From the Grill to the Table: How We Remembered
Memorial Day has a way of shifting our focus. It pulls us out of the usual routine and into something more grounded—more present.
There’s a certain rhythm to it: lawn chairs opening, coolers being packed, grills getting fired up. Music in the background, kids laughing in the sun, and somewhere in the middle of it all—a moment to pause.
Not just for a meal, but for the reason behind it.
What many don’t realize is that Memorial Day has deep roots in Black history. One of the earliest recorded Memorial Day celebrations took place on May 1, 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina, when newly freed Black people held a ceremony to honor Union soldiers who died fighting for their freedom. They exhumed the bodies from a mass grave behind the old racetrack, gave them proper burials, and held a parade with thousands in attendance—children singing, families gathering, and veterans marching.
It was a powerful act of remembrance and reclamation—and it was built on the belief that sacrifice should be honored, and freedom should be celebrated. That spirit continues today in the way we gather, the way we reflect, and yes, in the food we prepare and share.
It’s not just the “official start of summer.” It’s a time to reflect, to remember, and to reconnect—with loved ones, with tradition, and with the simple joy of being together.
Whether you spent the weekend grilling ribs in your backyard, soaking up sun at the beach, or just enjoying a quiet meal at home, chances are it involved food. The kind of food that brings people together. The kind that reminds you where you’ve been. The kind you don’t rush through.
π What We’re Eating Says a Lot About What We Value
Let’s talk about the plate itself.
Was it fried chicken and potato salad? Maybe you went the seafood route—shrimp and grits, crab rice, or a boil poured straight onto the table, shells and all. Maybe it was something simple like burgers, corn on the cob, and baked beans. Or maybe you ordered takeout.
Whatever it was—it counts. Food doesn’t have to be fancy to be meaningful.
π So—How Did You Celebrate?
Did you head out to Isle of Palms with a cooler and beach umbrella?
Did you fire up the grill and pull out the folding chairs?
Or did you take the weekend off and let someone else do the cooking?
We’d love to know how you spent the holiday. Share your celebration with us using #luvcarolimas—whether it was a full feast or just a few loved ones around a plate of something good.
Because no matter where you were, if the food made you pause—even for just a minute—that’s the part that sticks.
If Memorial Day reminded us of anything, it’s that food will always find its way to the center of the story. However you celebrated, we hope it was full of flavor, full of love, and full of the moments that matter most.









