If you are looking to spend quality time with your family and reconnect with friends you haven’t seen in a while, organising a barbecue party is a fantastic idea. Just imagine having an amazing barbeque party after the long, chilly cold days of the winter months. The warm temperature, clear blue skies, and gentle spring breeze are the perfect time for having a BBQ party. Just the thought of this is enough to make you excited and restless to start preparations for the party. The most important thing at a party is food. You need to make something remarkable that everyone will surely love to enjoy at the BBQ party. Normally, the most common foods at a BBQ party are hamburgers and steaks. But now people have gotten bored of eating them. So why not prepare something that is not only delicious but also healthy? It sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it?
However, deciding what to prepare for an event like this can be an overwhelming task. But there is no need to worry, as we have prepared a list of some appetising and unique food items that you can bring to a BBQ party. This list is fully packed with foods like nutritious salads, main course dishes, mouthwatering refreshments, and lastly, delicious desserts. These unique items will make you, your friends, and your family’s BBQ party an extraordinary one and are surely a way to create some amazing memories that will last a lifetime.
Salads
1. Fresh And Colourful “Tomato Cucumber Salad”
Tomato Cucumber Salad is quite healthy, and adding it to the menu is a really wise choice. This salad is made of fresh vegetables and fruits, which makes it a refreshing option. It also works as a balancing meal and offers a lighter option in comparison to other heavy and savoury dishes like grilled meats. Having a cool and refreshing salad can also help with staying hydrated. The colourful presentation of the red tomatoes and green cucumbers makes it an attractive salad and a worthy addition to your BBQ party.
Benefits:
It is so beneficial that a bowl of this salad contains a lot of calories, fat, carbohydrates, sodium, protein, fibre, potassium, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium. This makes it one of the healthiest salads of all.
2. Crispy And Crusted Delight “Baked Potato Salad”
Baked potato salad is different from traditional potato salad as the recipes for both dishes are completely different. Even the first and most basic difference is that the potatoes in this salad are baked. One of the best things about this salad is that it can be prepared and then kept in the refrigerator until it is time to start the party. It is easy to serve, and this makes it a convenient option for hosts who want to get things ready before the time of arrival for the guest.
Benefits:
It has protein, potassium, fat (saturated, trans fat, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated), cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, calories, fibre, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium.
3. Taste of Italy “Italian Pasta Salad”
Italian Pasta Salad is a fantastic combination of pasta and salad. It is an excellent choice, as it has a variety of fresh vegetables along with delicious meat and cheese. This pasta salad is a mixture of various vegetables that makes it visually appealing. The best thing about this pasta salad is that it can be cooked in advance and kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. This allows you to enjoy the party and also gives you enough time for grilling. A person should definitely add this dish to the menu at a BBQ party.
Benefits:
This salad is rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, fat (saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat), potassium, sugar, vitamins A and C, calcium, fibre, iron, and sodium. With so many nutrients, it is right to say that this salad is not just tasty but also incredibly healthy.
4. Fresh Flavours of “Fruit Sparklers”
There is no doubt that fruit sparklers are the easiest thing to make for a BBQ party. All it requires are just three things: a juicy watermelon and fresh blueberries, along with some long sticks. These juicy fruits, especially watermelon, have natural water that makes them both refreshing and hydrating. You can prepare it and put it in the fridge to make it cooler, as the taste increases when these fruits are cold. The blue and red colour combination, along with the design that looks like a magic wand, looks pretty attractive, especially to little ones as they can play and eat this at the same time.
Benefits:
Fruit sparklers are the healthiest option as they are made up of fruits that contain carbohydrates, sodium, fibre, sugar, calcium, vitamins, iron, potassium, and proteins.
Dishes
After the salads, let’s talk about the main course of dishes. After all, a barbeque party can be considered great when there are delicious foods to eat. Fabulous feats are at the heart of any party. Below, you will find some of the most unique dishes that will surely make everyone’s mouth water.
