July 1, 2019   |   bbq , summer

How to Host the Perfect Backyard BBQ

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   Summer means Independence Day, birthday parties, company picnics, and BBQ’s just for fun. Planning a BBQ can be stressful, but we are here to help you plan the best one yet! No matter the occasion we’ve got you covered.            
Photo by Stephanie McCabe on Unsplash


          First things first, how many people are coming and who are they? Mostly kids? Perhaps just adults, or even a mix of both! Knowing this will help you decide on just about everything, from what you’ll be eating to the activities that follow. So what are you making, purchasing, or delegating to someone else? We’ve broken it down to give you a few options and help you decide.

Mainly Kids/Teens:

  • Hamburgers/

    Cheeseburgers

  • Hotdogs

  • Watermelon

  • Veggie Salad

  • Taco Salad

  • Chips

  • Baked Goods

Mainly Adults:

  • Steak 

  • Seafood

  • Pulled Pork

  • Veggies

  • Potato Salad

  • Veggie Salad

  • Pie

 

Both:

  • Hamburgers/

    Cheeseburgers

  • Hotdogs

  • Potato Salad

  • Macaroni Salad

  • Fruits and Veggies

  • Baked Goods

  • Pie

         

          After food, drinks are arguably the most important part of having the best BBQ. Obviously, drinks need to be catered to your guests so keep in mind who is coming. For kids you can stick to the basics; water, juice, and soda. For adults you can stay basic as well, however, spicing things up with a signature or special cocktail is always a good idea. If this is a birthday bbq or it’s a bbq for a holiday, maybe even take the extra time to make some Jell-O shots. Find what you need to make a perfect and unique cocktail here. 

          Some of our favorite cocktails and mocktails are sure to be a HUGE hit with any crowd.



Photo by Kaizen Nguyễn on Unsplash

Photo by Kaizen Nguyễn on Unsplash

 Lemon Blueberry Mocktail:

  • 8 parts San Pellegrino Limonata (or lemonade)
  • 2 parts light coconut milk
  • 1 part grenadine
  • Frozen blueberries
  • To turn this into a cocktail add 2 parts rum (YUM)

Very Berry Mocktail:

  • 2 quarts of cranberry juice
  • 1/2 can or 12 oz of thawed pink lemonade concentrate
  • Three 12 oz cans of Dasani
    berry flavored sparkling water
  • Ice

 Summer Lemonade Cocktail:

  • 1 oz dry gin
  • 3/4 oz Combier Liqueur de Rose
  • 1/2 oz lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz rosemary-infused simple syrup
  • Shake and serve with a lemon wedge

America the BLUE-tiful Cocktail
(from Cosmopolitan Magazine)

  • 12 oz white rum
  • 1 oz blue Curacao
  • 3 oz sparkling ice lemonade
  • Blend together with ice to get an adult slushy

American Dream Punch Cocktail
(from Cosmopolitan Magazine)

  • 2 cups Svedka
  • 1/2 cup simple syrup
  • Fresh lime juice
  • A splash of grenadine
           

       

            Once you have all of the food and drinks figured out, it’s time to sort out the activities. Will you have games, or maybe you have a pool? Typically, kids like playing in a pool if there is one. You’ll want floats, balls, goggles, maybe even an inflatable volleyball set. If you don’t have one maybe consider getting an inflatable pool, they come in large sizes for older kids and adults to swim around in, and small sizes for toddlers. You can find our pool and swim collection here (and you can get 10% off of the collection).


              Maybe you don’t have a pool or even want one for that matter, that’s totally fine. You definitely don’t need one to throw an awesome cookout! Try some games, a few definite crowd pleasers are cornhole, bocce, and volleyball. It also never hurts to have extras laying around like soccer balls, kick balls, frisbees, baseballs, a badminton set, etc.

              

     

    Photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash

     

          The perfect way to end your BBQ is with everyone's favorite ...DESSERT! We like to end things around the fire sharing stories with friends and family so s’mores are a very popular dessert. For something light, you can stick to fruit, a fruit salad or watermelon slices. This is perfect if you’ve already had a very heavy meal. Another way to go is ice cream cake, a huge crowd pleaser, perfect for warm summer gatherings. 


            With these tips and some cocktails or mocktails, your BBQ will be awesome. Don’t forget to take a break from it all and enjoy the time with your friends and family.

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