Kitchen Appliance

Getting Ready for Barbecue Season

It’s cold and miserable outside, you might be under snow or wading through mud, and summer seems like it’s a long way off. It’s a deceptive time of year, and you can feel like winter still has you in its grip, and there’s no rush to get seeds planted or backyards sorted. If this is you, then you’re in for a bit of a shock when suddenly you realize spring has arrived, summer is around the corner, and you’ve done nothing to prepare.

Why it pays to think ahead

The earlier you can get going with preparations, the easier it will be to get everything done and the better your backyard will look, for example, buying some new items of poly furniture for your patio! If you leave it too late the plants won’t be flowering, the lettuce won’t have matured, and you’ll be rushing about trying to find spare parts for the barbecue because you hadn’t checked whether it was working. Having a party then becomes more of a chore than a pleasure, and you feel frustrated that things aren’t exactly how you would have liked them.

What do you need to do?

It will depend on what sort of yard you have and what kind of barbecues you are planning. If you have a small yard that you keep plain and simple and just intend to have a few small family get-togethers, your main jobs will be checking and cleaning the barbecue, seeing that the yard is tidy and up together, and maybe giving the fence a coat of preservative. If your yard is more of a showpiece and you are planning some big parties, you will want everything to be looking good, so you need to get sowing and planting, tidying up dead material from plants that have died back over winter, checking the lawn sprinkler systems, having a look at the garden furniture to make sure it’s in good condition and checking the decking and pathways aren’t slippery. If you want to take a step further and make your guests envious of your backyard, consider investing in some charming vinyl gazebos. They not only make the place look better, but could also serve as a center stage of your entire barbeque party.

All the things you need

If you wait to the last minute, you might find you have trouble getting hold of barbecue fuel and end up buying something over-priced because everyone else has had the same idea and there’s hardly any fuel left on the shelves. Get a few bags of fuel now and make sure you have lighters, kindling, anything you need to set your barbecue going. Check you have spatulas, tongs, outdoor serving plates and enough bowls to serve salads and side dishes. Also be conscious of where your guests will be able to eat, if you intend to have everyone in the garden you might want to consider buying a big picnic blanket or better yet, some camping chairs or zero-gravity chairs for maximum comfort. Now is a good time to think about what you’re going to cook, whether you want to try some new recipes or have a go at cooking some exotic meat. You can find great recipes online at websites like pocketchangegourmet.com. If you want to try something new get some practice in now, that way you can be sure the food is to your liking and you won’t be stressed trying to follow a new recipe on the day of the barbecue.

A summer barbecue can be a great family event or a relaxing way to chill with your friends, so to ensure it goes with a swing and you don’t feel stressed and exhausted afterward, get everything ready now so you can relax and enjoy the day.