It’s August, and school is around the corner — that means it’s time to have one last great cookout to wrap up the summer.
What makes a great cookout? There are a lot of things to consider. To start, you invite people you enjoy and who get along well. You keep safety in mind. And you serve amazing food and drinks.
How do you do all that? Here are some tips that make the whole process easier and stress-free.
Plan for Safety
Safety is not the most fun part of your cookout, but it’s definitely one of the most important. Ensure you have a fire extinguisher near any fires or grills. You may also want a first aid kit in case of minor injuries, like cuts or burns. If you’re serving alcoholic beverages, create a plan to help your guests avoid overindulging, and be sure you don’t let anyone drink and drive.
Finally, you’ll want to ensure your homeowner’s insurance is up to date and has appropriate coverage in case someone is injured on your property. If it’s been a while since you looked over your policy, consider talking to a licensed agent about what you need. For instance, the professionals at Freeway Insurance can answer your questions and may even be able to get you a better rate.
Once you’ve taken care of the safety plans, you can move on to the fun part — food, drinks, and activities!
Have a Variety of Food and Drinks Available
Having food and drinks that all of your guests can enjoy is an essential part of having a great cookout. You can poll guests on what they’d like, or you can provide specific items yourself and invite guests to bring other things if they’d like.
For instance, perhaps you only plan to provide hamburgers, but you’re happy to grill other items that guests bring with them. And you might provide a specific selection of drinks but allow guests to bring their favorites if they want.
This will result in a variety of food and drinks available that please everyone without breaking the bank for anyone!
Plan Fun Activities
Finally, no good cookout is complete without fun activities. Think about the interests and abilities of your guests, and get suggestions as well. That way, no one feels left out.
Common activities that people enjoy are lawn volleyball, bean bag toss, and large yard games like giant Jenga or giant Connect Four. You can also have contests, trivia games, or simply conversational games like Never Have I Ever.
If you have a pool, swimming can be part of the fun, as long as everyone is responsible — remember that drinking and swimming don’t mix!
Have a Great End-of-Summer Cookout
These ideas will get you started, and there are many other ways to combine great company with food, drinks, and activities to create an unforgettable final cookout of the summer.
Have an amazing cookout, and enjoy the last days of the season!
