Barbecue season is all year round. Besides getting all the utensils, dishes, serving pans, and everything else you need to eat all afternoon, it’s important to make sure you have all the right grilling equipment and accessories ready for the day of.
Unless your station is always ready for a spur of the moment barbecue, it’s important to know exactly what you should have close by. You can easily make sure you’re not missing anything with a checklist.
There’s a whole lot you need for a barbecue other than the grilling equipment and an empty stomach. These can be divided into manageable groups rather than a hodgepodge of items you get when you suddenly remember.
The BBQ Equipment
It won’t be much of a barbecue without grilling equipment and BBQ accessories. You should have:
- Grill – It’s up to the griller’s preference between using a charcoal grill or a gas grill. Don’t forget extra charcoal or propane depending on what kind of grill you’ll be using.
- Grill Fork
- Tongs
- Spatula
- Grill glove
- Aluminum Foil
- Oil
- Towel
- Apron
The Main Food
- BBQ staples – burgers and hot dogs
- Chicken wings
- Pork chops
- Kebabs
- Steak
- Any other meat your party enjoys
- Vegetables for the vegetarians
- Plates and cutlery (disposables make for an easy clean up)
The Drinks
Depending on who’s coming to your barbecue, you might need a wider variety of drinks or just a lot of one type (beer, anyone?).
- Soda
- Water
- Juice
- Beer + bottle opener
- Wine + corkscrew
- Cups
The Extras
Here’s the important items to remember since the other items are more obvious:
- Condiments
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Relish
- Mayonnaise
- Barbecue sauces
- Chips – something for your guests to snack on while you grill
- Salad – a healthier side option
- More sides
- Potato salad
- Fruit
- Pasta salad
- Hot dog and burger buns
- Lettuce
- Tomato slices
- Dip
- Salsa
- Garbage bags for clean up!
The Dessert
Last, but not least, the dessert! Everyone always has room for dessert after a filling barbecue.
- Ice cream
- Popsicles
- Brownies
- Cookies
- Cake
You’re (Mostly) Ready!
Now that you have a list of barbecue essentials – grilling equipment, food, drinks, dessert – you’re ready to start collecting or double check that you have everything that you need to make your barbecue a perfect afternoon.
There are definitely more detailed lists out there that you can also print, but with these items, you should be good to go. You can delegate the “extras” to your guests so that you don’t have to juggle everything the day of.
Now that you have prep covered, it’s time to think about preparing all of the meats for the grill. If you’re drawing a blank or want to try something new, grill hobbyists share their barbecue rubs and other marinades that they use for a yummy barbecue. Make sure to give yourself adequate time to prepare all your meats before they get on the grill!
