How to throw the ultimate student BBQ

Georgina Willison 18 July 2019
man grilling food outside on a bbq

BBQs are an essential bit of summer fun but throwing your first one can be daunting. Find out some top tips to make sure yours goes smoothly!

1. Make sure you have a space

If your student house has a garden – great! Make sure the area is clear (i.e. not piled high with rubbish) and off you go. If you don’t have a garden or outside space then you’ll have to find somewhere else you can legally throw a barbeque. There are a lot of laws surrounding fires in public places, so it can be tricky.

Some public parks have designated barbeque areas, so it is worth checking with the local council.

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 2. Get the right equipment

You can’t have a barbeque without the correct equipment. Here’s a list of the basics you will absolutely need:

  • Barbecue grill (kind of goes without saying)
  • Tongs
  • Spatula
  • Oven mitts
  • Fun apron
  • Fire extinguisher

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3. Invite all your friends

Draw up a list of whoever you want to come. You could invite all your close friends, your flatmates, or course mates. Barbeques are a great bonding activity so it would be an excellent chance to get to know the people around you.

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4. Buy food

Now that you know who’s coming you can get the food in. You need to make sure you get quality meat, not the cheapest possible, or it might ruin your barbecue. A good way to get good meat without spending a ridiculous amount of money is to buy mid-range products. Standard items would include:

Mains

  • Burgers
  • Sausages
  • Chicken (thighs or drumsticks)
  • Veggie /vegan options – Halloumi, Vegetarian Sausages, etc.
  • Bread rolls

Sides

  • Potato salad
  • Coleslaw
  • Vegetable Kebabs
  • Drinks – Beer, Soft Drinks, etc.

Deserts

  • Banana
  • Orange
  • Chocolate

You could also do a potluck system – get your friends to bring some food with them. This could be sides, desserts or meat ready to be grilled.

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5. Make sure you know how to grill

There’s no point going to all this trouble if you’re only going to burn the food when the big day comes so get cracking with your research. Read articles, watch videos and practice.

Make sure all that lovely food isn’t going to waste and you don’t burn down the house.

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6. Get grilling!

Now this is where the real work begins. Everyone’s there so it’s time to get to work and eat. Enjoy yourself!

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Georgina Willison 18 July 2019