5 Memorial Day BBQ Party Tips

Thinking of having a Memorial Day BBQ party in a few weeks? Here are a few tips to make it a great one.

Memorial Day BBQ Tip #1: Clean Your Grill

When was the last time you cleaned your grill? Do you tend to do it on a regular basis? Or is it one of those things you'll "get to later?"

There are three reasons why it's a good idea to get in the habit of cleaning your grill regularly:

It helps the food taste better. You won't have stuff sticking to the food or ruin it with the smell of smoke from burning debris.
It's safer, as it prevents the buildup of grease and debris that can flame up.
It's more manageable to clean. If you don't clean the grill for a long time, it can get really messy!

You don't necessarily have to clean your grill right now. Just make sure it's done before the party.

Memorial Day Tip #2: Setup Plenty of Seating

How many people do you expect to come over? Try to have enough seating set up so everyone can sit down at the same time.

Will that actually happen? No, probably not. People will be walking around, standing up while chatting, etc. But it's good to be on the safe side and have enough seating for everyone you expect to come.

No, they don't all have to be folding chairs. Inside seating such as your kitchen table or couch (assuming you're okay with that) also counts.

Memorial Day BBQ Tip #3: Protect Your Food from Bugs

Nobody wants to eat food that's had bugs landing on it. Since bugs come with the territory of eating outside, plan on taking some measures to protect your food from critters – especially flies.

You have a few ways to do this:

Cover food on plates with plastic wrap
Put food in Tupperware and close the lid
Keep food inside for as long as possible and only uncover when it's time to eat

There's not much you can do to prevent flies from attending the party. But with a little forethought, you can prevent them from swarming your food.

Memorial Day Party Tip #4: Bust Out Music and Games

People love to stand around and chat, but a great party also needs to include other things to do like outdoor games. Combine those games with the right soundtrack and the atmosphere will be complete.

From a games perspective, think of the types of outdoor games you see people play when tailgating:

Horseshoes
Ladderball
Cornhole
Kan Jam

Just make sure you set up the games far enough away that guests who aren't playing (and the grill) won't get hit by flying objects!

BBQ Party Tip #5: Setup Food So it's Easy for People to Load Their Plates

Try to set up the food and drinks so multiple people can be getting their stuff without having to wait on other people. For example, drinks can be in coolers on one side of the porch. The table on the other side of the porch can have the food, so people can walk around the table and load up their plates buffet-style.

We wish you the best with your Memorial Day party! Have fun and enjoy the time with your friends and family!