The Family Barbecue: Bedrock of Society
Family barbecues can mean a whole lot of things to a whole lot of people. This sounds rather cliché but sometimes clichés are just plain and simply true. Whether you come from a family of four and a family barbecue looks like your grandparents coming over and catering the meal from a local barbecue place. Or family barbecue’s look like meat from the market your family owns and thirty members of your extended family gathered around to celebrate a big milestone. There are community barbecues, church cook outs, meal fundraisers and the list continues on. What a barbecue gathering means varies across cultures here in America.
These small or large events even look way different from one another. We may not be alone in picturing that red and white checkered table cloth or white styrofoam cups. If you are hosting an event like this, you can invite whoever you want and serve whatever you want. There are some etiquette practices to remember (which we will talk about later) but other than that these events are about bringing those you care about, community or family, together to share a meal.
Post Covid, we seem to value these events more than we did before. We as humans often don’t know what we are missing until we do not have it any longer. That is another cliché but the earlier sentiment stands. The pandemic wreaked a lot of havoc on our lives but it has reset many people’s values. The importance placed in the value of togetherness and family has increased post pandemic because we all saw how short life is.
This said, do not skip the opportunity to host or attend a barbecue get together. Get your friends together, knock on your neighbors door and call your parents. It can be anything from ordering take out and sitting on your patio to an all out celebration of summer approaching with your extended family and community members. It doesn’t matter just get out and laugh with those you care about.
Now for that barbecue you are going to host, here are a few tips.
1. Plan food quantity appropriately: Once you have a head count, be sure to plan for enough people and then some. Also be sure to think of the kind of guests that are coming; teenage boys eat more than the average person. Leftovers are always great for meals to take to work or send them with your guests that you know could use the food.
2. Provide non alcoholic drinks as well: Even if there are only going to be adults in attendance, do not assume that everyone drinks. This is also a given if there will be minors. Don’t forget the water!
3. Available seating: Even if you do not have a seat for everyone, be sure to have adequate seating. People will migrate around but they will want to sit eventually to visit or to eat. If it is a seated event where everyone will be seated at one time, make sure you have a head count ahead of time and add a chair or two to just be extra careful.
4. Backup Plan: Even with all your thorough pre planning, you may still run out of food. In that case, be sure you have a backup plan ready to go. This can be as easy as grabbing a few pizzas from a place in town.
For when you attend your next barbecue get together, here is what to remember.
1. Always ask if you can bring something: This should be the first thought when invited to this kind of event. If it is a potluck, ask what type of food to bring and if it is not necessarily a potluck, still ask. The host will appreciate it even if they do not want you to bring anything.
2. Help clean up: Hosts appreciate this more than they will ever say. Help load the dishwasher or scrape off plates. If they shoo you out of the kitchen or you are at an outdoor event, the least you can do is help pick up trash.
Bring these with you or grab them before your event to add a little extra special something to the day.
1. Yard activity: If you have corn hole, washers or any other yard game laying around, be sure to bring it or put it out for your event. All ages loves these games and it adds movement to an event
2. A deck of cards: Yes, we mean this one. This is a great way to catch up with someone and still have an activity or if you are going to an event where you do not know many people, this is a great way to break the ice and maybe learn something new.
3. Get that playlist ready: Make sure you have a playlist for some good background music for your event that matches the vibe. Maybe even throw in some good dancing or two stepping songs to get your guests on their feet. Maybe teach them a line dance if you know one.
These are just a few tips to remember whether you are hosting or attending a family barbecue type event. Don’t be afraid to jump in to help and get those dance moves ready.
Time together, no matter who you are with, is always special and important. We are meant to be together and barbecues are great ways to get those you cherish in one space. Life should be about the memories and connections you make. For just a few hours, let work stay out of your mind and your worries at home.
Hug those you love tightly because if the pandemic has taught us anything it is that life is short. Seize any moment to be around others and create memories. Family is way more than just who are are related to. It is our neighbors, our friends, our community members and maybe even our coworkers. They are the people who challenge us, dance with us, laugh with us and love us.
We hope that this inspires you to host your own family barbecue!
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