It’s OFFICIALLY Summer Y’all!
And in our house Summer means one thing: BBQ TIME!
I grew up in the South where we had outdoor parties, and BBQ’s basically all year-round, here in the North East it’s a different story though!
So now that it’s barbecue season we are attending and throwing as many as we can!
As someone who’s been to many a BBQ and as someone who’s hosted her fair share I’ve rounded up the 3 things you MUST have for a perfect BBQ!
* p r o – t i p s *
Before we get into what exactly you’ll need for the perfect BBQ I have some awesome tips to get you there the easiest and least expensive way possible!
- tip one: Shop at Walmart! I know a lot of people rag on Walmart, but generally they do have the best prices. I purchased everything in this blog post at Walmart
- tip two: Download Ibotta! This app is great and provides you with rebates on some items that you purchase! Like #2 on the must haves list!
- tip three: Have some help at the grocery store AND when setting up for your BBQ – like Walmart’s easy store pickup, or a handsome little dude!
m u s t h a v e i t e m 1 : s e c r e t s a u c e
The number one ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE for any backyard BBQ is some good sauce! A really good sauce is pretty easy to make yourself and I guarantee you’ll get ton’s of complements on how good your sauce is! Plus you can use it as a marinade, sauce or both!
I won’t be giving away the recipe for my secret sauce but to make your own simply add each of these ingredients together! Play around with the measurements depending on what your personal tastes are!
sweet sauce – store bought sweet bbq sauce + brown sugar + apple cider vinegar + ketchup + water (good with any meat)
vinegar/mustard based sauce – mustard + honey + white vinegar + red wine vinegar + Worcestershire sauce + brown sugar
(good with chicken and pork!)
spicy bbq sauce – ketchup + sriracha + white vinegar + water + salt & pepper + paprika + chili powder (good with chicken and pork)
m u s t h a v e i t e m 2 : m e g a r o l l s
There is NOTHING more embarrassing than someone coming out of the bathroom and announcing in front of the entire party that you ran out of toilet paper!
Thats why must have BBQ item number two is toilet paper! But NOT regular toilet paper, it HAS to be Cottonelle MEGA ROLLS! They last forever, so you don’t have to worry about changing the roll mid party or worry about the embarrassment of someone running out! Cottonelle’s Mega Rolls are four rolls in one – thats a lot of toilet paper y’all!
I know whenever I’m hosting a party the LAST thing I want to do is go change the roll for someone – or have someone digging around in my bathroom for more TP. Not having to worry about refilling the roll during a party, and less in general is convenient and helpful during these busy summer months!
*Plus right now Cottonelle has a $1 rebate on Ibotta right now!*
m u s t h a v e i t e m 3 : i c e p o p s
Summertime and Ice Pops go together like peas and carrots! The kids love them, it’s a great way to keep them cool, keep them happy and it usually keeps them quiet for a few minutes at least!
Happy 4th of July everyone! And thank you so much for reading!
Have a safe and fun Holiday!
xoxo
h
Lydia says
Great tips! A mini family picnic has been on my to-do list, so I will definitely be using some of these tips =)
Lydia | chicandmodish.com
Jos says
Love big family bbqs! Summer isn’t the same without them!
Helen says
So fun! Love a good summer bbq!
Tayler Morrell says
I love family BBQ’s. I look forward to them every year!
margarette says
My family loves bbq in any occasions. But we dont have time to do it personally so my aunt and mom just order it from a nearby store. It taste terrific too.
BeautyByGaby says
I love bbq but I need to fix my grill, once that is done i will be trying to create the 3 sauces above.
Meghan says
I gotta try that Ibotta. Everyone says how they are always getting major savings from it!
Tatyanna says
I love this post! We never thought to have our own secret sauce. I’ll have to think of one for our upcoming BBQ.
xx
Tatyanna
http://www.apopoflife.com
Lauren | also known as mama says
So true! You NEVER want to run out of TP! I have a basket above my toilet with extra rolls for this exact reason. 😉
Krystal Sadler says
hahahaha The mega-roll! That’s amazing!! And so true! Also, your red checkered table cloth is perfect for a summer BBQ!
Nicole says
I love the secret sauce here and yes no toilet paper for guests would be so embarrassing lol!
xo, Nicole
Corey | The Nostalgia Diaries says
I definitely need to try out some of those sauces – they sound so easy and good!
Vicki @ Babies to Bookworms says
Totally agree on the ice pops! My daughter has been loving popsicles this year!
Leila says
So much fun! Love a good summer family bbq.
Gail M Akeman says
I have never tried making bbq sauce homemade. I dont have much luck with ibotta I am glad you do.
Amelia Furman says
Great tips! Can’t wait to try those sauces you mentioned!
Amelia Furman says
Great tips! Can’t wait to try those sauces you mentioned! Thanks for sharing!
Megan says
Great tips! My favorite is the one about the “secret sauce.” This is so true! We have several friends that make their signature ribs and/or signature dips and it’s something we always look forward too. Gotta have the “secret” sauce to draw everyone in! 🙂
Francesca says
So many great tips!! I definitely agree, you need a good sauce!
Sharon Chen says
Awesome tips! This will be great for our next barbecue grilling session!
Erin says
This is great! You can’t party without good TP. 😉
Ashley says
This was a fun post to read and THANK YOU for sharing the 3 BBQ sauce recipes. I’m going to play around with them and see which we like best.
Tamara Goyette says
Love that it is BBQ season. Never would have thought about the toilet paper thing but it is so true!
Angela Fry says
We love BBQ’s. Although we have yet to have one this summer, there is one in the works hopefully. Thanks for these tips!
Amber Battishill says
BBQ season is my favorite! I love your suggestions for BBQ sauce! I love Carolina style that’s mustard based….my fav!
Angela Amores says
Love this one!!! The ice pops looks delicious. Yes, to delicious secret sauces.
Angela
Nicole Banuelos says
Looks like you have everything you need to have a great BBQ at home!
Lindsey says
BBQs are the epitome of summer! I’m so sad our summer is winding down!