Summer is upon us, and if you’re eager to fire up the grill and have some friends join you for a good old fashioned barbecue, you’re not alone. As more states ease their social distancing rules, more and more people are getting excited to host some delicious barbecues to reconnect with the people they’ve missed since self-isolating in quarantine.
That being said, if you’ve been spending more time inside than outside lately, you may need to give your yard a quick once over before you actually start inviting neighbors and family members to join you for a cookout. Here’s a handy list of things to double-check as you look to prepare your home for company and an unforgettable summer barbecue.
Prepare your swimming pool for a safe gathering.
If you’ve got a swimming pool, make sure to let everyone know to bring their swimsuits for a truly fun combination of pool party and barbecue. That being said, especially if there are children, you want to make sure that you’ve properly maintained your pool fencing. It’s always a good idea to have children swim only under adult supervision, so having a fence to keep your kids and others out of the pool until it’s swim time can ensure that your gathering stays safe and fun.
If you want to take things up a notch, an automatic pool cover can be an even easier way to keep children out of the pool until it’s time to swim. From fencing to automatic covers, you’ll find what you need from Pool Guard, one of the leading retailers of safety accessories for outdoor pools.
Buy groceries to please everyone.
Many people think of barbecues as the perfect apparatus to prepare delicious meats. While grilling out typically does involve a lot of tasty meat, make sure that you’re catering to anyone else’s tastes or dietary restrictions, too. An outdoor grill is an amazing way to prepare vegetables, giving them a mouth-watering roasted flavor. Grilled watermelon is another sounds-strange-but-is-actually-yummy item to have on your menu.
When it comes to the meats, try and have a mixture of poultry and pork or beef. Not everybody eats red meat, but a piece of grilled chicken can be just as delicious as a fresh hamburger when prepared on the barbecue. You’ll want to manage what order different foods hit the grill so that you don’t cross-contaminate which can take a little foresight but ultimately isn’t that hard. Remember that nobody wants to only eat side dishes, so do your best to have entrees, desserts, and sides that appeal to everyone’s tastebuds for a truly enjoyable meal together.
Give your yard a thorough cleaning.
Make sure to do some light landscaping and pick up before you start inviting people over, or you might be embarrassed by what could happen! If you’ve got a dog, make sure to do some extra walkthroughs of your yard to make sure there isn’t any dog poop that someone might accidentally step in playing cornhole or tossing a frisbee around. Better yet, consider hiring a company like Scoop Troop who can handle your yard’s pet waste professionally.
As you can see, getting ready for a barbecue doesn’t take too much work, but it does require some effort if you really want your event to go off without a hitch. Make sure that you’re keeping your yard safe and clear of pet waste as you get ready to host guests in your home. You should also be certain to ask if anyone has any specific dietary needs that you should accommodate.
Following the above tips will help you ensure that everyone who comes to your barbecue will have a great time and be able to enjoy good food, great weather, and even better company.
