Prices have risen considerably in recent years, and with them the price of meat. Of course it's a shame if you want to organise a cosy barbecue with friends but the shopping list turns out to be rather expensive. But barbecuing does not have to be expensive. We would like to give you 6 tips on how to limit the cost of a barbecue and make smart use of the ingredients you still have on hand.
Tip 1: a simple barbecue
When you think of a barbecue, you probably think of a large cooking unit with all kinds of accessories such as a griddle, an extra grill and various pans. Barbecuing does not have to be difficult at all. Are you in your own garden and do you have an old fire bowl? Put a tripod over this or make your own tripod with three branches and the Petromax Tripod ring and the grilling can begin.
Another advantage of a budget-proof barbecue: the Heat BRATEN charcoal barbecue. This barbecue basically has all the core features to barbecue well and has a relatively soft price compared to the other barbecues being touted.
Tip 2: Share the cost
Are you organising the barbecue in your garden for a group of friends or family? Then ask everyone to bring something with them. A few bottles of drinks, some salads, dips or a dish of your own are of course always welcome. This way, you can limit the costs for yourself to the basics like firelighters or wood, baguettes, meat or fish for the grill and maybe some small snacks like nuts.
If you do want to get some more meat or fish, check out the offers. If you see an offer in the supermarket, take it with you and store it in the freezer. This way, you spread the cost for yourself over a period of time and don't have to do a lot of shopping all at once.
Tip 3: make your own dips
For a successful barbecue, you certainly don't have to get everything ready-made from the supermarket. Think about making your own dips for on the baguette.
- Egg salad with mayonnaise and boiled eggs
- Garlic sauce with crème fraîche and garlic
- Tzatziki with yoghurt and cucumber
Besides the dips, you can also make your own skewers, for example. Get some peppers, onions and meat, fish or vegetarian snacks of your choice and make your own skewers for the barbecue. And how about some delicious home-baked bread?
Tip 4: Use leftovers from the fridge on the barbecue
Above all, do not buy new ingredients if you have leftover vegetables or snacks that are still good. Vegetables like peppers, cucumbers or onions are often left over and you can use them perfectly for a fresh cucumber salad, a stuffed pepper from the grill or stuffed skewers.
Tip 5: Use more vegetables than meat
Not only from a financial point of view but also from a sustainability point of view, you can use some more vegetables during the barbecue. For example, replace the hamburger with a portobello or replace the meat with well-filling vegetables such as mushrooms, beets or carrots.
Tip 6: Make side dishes
Choose less meat, more vegetables and plenty of side dishes. For instance, make a simple potato salad or green salads with cheese and beans. By having enough of these kinds of dishes next to the barbecue, you need to buy less expensive ingredients such as meat, fish or skewers and still have a complete barbecue. If you do have the barbecue on, think about making waffles for dessert with a cast iron waffle iron.
Affordable barbecue with a cheap barbecue
Barbecuing is, of course, all about being together and having a bite to eat. Check out the possibilities that are available with different ingredients or things you already have at home. Often, the amount of food needed is overestimated and you are left with salads or leftover pieces of meat for days.
One last tip: don't look at the food per package in the supermarket but consider how much you will eat per person. Often, 2-3 pieces of meat from the grill per person is enough and you can further focus on side dishes and homemade dips.
Do you have any questions about the barbecues in our range or other topics? Let us know via the blog comments and hopefully you will have many enjoyable barbecues this summer.
