barbecue food on grill

Is there anything more american than a backyard barbeque party? Whether you’re hosting one for a birthday, graduation, retirement, or for no particular reason at all, it’s important to ensure that you have the essentials. If done right, your friends and families will go home with full bellies and long-lasting memories. Here’s what you need in order to make sure that your party is as successful as possible.

Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Chicken and/or Steak

You can’t have a barbeque party without burgers and dogs. That said, the best grill masters will also offer foods for people who don’t particularly care for burgers or dogs. That’s fair, isn’t it? After all, some people don’t eat meat, and some people only eat fish. Therefore, to accommodate these different preferences, you can offer veggie burgers, salmon steaks, chicken, and/or steaks. The options are endless, really. If you want to make something really unique, then we suggest making shishkabobs. These can be made with steak, veggies, chicken, and fish. Anything that can go on a stick will work. 

Drinks: Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Choices

Alcohol will help adults loosen up, so if you can afford it, do your best to supply a variety of options. Just as people enjoy different foods, alcohol taste can vary widely, too. Generally, you should at least offer beer and wine. By all means, encourage people to bring their own alcohol. Most people will do this, but making a hard statement about it should ensure a better BYOB turnout. 

In addition to alcohol, you should also offer non-alcoholic options. Soda, water, and iced tea are all great choices. There might be kids there, and even if there isn’t, remember that not everyone wants to drink alcohol. Moreover, even if everyone DOES want to drink alcohol, some people dislike drinking alcohol while eating. Last, it’s important to stay hydrated while hanging out in the sun; therefore, water and iced tea will help your guests from getting dehydrated too quickly. 

Music, Bug Spray and Sunscreen

It’s hard to get a party going without music. You can either make a great playlist beforehand, hire a band / DJ, or just play pandora / spotify radio all day. Whatever you do, make sure that there’s music in the background the entire time. In addition to music, you should offer bug spray and sunscreen, too. Bugs always come when there’s food to eat; and if your party goes on well into the evening, you’re sure to have some mosquitoes flying around. 

A Tent In Case It Rains

You really never know if it’s going to rain or not. You don’t want to risk your party getting ruined, do you? That’s why you should grab a pop-up tent or canopy. That way, your guests will have shelter from rain or the sun if needed. If you want a quality pop-up tent for your backyard party, then check out the tents from Shelters of America