What Was Served at the First Labor Day Picnic, According to Historians

Key Points

• Early Labor Day picnics featured barbecue, a practical way to feed large crowds before refrigeration.

• Outdoor eating was rare in the 19th century, but when people did, roasted meat was a staple.

• Alongside meat, sandwiches, pickles, fried chicken, hand pies and more were standard for gatherings.

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Featured Story: Historians Share Their Thoughts on the First Labor Day Celebration

The 145th annual observance of Labor Day is this Monday, and you may be hosting a barbecue full of American staples to celebrate: cheeseburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob and maybe a big-batch cocktail. 

But the first Labor Day celebration looked a little different, according to historians. Let us transport you to 1882, when the first Labor Day parade and picnic took place in New York City. The U.S. Department of Labor notes that "10,000 to 20,000 men and women" marched in the very first parade, followed by a picnic that included "lager beer kegs... mounted in every conceivable place" as well as "an abundance of cigars." But what food was served in these early celebrations?

"In some of the earliest coverage of Labor Day, reporters reference barbecue picnics," Mark A. Johnson, Ph.D. , assistant professor of history at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, tells EatingWell . "In the age before refrigeration became normal, barbecue was an excellent way to feed a massive crowd because it generally involved cooking whole animals, which needed to be eaten before they spoiled. It only made sense to barbecue for large crowds, like political rallies and festivals, or in this case Labor Day. After all, it fills the area with that delicious smell, so it also helps people navigate to the event."

Johnson references coverage of the Labor Day picnic in 1892, ten years later, published in the New York Times : "The two fat steers that had been presented by Mirabeau L. Towns had already been slaughtered, and their carcasses were roasting over large fires, exhaling pleasant odors of broiled beef."

"For most of its history, people did not cook and sell barbecue," Johnson explains. "Instead, like these events in New York, someone donated the meat to the cause and an organization cooked and distributed it for free. In the 1890s and early twentieth century, it became increasingly common for a professional pitmaster to do the work and vend the product."

"Eating out of doors was a novelty,"  food historian and host of The History of American Food podcast Greta Hardin tells EatingWell . "[It was] something only the very rich did in high style—or the very poor did under great scorn. Most people would have simply waited until they got home, or got together with friends to eat at one of the early coffee houses or saloons that also sold food."

While the action of eating outside was abnormal, the food served would not have been too far off from what we know today. Other than roasted meats, according to Hardin, "sandwiches—bread, butter, jam and fish paste—cake, cold fried chicken, jars of pickles and probably hand pies would have been typical" for a late-nineteenth century menu. 

Over the years, Labor Day has transitioned from a semi-radical labor strike to how we know it today: extending a relaxing weekend to cheers the end of summer. And if you're still planning your 2026 menu, perhaps this historical discussion has inspired some ideas. Here are some classic recipes worth whipping up this weekend:

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