TIP OF THE DAY: Budget Tips For Barbecues
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Anyone who entertains knows how costly it can be to host a aimple barbecue. We can’t believe how much we spent for July 4th. We could have taken everyone to a really good restaurant!
With much summer entertaining ahead, we’re publishing these budget-friendly tips from Jeanette Pavini, consumer savings expert for the philanthropic savings site, CouponsForChange.org, shares her tips for hosting a barbecue on a budget: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUPERMARKET SALES Don’t wed yourself to certain menu items. Be flexible, and build your menu around foods that are on sale. For double the savings, find coupons that match the sale items. Sites like CouponsForChange.org have printable coupons for thousands of grocery items. Plus, for every 3 coupons you clip, a free meal is provided to a needy person. |
Tailor your menu to items on sale. Photo courtesy 123rf.com. |
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KNOW WHEN TO SHOP Ask your butcher what time of day the store marks down meat. It’s usually in the early morning or in the evening. Some stores have two rounds of markdowns. For example, a package of chicken might be marked down 30% in the morning, and if it doesn’t sell by evening, it will be further marked down to 60%. |
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 Be sure to put different veggies on the grill Corn grilling cage available at Sur La Table. |
ADD COLOR TO THE GRILL The grill is not just for cooking meat. Make your grill do double duty with vegetables, so you get the most from your charcoal. Grilled vegetables are easy and delicious (we love the color of orange, red and yellow bell peppers). If you’re serving a large crowd, see if there is a wholesale produce market in your area. That’s where the restaurants shop, so you’ll get the same wholesale prices as they do as well as the freshest fruit and veggies available. BUY IN BULK Usually, a large cut of meat will be cheaper than the same amount cut into smaller pieces. If you don’t want to cut it yourself, you can always ask the butcher if he or she will cut it into smaller pieces for free. You can save even more if you buy bone-in cuts of meat. |
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BE A BUDGET BARTENDER If you’re looking for a lower-cost beer and wine alternative, sangria is a popular and refreshing option—and a little goes a long way. Buy whichever fruit is on sale: apples, berries, oranges, pineapples, whatever. Combine with a bargain bottle of wine, add carbonated water and a sweetener like orange juice.
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