1. Delicious And Irresistible “Baked Beans”
Baked beans are a classic BBQ dish. Many people often cook it as a side dish as it complements grilled meats like steak, ribs, sausages, and chicken. It is an extremely delicious meal that is rich in both sweet and savoury flavours. You can use it as a spread on your burgers, or you can serve it on the side of your plate with a steak. Certainly, every single one of your guests, from kids to adults will surely love eating it.
Benefits:
Baked beans are a highly nutritious food as they include carbohydrates, protein, fat (saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat), cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fibre, sugar, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. So, it is not just delicious but can also be beneficial for your health.
2. Bold Spicy Charm “Jalapeño Cornbread”
Jalapeño cornbread is another delicious dish that you can bring to the BBQ party. It is a traditional food that has amazing twists and different flavours, both sweet and spicy. The texture of the jalapeño cornbread is soft and a bit crumbly, which blends perfectly with the BBQ meat items. One of the best qualities of this food item is that it is easy to serve, which makes it a suitable option. You can count the number of guests and then slice it into small square pieces. The taste and the spice can be adjusted according to your preferences.
Benefits:
It is fully packed with protein, calories, fat (trans fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fat), carbohydrates, potassium, sugar, fibre, sodium, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
3. Satisfy Your Cravings “Creamy Pesto Tortellini”
The next dish on the list is creamy pesto tortellini. It is made from many different ingredients like cheese, tomatoes, and black olives. This makes it a multi-flavour dish. It is a great option for vegetarians or people who do not want to eat meat. However, eating it with BBQ meat makes it taste even better. Creamy pesto tortellini is also quite popular for the way it looks. It is a colourful dish, which makes it even more tempting to eat. So, make sure you add this item to your menu.
Benefits:
This pasta has all kinds of healthy ingredients, which makes it quite a nutritious food. It contains calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat (saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat), cholesterol, sodium, vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, fibre, and iron.
Refreshments
You will surely enjoy eating these hot and spicy dishes. However, eating them could make your mouth burn, due to which you will need to drink something cool and refreshing. Below, you will find some great drinks that will be a great addition to your BBQ party.
1. Beat The Heat with “Frozen Margarita”
Frozen margarita is an incredible cocktail. It is delicious, and the frozen part makes it more refreshing and enjoyable. There are different types of frozen margaritas besides the classic lime; like mango, strawberry, and jalapeño. This gives guests a chance to choose from different flavoured margaritas. The best quality of this drink is that it can be easily customised according to your taste. You can decide the quantity of salt, sugar, and alcohol and which fruit garnishes you want to add to your drink. The amazing part is that it can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator to keep it nice and cool until the time of guest arrival
Benefits:
Even though it is an alcoholic drink. It does have some nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and D, calcium, and potassium.
2. Fruity And Juicy “Fresh Strawberry Wine Punch”
Fresh strawberry wine punch is a refreshing drink that is quite famous and is present on the list of favourites of all people. It is fruity and light, and having it while eating mouthwatering barbeque meats makes your meal taste even better. Adding it to a BBQ party can be a fantastic idea, as many people do like to have something lighter than hard alcoholic drinks like beers and whiskies. This drink also gives you the incredible advantage of preparing it beforehand and storing it inside the fridge to keep it chilled. This drink can surely increase the standard of the BBQ party.
Benefits:
This drink contains fresh fruits, which makes it high in nutrients like calories, carbohydrates, protein, sodium, fat (saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat), vitamins A and C, potassium, fibre, sugar, iron, and calcium.
Desserts
Desserts are tasty, sweet treats that everyone likes to have after a delicious meal. It is said that a meal is considered incomplete without dessert. To complete the BBQ party and make it even more amazing, here are some mouthwatering desserts that you can bring to your BBQ party.
1. Smooth Luxury “Dark Chocolate Ganache”
Since we are talking about desserts, we can’t miss out on the delicious dessert made from chocolate. Dark chocolate ganache is one of the most loved desserts in the world and can be used in multiple ways. You can use it as a sauce and dip your fruits in it or spread it over cakes. You can add it to your ice cream or eat it directly without adding anything. Some people like to eat chocolate ganache when it is hard and frozen, while others love it when it is melted and smooth. The multi-purpose quality makes it a worthy and wise addition to the menu of your BBQ party.
