunion party ideas to help you plan more than the menu.

6. Season and serve homemade fried chicken

Is it really a family reunion if you don’t have some fried chicken for guests to dig into? There are so many ways to make this dish but our favorite has to be the Allrecipes version. The buttermilk flour and simple spice blend are easy to put together at home. Plus you can customize it further with other spices for a truly personal fried chicken recipe your family will be desperate to learn its secrets!

7. Slow cook grape jelly meatballs as a sweet appetizer

Do you need family reunion food ideas that can serve as an appetizer? Make a batch of grape jelly meatballs and stick them onto toothpicks! These meatballs only need four ingredients, all of which you probably already have in your kitchen. This is a slow cooker recipe as well so you can set and forget these while you’re busy decorating for the upcoming family reunion.

8. Impress everyone with a tater tot casserole

Tater tots are already close to the perfect food. But did you know you can upgrade them even more with the right toppings? A tater tot casserole just needs beef, cheese, seasoning, and condensed soup to become the ultimate family reunion comfort food dish. The total prep time is just 45 minutes as well; perfect for an upcoming special event!

9. Make the world’s best casserole with Tennessee onions

Casseroles are the foundation of any family reunion. So how about winning the casserole competition altogether with Tennessee onions? Sweet Vidalia onions, rich cheese, and herb-infused spices make this an unforgettable family reunion dish. Tennessee casserole doubles as a side for dishes like steak and as a condiment for burgers and tacos!

10. Bake a decadent chocolate mayonnaise cake

Chocolate mayonnaise cake is a classic dish that needs to be brought back. Fortunately, your upcoming family reunion is just the right occasion for serving one! The mayo adds even more rich eggy goodness to the batter for a moist cake unlike anything you’ve had before.

While you’re browsing fun family reunion food ideas, we want to remind you that a venue is just as important for these kinds of events! Did you know that Peerspace has hundreds of reunion venues near you just a few clicks away? 

11. Serve hearty 3-bean baked beans

If there’s one dish that can serve as both a main and a side it’s probably meat and baked beans. Hot and hearty, this recipe for 3-bean baked beans has beef, bacon, and onions alongside the beans for the perfect family reunion meal. And like any stew this dish only gets better when saved for later as leftovers!

12. Let a permanent slaw get better over time

Some dishes you want to make well in advance. Not just because it’s convenient but also because they taste better. That’s how permanent slaw gets its name: you let it sit and the flavors only become bolder and more pronounced. Like our recipe for Tennessee onions, permanent slaw is a great side dish on its own or used as a condiment for tacos, burgers, or hot dogs!

13. Please everyone with homemade ice cream

Have you ever tried homemade ice cream before? When you take total control over the recipe, the results are guaranteed to be wonderful! You can use chopped strawberries and cream, chocolate and almond flakes, crushed Oreo cookies…The ice cream of your dreams is what you’ll be serving to family and friends! Start with a simple recipe for homemade ice cream and add whichever fillings you like.

14. Add all the cheese to scalloped potatoes

Potatoes, cheese, and cream are a time-honored classic that is the foundation of a hundred dishes. Scalloped potatoes might be one of the best, however, and a staple at any family reunion dinner table. While it does take over 2 hours of prep and bake time, your family will thank you for the effort as this recipe from Southern Living is guaranteed to leave no leftovers.

15. Make some amazing Maryland corn pops

Each state does corn a little differently; have you seen what Maryland is up to? Maryland corn pops borrow a lot from Mexican street corn in terms of the recipe. Except you’ll be blasting them with a healthy dusting of Old Bay – as is tradition in the Old Line State! 

Capture every special moment of your reunion using these large family photo ideas perfect for the mantle.

16. Bring fresh flavor to the table with a watermelon feta salad

Watermelon and feta are two ingredients you wouldn’t think belong together but they do. Especially on a hot summer outdoor family reunion in need of a cool, sweet salad. Watermelon feta salads are easy to make, bursting with fresh flavor, and beautiful. Plus you can customize them further with grapes, cucumber, basil leaves, and other ingredients.

17. Get busy in the kitchen with homemade lasagna

Homemade lasagna is a dish that takes a little work but is always worth it! Once you make it, you’ll be thinking up all kinds of ways to make it better. Start with this awesome version from Allrecipes for a lasagna that will satisfy your entire family. In the future you can swap out ingredients for a homemade lasagna that’s truly yours.

18. Set and forget a crock pot beef stew

Beef stew is one of the first things many people make with their crock pot. Simple yet hearty, it’s a set and forget dish that never fails to impress family and friends. Once you’ve mastered the art of crock pot beef stew, try substituting lamb and other vegetables to make it your own family reunion food idea.

19. Bake some melt-in-your-mouth baby back ribs

Time for a meaty main dish that no one is going to turn down! Oven baked baby back ribs wrapped in foil and slow cooked at a low temperature are going to be the juiciest ribs you’ve ever had. You’ll need more prep time for these than any of our other family reunion food ideas. But everyone will thank you by going back for seconds and thirds! 

Family reunion food ideas: conclusion

From beef stew to chocolate mayonnaise cake, our family reunion food ideas are enough to feed hundreds of guests. We hope you’ve discovered a few tasty recipes that you’ve never heard of but are eager to create in the kitchen! Party planning is what Peerspace does best, after all. And if you still need a venue large enough for your hungry family, check out some of our reunion venues near you! 

Find unique event spaces for your family reunion on Peerspace