BBQ Season is Here!

It’s summertime, and the living is easy  – or at least it will be when you check out these fast, fresh tips for your next backyard bash.

Detailed Decorating

• Light up the party area with clear miniature lights. String them from trees, arrange them on the buffet table and even lay them on the ground in flowerbeds. Turn them on before it gets dark for a subtle transition from sunlight to dusk.
• Hurricane lanterns and candles in glass jars will stay lit if it’s breezy and make excellent decorative centerpieces.
• Buy small potted flowers and group them together in baskets for decorations. After the party, plant them!
• Be sure to keep high traffic areas, stairs and steep inclines amply lit.
• Stocking refreshments in a copper or metal tub, a wheelbarrow or a kiddie pool full of ice is a creative way to serve drinks.
• Terra-cotta flowerpots and galvanized tins can hold everything from pretzels and chips to veggies or breadsticks. Line them with a bright towel or napkin and serve.
• Consider a theme party – it will help you create a memorable outdoor event.

Food for Thought

• If you’re cooking for a crowd, have a second barbecue on hand and enlist the aid of another outdoor chef.
• Two or more food stations will keep your guests from congregating in one place.
• Grilled entrée salads are a great alternative to traditional party fare.
• Keep buffet salads cool by placing their bowls into a larger bowl of ice. Toss the salads frequently!
• Discard food that’s been sitting out longer than 1-1/2 hours.

Party Planning

• Never underestimate the value of shade. Placing food and beverages under a tent or a tree gives guests a good reason to take a break from the sun.
• Have plenty of water on hand. Remember alcoholic and caffeinated beverages can dehydrate guests quickly in the heat.
• Paper napkins can fly away in the wind. Consider a roll of paper towels as an alternative.
• Have insect repellent, sunscreen and the appropriate treatments for bee stings and insect bites on hand.
• It’s not a bad idea to have a contingency plan just in case Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate.

Keep it simple – this is supposed to be fun for the host too!

Source: Homeservice Club of Canada