This spring, summer, or fall, invite your friends and family over for a fun outdoor BBQ. We’re dishing up crowd-pleasing BBQ meals and boozy beverages that will keep them happy all afternoon. Better than that? We’re sharing our go-to dining setup, cookout decorations, and entertaining ideas for all ages.
BBQ Party Ideas
Summer barbeques are a popular custom enjoyed by almost everyone. It’s a chance to spend time with friends and family, eat delicious cuisine, and enjoy the beauty of nature.
You can easily make an at-home BBQ that still feels festive for cheap, from imaginative ways to decorate your table to little things that are guaranteed to thrill all of your guests. You can hang attractive banners or fill clear balloons with red, white, and blue confetti for a playful accent that works indoors or out.
Stock up on BBQ staples and ask guests to bring sides. Also, select a lovely outfit that will look great in all of the Instagram photos you’ll be sharing.
Oh, and don’t forget this one: make some delectable cocktails and batch drink recipes for the whole family to enjoy. What do you think I’m talking about? The choices are endless—and you don’t have to spend a lot of money if you prepare ahead.
It’s more difficult to throw a BBQ when there’s a crowd, though. Feeding a large group of people is usually expensive, and making sure you have the essential condiments and beverages on hand may quickly add up.
After doing the calculations and looking up some basic money-saving methods, we can confidently state that a $100 summer BBQ is a possibility!
You can still keep under $100 for a group of 10-12 people if you don’t have the normal burger condiments on hand.
Budget BBQ Ideas
The premise is simple: throw a barbeque party for $10 or less per participant, including at least two meat options and beverages. Guests provide the sides in this situation.
Keep in mind that some of these costs may differ based on where you shop or which brands you choose, but the amounts should be quite close to what you’d find.
- Hamburger meat for 12 burgers: $16
- 2 packs of hamburger buns (16 buns total): $6
- 24 cheese slices: $3.48
- 8 hot dogs: $1
- 8 hot dog buns: $1
- A bag of tortilla chips: $3.18
- Mustard: $1.77
- Mayo: $2.50
- Ketchup: $2.50
- Homemade salsa: $1.51
- Meat seasoning: $2
- Homemade BBQ sauce: $2.13
- Bag of charcoal: $7
- Aluminum foil: $5.38
- 24-pack of soda: $12.99
- 12-pack of beer: around $10
- A bottle of wine: around $10
The total cost of all of these goods is little around $100. Your savings increase if you already have condiments in your fridge, are prepared to settle for a cheaper bottle of wine, or are willing to cook a couple more items on the list from scratch (such chips or ketchup).
Everyone’s favorite BBQ recipes and sides are going to be a little different, so mix and match according to your tastes and see if you can stay under $100.
You’re out of excuses now. Throw a fantastic summer BBQ for your family without blowing your wallet.
Extra Summer Bbq Savings Tips
Here are some more low-cost BBQ ideas to help you save even more money.
Don’t waste money on expensive meats.
At a BBQ, people are nearly always satisfied with a hamburger or hot dog; you don’t need to worry about steak or fish. Stick with one protein to save money and make it easier to manage with fewer toppings, or go with kabobs to save money on buns and condiments.
Use less expensive vegetables and sides.
You can definitely get away with buying less meat if you have plenty of other snack options. People won’t mind if there aren’t enough chips and dips for seconds if they’re snacking on them as the meat cooks. And grilled vegetables marinated in a cheap Italian dressing are excellent.
Ask for contributions from your guests.
Put part of the food and drinks in the hands of your guests, and you’ll only have to worry about the fundamentals. If you make more food than you need, you’ll have leftovers to save money on meals for the following week.
Stick to the low-cost beverages.
At a BBQ, most folks aren’t expecting fine wine or specialty brews. A $7 bottle of wine is likely to be equally as popular as a $20 one. You may even brew Sangria or punch to stretch the money you spend on booze.
Use zip-close bags to store ice from your refrigerator.
While a bag of store-bought ice isn’t cheap, the ice your refrigerator produces is much less so. So you don’t have to worry about running out, start stocking up a day or two ahead of time.
Decorate in a fun and budget-friendly style.
Decorations make a difference at every celebration, whether it’s held outside or inside. Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a wonderfully lovely space. You can instantly elevate your BBQ by hanging a lovely pennant garland, string lights, or even streamers.
We recommend picking up a few celebratory red and blue decor items that aren’t too holiday-specific so you may utilize them all summer long rather than just on the Fourth of July.
If you have any lovely towels, comforters, or blankets, put them out in your yard to create a fun picnic atmosphere. Your guests can relax in the sun, watch fireworks in the neighborhood, or simply eat some delicious food. If you don’t have any extra blankets, there are plenty of low-cost picnic blankets available online that you’ll use all summer.
Party Invitations
As is usual, in order to make it easier for you to arrange a BBQ party, I’ve included a free invitation design, which I believe will complement the vibe of a fun BBQ party.
Using the free template I provided, you can invite your friends and family to the BBQ party. All you have to do now is download the image and customize it with the information of the party you’re throwing. I’ll provide download information below; simply follow the simple instructions.
How to Download
- Right-Click your selection.
- Select “Save Image As”.
- Locate the destination folder, or for easy-to-access, you can put them on your desktop, or just leave it as it is.
- Click “Save”, and the download process will take a few seconds or less depending on how fast your internet access is.
Open the file through Microsoft Word or Paint (Beginner), or Adobe Photoshop (Advanced).
Make sure to plan ahead of time because BBQ parties often necessitate a lot of preparation and grilling on the day of the event. Barbecues are ideal for summertime celebrations such as birthdays, baby showers, and graduations. Make the most of the beautiful summer weather by throwing the finest BBQ of the year.
