The summer is almost here, in Australia, and the BBQ parties are waiting behind the corner. If you’re hosting a BBQ party, you’re probably getting really excited about all the possibilities for food, drinks, location, decor, music etc. Don’t get too enthusiastic! There are some important things you need to consider before jumping to the fun part.

Follow this steps to ensure you take care of any details and throw a party all your friend and family will remember.

When and where?

Chose the place for the BBQ party. It can be your backyard, porch, or even apartment terrace. You can even throw a picnic and bring the BBQ into a park or on the beach. You can create a cozy atmosphere basically everywhere, so don’t overwhelm yourself with finding the best place.

After choosing the location, you need to pick the date and time. The best days for a BBQ gathering are on the weekends. Most of your guests will be available then. Adjust the time to meet your guest's requests. If you’ll having adults, you can pick hours in the late afternoon - from 5-6 to 10pm. But if you’re planning to invite families with kids, then you should consider having the BBQ earlier - 4-8pm for example.

Tailor the guest list

Choose whether you'll throw a small or a big party. Small parties are easier to manage and are more private. You can spend more time chatting with your closest people. If you want a big party you need to put extra effort into organizing it and preparing all the food. You can even increase the hours of duration so everyone could have the chance to stop by and have some fun.

No matter the size of the party, make sure to invite the guests at least 2 weeks earlier. It’s summer, so even if you’re hosting the party at the weekend there’s a chance that not everyone will be able to come.

Offer your guests to bring something for the BBQ. You can assign them the drinks, sauces, snacks or even desserts. Make sure you communicate with your guests to be sure they’re coming, so you can plan the right amount of food and drinks.

Set up the space

Indoor or outdoor, your BBQ party still needs a little decoration. Dress up the tables with beautiful tablecloths and flowers. Prepare utensils and plates - forks, knives, spoons, cups, napkins make sure you take care of everything the guests might need. Colour code the utensils and prepare markers and stickers. Do tell your guests to mark their plates and cups. This way no one can lose sight of it and you’ll prevent wasting an unnecessary amount of plastic.

Prepare the BBQ

Before the fun part begins you need to take care of the BBQ first. In order to prepare healthy and tasty food, your BBQ needs to be cleaned. It’s important to clean the BBQ before and after each use, to prevent residue to built up in your food. Knowing how to clean the BBQ properly will also prolong the life of it so you can enjoy many summer BBQ parties.

Prepare food and drinks

Hamburgers, hot dogs, and grilled vegetables are the classic meals for a BBQ party. Plan to have an equal amount of these items. Probably, everyone will be favouring them. Adjust the rest of the menu according to your guests. If you have vegetarians coming, prepare veggies. If your guests prefer red-meat, consider providing them with it. Add a box of chips with hummus or another type of dipping.

For your convenience, prepare everything before the party - chop the fruits and veggies, prepare the meat and the buns. If you have children coming, prepare juices and other drinks for them. Keep the menu simple, with no more than 3 options, to avoid wasting food in the end. Prepare beer, wine and soda. You can even make fresh lemonade. Serve margaritas or sangria to impress your guests. You can ask the guests to bring bags of ice. Trust me, you’ll need them. The best desserts for the summer BBQ are grilled fruits - peaches, bananas, pineapple - throw them on the grill, add ice cream and you have the perfect sweet.

Music & Games

Last, but not least make sure your guest have a good time at the party. Especially if you’re planning a big one. Prepare a playlist with summer music to create a good atmosphere. You can also prepare some games. No matter if they’re kids around, everyone will enjoy a game of badminton, volleyball, twister or even tic tac toe. Here is a list of 50 outdoor games I’m sure you’ll enjoy.