Steal This Walmart Shopping List For The Ultimate Labor Day 2026 Celebration

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Summertime in the United States is traditionally marked by a trio of holidays, with Labor Day being the last one. Memorial Day and the Fourth of July may have long ago faded into the rear view mirror, but there's still time for one more big bash to celebrate all things summer before colder weather, school, and fall are upon us. Our ultimate Labor Day party is one where we completely ignore pumpkin creep for one last week, so even though Sam's Club's autumn pie is already back in the bakery, you won't find that dessert on this list. Instead, we're still focusing on summertime classics, but with a bit of a twist.

Some of the items we've chosen are fairly standard ones, while others bring flavors you may not immediately associate with a Labor Day cookout. We also want our party to be inclusive. In addition to meaty fare, there are vegetarian and dairy-free options as well as items that showcase the diversity that's long been a hallmark of our nation. Finally, as Labor Day is all about working people, we've attempted to keep things relatively wallet friendly. Not only are we serving burgers instead of ribeye steaks but, whenever possible, we've opted for store brands over pricier big-name products.

In the eyes of some purists, you're not really barbecuing unless you've got an entire pig smoking in a pit. Neither the pig nor the pit are practicable for most of us, but you can still enjoy a little taste of Kansas City-style 'cue with a tub of Marketside Smokehouse Burnt Ends Dip. It consists of a cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream base flavored with beef brisket, brown sugar, and barbecue seasonings. In addition to dipping duty, it can double as a sandwich spread or burger topping.

Purchase a 12-ounce tub of Marketside Smokehouse Burnt Ends Dip at Walmart for $6.47.

According to a recent YouGov survey, salsa is America's third-most popular condiment. Standard salsas are all well and good, but we're particularly partial to Bettergoods' rather unique lineup. At the milder end of the spectrum are Creamy Tomatillo Salsa, Dill Pickle and Tomatillo Salsa, and Honey Garlic Salsa (the last one is tomato-based and flavored with soy). 

The Roasted Sweet Corn Salsa has a medium heat level since it includes both bell peppers and chiles. Smoky Fire Roasted Salsa is the hottest of the bunch, as its smoky notes come from chipotle puree as well as mesquite. Each of these salsas comes in a 16-ounce jar, with the creamy tomatillo and corn ones priced at $4.24 and the rest at $3.82.

Plain tortilla chips taste okay with a dip, but the problem is that you can only dunk the front half — the back end of each bite tastes like corn-flavored cardboard. That won't be an issue with Bettergoods Finely Ground Cassava Flour Tortilla Chips, though, because they come in two tasty flavors: Guacamole and Hatch Chile. (Walmart sells 10-ounce bags of each, priced at $3.94.) Folks avoiding seed oils should take note: Both types are cooked in avocado oil, which is one more reason to love them (though there is a tiny amount of canola oil in the Hatch seasoning).

Great Value's affordably priced potato chips come in all the usual flavors, such as plain, sour cream and onion, and barbecue, but your Labor Day get-together deserves something a little less ordinary. Our choice is Great Value Chile Adobo Crunchy Potato Chips. They're somewhat spicy, although not overwhelmingly so, and have a tangy salsa-like flavor that blends the tastes of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chiles.

Purchase an 8-ounce bag of Great Value Chile Adobo Crunchy Potato Chips at Walmart for $1.50.

Some experts feel it's a mistake to grill smash burgers, since there isn't a flat surface to press them against, but this won't be necessary if you're grilling Great Value Smashed Burgers. They're already formed into perfectly smashed patties, and, yes, it's absolutely okay (in fact, it's even recommended) to cook these burgers from frozen. Science says you can, and the packaging does, too.

Purchase a 2-pound, eight-patty box of Great Value Smashed Burgers at Walmart for $10.44.

If you or your guests are avoiding red meat, ground chicken makes a fine lower-fat burger option. You needn't fear that Bettergoods Caramelized Onion Chicken Burgers will turn out dry and tasteless, though, since they're packed full of zesty, sweet oniony flavor. They're already cooked, too, so all you need to do is toss them on the grill (or in a pinch, an oven, air fryer, or microwave) until they thaw out and warm up.

Purchase a 20-ounce, five-patty bag of Bettergoods Caramelized Onion Chicken Burgers at Walmart for $6.53.

It's always good to pick up a pack of veggie burgers so non-carnivores will have something to eat at your cookout. Currently Walmart doesn't offer any store-branded non-meat burgers, but MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers make a tasty vegetarian option. In addition to the beans, these burgers also contain brown rice, bulgur wheat, corn kernels, and soy protein and are flavored with tomatoes, onions, and chiles. (They do include egg white, though, so they're not suitable for vegans.)

Purchase an 18.9-ounce, eight-patty box of MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers at Walmart for $7.94.

