BBQ Season Tips and Tricks

Y’all: BBQ season is *basically* upon us.

I don’t know why, but the idea of grilling and eating outdoors really jazzes me up season after season. I decided to stay in my Arlington apartment for another year due to the fact that we have a pool, a rooftop deck and a courtyard with plenty of grills that overlooks Washington, D.C. Needless to say, I’ve got a great place for entertaining!

Here are some really quick tips and tricks I have for planning the best BBQ your friends have ever seen!

1. Reserve spaces ahead of time (or claim your territory!)

   My apartment does give the option to rent out our rooftop deck, which makes things easier when you have tons of people over. You never know when your deck will be totally empty or if it will be packed! If you’re not able to reserve ahead of time, tell your friends to come a little on the early side so you can stake out your spot. If you have your own house/private yard situation, I’m very jealous of you.

2. Make your own decor

   If you’ve seen my IKEA hacks as of late, you all know that I love a good DIY. Party decor can get super expensive, especially considering most often it’s something flimsy made out of paper.  I like heading to Pinterest to get some inspiration for easy party DIYs.

3. Don’t forget the beverages

   As much as I love a good beer or rose, a non-alcoholic beverage is also great to throw in the mix as well when you’re planning a party.  The folks at Southern Breeze Sweet Tea sent over their line of products for me to try and guys, I highly, highly recommend it! It has zero calories, it’s made from real tea leaves (no powder here!) and it’s super easy to make. Just boil up your water, steep your tea to perfection and chill the tea southern style. Voila! 

   It also comes in three different flavors: Lemon, Peach and Raspberry. You can also spike your sweet tea by throwing in some lemon juice, simple syrup and sweet tea vodka, and create a fun little cocktail for your party. 

4. Know your friends’ dietary restrictions

   I have a good friend who is gluten-free. I always, always keep this in mind when planning a party menu! Southern Breeze Sweet Tea is actually gluten free, so in the beverage department I’m covered. For food, I make sure to prepare chicken rub in a special gluten free recipe, and this gluten free french fry recipe is a fantastic dupe for the real thing!

What BBQ tips and tricks do you have?

Thank you to Southern Breeze Sweet Tea for partnering with me for today’s post.