Labor Day in 5 easy steps

Step 1: Prep one day ahead

Prepare a large batch of dry rub for the ribs and cut the foil. Instead of “KP” duty, delegate corn prep to the kids. No sharp objects involved. Just ears of corn that need their silks removed but the husks kept intact.

Zap the sweet potatoes in the microwave a few minutes to ensure faster grilling. The potatoes can even be cut into spears and stored in zipper-lock bags overnight in the fridge. A quick toss in olive oil and the potatoes will be ready for the grill.

Remove the peel and core a few fresh pineapples. Cut them into wedges or spears and store in zipper-lock bags in the fridge.

And the salad? Clean the lettuce a day ahead and then simply cut into large wedges right before they hit the heat.

Step 2: Wrap and roll

Pre-roll plastic tableware in paper napkins, secured with a decorative ribbon or colorful string. Store in a large basket for guests to grab.

Step 3: Stage your area

Spread out the spread by setting up several tables with food and disposables. Have several beverage areas set up so guests can mingle, and to avoid a bar bottleneck. Offer canned and bottled beverages in galvanized tubs and enameled buckets that can be filled (and refilled) with ice throughout the day.

Offer lemonade or flavored water with floating citrus slices in a large covered glass container with a spigot. Guests can serve themselves throughout the party while the covered container keeps unwanted guests (those pesky insects) away your beverages.

Step 4: Stagger the grilling

Labor Day is made for all-day grazing. Keep the party adequately supplied with food by staggering the grilling. Soak and grill corn in batches as you need them. Keep the foil-wrapped ribs in the fridge, ready to hit the grill throughout the day. Have pineapple spears grill-ready on water-soaked wood skewers.

And don’t forget to check the hardware. Make sure gas grill canisters are filled or charcoal is in good supply. If you are expecting a large crowd, borrow a few extra grills from friends and family members.

Step 5: Remember the snacks

Add some easy-to-serve nibbles to your day-before shopping cart. Hit the olive bar and put together a colorful mix coupled with a few containers of hummus with precut vegetables and pita bread quarters.

Don’t relegate popcorn just to the movies. It’s an easy snack that can be upgraded with the addition of seasoned salts. Hit the Spice House in Milwaukee if you have time and pick up a popcorn seasoning kit that includes flavorings like maple-garlic seasoning and Vulcan fire salt.