BBQ Essentials to Have on Hand This Summer

Give me a free summer weekend, and I’ll plan a barbecue celebration. Whether we invite friends over for happy hour drinks on the deck or another family for a cookout, it’s the easiest time to gather with friends and entertain.

Here’s a list of items to stock up on now so that you can celebrate summer BBQs all summer long.

5 entertaining essentials for your summer BBQs

Summer Beverages

When you’re hosting a get-together, it’s easiest to have a signature drink made in advance so that you don’t have to continue remaking the drinks. Pre-make a few pitchers of margaritas, like my friend Jennifer’s Classic Margarita recipe or her Strawberry Basil version, Jo-Lynne’s White Sangria. Or try one of my favorites, which include Lemon Raspberry Swirl or a Grey Goose Lily. If you’d rather not pre-make the drinks, print out instructions and frame them in a small picture frame, placing the ingredients and glasses with the frame on a small bar table or cart.

Fun and Games

Ready for a little competitive play? The Portable Badminton Set pops up anywhere for instant gaming. When just entertaining adults, sit down to play everyone’s favorite Cards Against Humanity or a good game of friendly poker.

Mosquito Repellent Lanterns

We received ThermaCell’s camp lantern as a sample this summer. It’s an aesthetically pleasing repellent that keeps mosquitoes, black flies, and other biting pests at bay, clearing a 15×15 foot area in just minutes. I love this as its dual purpose: a light and a repellent. And, keeping it on my deck, there’s no need to spray on the stinky bug spray. Dropping in 2 batteries and the repellent pad at the top of the lantern will be heated to evenly and effectively vaporize and disseminate a repellent in the air that biting bugs HATE!

Portable Grill

Hosting a party in a public space? BioLite Portable Grill provides a portable, safe and fun way to cook anyone’s favorite foods without the need for charcoal or propane.