Why Comfort Foods Are So Popular During Labor Day Festivities

Comfort foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, and grilled meats have become synonymous with Labor Day celebrations. Yet, Labor Day has always been about more than just enjoying the perfect barbecue pork ribs recipe pulled from the grill. Instead, these food traditions are deeply rooted in the Labor movement of the late 19th century. Beginning in the 1880s, unions and labor organizations staged public celebrations that included communal barbecues. Intended to celebrate industrial workers, these community events provided people with a day of rest and plenty of delicious grilled meats.

One of the first Labor Day events took place in New York City on September 3, 1888, when the Volunteer Firemen's Association roasted a 1,200-pound ox. Other cities, like Kansas City and Omaha, quickly followed suit with parades, public celebrations, and community ox roasts.

By the time Labor Day was declared a national holiday in 1894, many cities across the United States were already having large scale barbecues that featured whole roasted beef, goat, and mutton served up with coffee, freshly baked bread, and burgoo — a Kentucky specialty that consists of a hearty stew made with vegetables, beef, and other meats. Suffice to say, the tradition of enjoying tasty meat cooked outdoors alongside other comfort foods stuck — albeit with a slightly different menu. Most of us don't have an entire ox just lying around, after all.

By the 1920s, Labor Day had, for the most part, shed its political roots and evolved into a long weekend of relaxation, socializing, and good food. In the South, it became an opportunity for pit masters to peddle their deliciously smoked meats at barbecue stands — shaping food history as these stands became year-round fixtures in communities. After all, who could resist a barbecued whole hog paired with a classic side like homemade mac and cheese? Then, in the 1950s, as backyard barbecues became all the rage, Labor Day morphed from a community event to a chance to establish personal traditions from the comfort of your own home.

While very few people are likely to roast an entire ox on the first Monday of September, the tradition of barbecued comfort foods paired with picnic-friendly sides — think: corn on the cob, coleslaw, and potato salad — and crowd-pleasing Labor Day snacks — like popcorn, chips and dips, or watermelon slices — remain. Whether you're mastering the perfect way to make homemade American cheeseburgers or squeezing in a few more grilled beef franks to honor the end of hot dog season, comfort foods just make sense for Labor Day.

History aside, dishes like barbecue meats, hot dogs, and burgers are easy to prepare outdoors and can be made in large quantities to feed a crowd. Many of these comfort foods are also easy to serve, either as handheld entrees or on paper plates, without impacting the integrity of the dish. Also, the weather is usually still warm, which makes it ideal for outdoor cooking and eating. Plus, for many, it's considered the last real day of summer, so why not indulge in your favorite grilled comfort foods?