Benefits:
Being a delicious chocolaty dessert, it is also quite a nutritious meal as it is packed with sodium, cholesterol, sugars, fibre, fats (sat . fats, mono. fats, and trans fats), and calories.
2. Sweet Apples Crust “Classic Apple Pie”
The last food item on our list is another dessert that is delicious as well as incredibly healthy. Classic apple pie is quite a traditional dessert that is made on various types of special occasions, like family get-togethers and parties like BBQs. It is also a classical thing that is made every year on Thanksgiving. The best part about making a pie at a party is that it is extremely easy to serve, and you can even prepare it ahead of time and simply reheat it before slicing its pieces to serve the guests. This quality helps you attend to the guests at the BBQ party and gives you more time to focus on grilling meat.
Benefits:
This pie is filled with nutrients such as sodium, potassium, fat (saturated fat), cholesterol, carbohydrates, fibre, sugar, protein, vitamin C, calcium, and iron, making it one of the healthiest desserts.
Wrapping It Up
Here, you have learned about unique food items that you can add to raise the standard of your BBQ party, from healthy salads to delicious dishes that satisfy your taste buds. Other than these, you also gained knowledge about tasty treats like yummy drinks and mouthwatering desserts. And the best part is that every dish on the list is incredibly healthy. Always remember that a party is not just about a great time getting together and the decoration of the lights, fun, and games to play. Food and drinks are the heart and soul of a party. So, make sure you remember to add these things to your next barbeque party to make it more awesome and worth remembering.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to impress people with your barbeque party, then you just need to be sure that you take care of these nine points:
I. You have to prepare the food before the arrival of the guest.
II. You need to be sure that you have stocked enough propane or charcoal.
III. Decorate the place (garden or backyard) with beautiful lights.
IV. Put the snack counter away from cooking and be sure that there’s someone serving snacks to the guest.
V. Politely motivate the guests to help themselves with the drinks sections.
VI. Be sure that you place some garden games to keep the little ones busy.
VII. Make certain that you keep something sweet to eat after the meal.
VIII. While arranging a barbeque party, you need to be extra careful and should have all the safety equipment.
IX. If you don’t know how to grill, then it is best to hire a grill chef.
The good time to start a barbeque party is in the late afternoon between 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. If your guests have kids, then this time is considered the best and ideal time to begin the BBQ party. However, if you want your BBQ party to be a child-free zone, then it will be an excellent choice to start your party late in the evening, as it will be more enjoyable as the temperature will be cooler at night and the heat will be less intense.
There are a few things that every BBQ needs. Below, you will see a list of all the equipment that is mandatory to have while you are organising a barbeque party.
1. Grill or smoker
2. Tongs and Spatula
3. Charcoal, wood, kerosene, and pellets
4. Matchbox with long sticks or lighter
5. Gloves that are heat-resistant
6. Apron
7. A thermometer
8. Timer
9. Utensils (Plates, bowls, cups, knives, spoons, forks, and others)
10. Paper napkins and towels
There are simple things that make the BBQ party fun. So, if you want to host a perfect barbeque party, all you need to do is implement these simple points, and it will surely keep your guests comfortable and entertained.
I. Make a separate station for condiments: It will become easier for your guests to reach for the condiments and toppings.
II. Make a Refreshment Area: It is best if you make a separate bar area as it will help save space for the dining area.
III. Play perfect party music: No party is complete without some great music. So make sure you create a BBQ party playlist in advance.
IV. Be prepared for the weather: Put up a gazebo or parasol. So if it starts to rain, your guests will not get wet.
V. Entertain the kids: Set up a game corner in your garden to keep the kids engaged and entertained.
Spring is the best and most popular season for barbecues. The weather is pleasantly warm during the day and cool in the evening, making it the ideal time for gatherings. This perfect balance makes spring the ideal season for hosting a BBQ get-together.
The most popular food at a BBQ is hamburgers. It is also the most common food, and traditionally, every BBQ party has either hamburgers or steaks. However, there are plenty of other options available as well, like Italian pasta salad, baked beans, fresh strawberry wine punch, and dark chocolate ganache.