Barbecue sauce makes a great ketchup alternative for any of the above burgers, but we recommend choosing something a little different than the typical sticky-sweet tomato and corn syrup concoction. Bettergoods Korean Style BBQ Sauce hits the same sweet and tangy notes with brown sugar and vinegar, but it skips the tomatoes and instead gets umami notes from soy sauce and miso. Ginger and jalapeño give it a little kick, while there are also hints of lime and garlic in the mix.

Purchase a 12-ounce squeeze bottle of Bettergoods Korean Style BBQ Sauce at Walmart for $3.26.

If you're sticking with ketchup, it's even better when it's kicked up with a little chile flavoring.  Whataburger is known for its popular Spicy Ketchup, but this product isn't always available in stores and can be expensive to purchase online. The very similar Great Value Spicy Tomato Ketchup is a more economical and easier-to-find alternative. It, too, gets its heat from pureed jalapeños but costs a fraction of the price of Whataburger's product.

Purchase a 20-ounce squeeze bottle of Great Value Spicy Tomato Ketchup at Walmart for $2.12.

Pasta salads always go well with barbecue foods, but they're even better when they combine that cool, creamy goodness with some vegetable crunch. Walmart's Freshness Guaranteed Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Salad uses a rotini pasta shape, while Freshness Guaranteed Garden Pasta Salad mixes shredded carrots, bell peppers, black olives, celery, and green onions with those same corkscrew-shaped noodles. The two salads come in 14-ounce tubs, with the broccoli-studded number priced at $5.24 and the other coming in at $3.74.

Coleslaw is a classic barbecue side that can be a pain to prepare, especially if you start by shredding the cabbage and carrots yourself. Freshness Guaranteed Homestyle Coleslaw, however, is something you could easily pass off as homemade should you wish to engage in such subterfuge. It's creamy, it's crunchy, and the dressing hits the perfect spot right between sweet and tangy.

Purchase a 30-ounce tub of Freshness Guaranteed Homestyle Coleslaw at Walmart for $4.47.

If summer had a flavor, that flavor would be lemonade, and we're not missing any last chances to drink it before drowning in a sea of pumpkin spice latte. That being said, the end of summer is an appropriate time to experiment with something a bit less standard, like the Bettergoods Organic Watermelon Mint Flavored Lemonade Drink. For a beverage with more of a kick (of heat, not booze), there's also the lemonade-adjacent Bettergoods Organic Jalapeño Limeade. Both come in quart-sized glass bottles and cost $3.84 apiece.

Even at a cookout, it's always a good look to have at least one nutritious option on the table. Walmart makes it easy with a few pre-cut fresh fruit selections, both weighing in at 16 ounces and priced at $7.97. The Marketside Seasonal Fruit Blend includes cantaloupe and honeydew melons along with red grapes, blueberries, and strawberries, while the Marketside Tropical Fruit Trio combines kiwis, mangoes, and strawberries. Serve the fruit as is or thread it on skewers and throw it on the grill. (You can even add cake chunks and a drizzle of honey to make the fruit kabobs more dessert-like.)

Ice cream sandwiches are an excellent dessert for eating outdoors since they require no dishes or utensils. If the standard ones strike you as being more fit for a kids' party than an all-ages celebration, check out the sophisticated sandwiches offered by Bettergoods. 

The Half Dipped Chocolate Hazelnut Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches have chocolate ice cream and chocolate wafers, while half of the outside is coated in a crunchy milk chocolate-hazelnut coating. The Raspberry Cheesecake Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches also have chocolate wafers, but the ice cream filling is cheesecake flavored, and the half-dip is yogurt with bits of dried raspberry. Each sandwich weighs 1.69 ounces; there are six bars per box, and each box costs $5.87.

The phrase "as American as apple pie" is actually kind of silly, since apple pie originated in England centuries before the first states ever thought of uniting. We put it to you that the Freshness Guaranteed Caramel Apple Empanada is a far more representative dessert. It combines that British apple pie with the Latin American empanada and throws in a nod to a treat that actually does have U.S. origins, the caramel apple. Put these elements together and you get a pastry that acknowledges our nation's diversity and also recognizes that "America" actually encompasses an entire hemisphere's worth of countries. (Okay, so that's a lot of heavy lifting for a hand pie, but it also tastes pretty amazing.) 

Purchase Freshness Guaranteed Caramel Apple Empanadas at Walmart for $1.48 apiece.

S'mores made the classic way with melted marshmallows are great for a campfire or even a charcoal grill, but if you're cooking with gas, you might not want that sugary, dripping mess. Instead, pay homage to the king of summer desserts with a package of Freshness Guaranteed S'mores Frosted Sugar Cookies. The chocolate part is a soft, chewy cookie; the marshmallow flavor comes from the frosting; and a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs sits on top.

Purchase a 10-count, 13.5-ounce package of Freshness Guaranteed S'mores Frosted Sugar Cookies at Walmart for $3.97.