Summer is here! An outdoor barbecue is always fun, but can sometimes be overwhelming. Let me help!
See my menu and what shortcuts I took, plus make room for a very easy dessert.
Thank you to Fareway Meat & Grocery for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.
Sure does feel like Summer!
In typical fashion, it’s hot and humid and our AC is running at full capacity. Saying this, we still love to get outside with our friends and family for outdoor barbecues!
There is just something about lawn chairs and sunscreen and cold drinks and yummy food lined up on a table, don’t you think? It’s a time when we can relax and enjoy each other. Plus, the kids can run wild and later crash into bed.
Fareway and I have long been friends. It is the one and ONLY grocery store I grew up with, so working with them is just a natural fit for me. I have fond memories or pushing the cart into my mom’s heels when I was young running down the aisles! This long-standing Midwest company, with its headquarters in central Iowa, has been serving its customers since its first store opened in 1938.
It always gives you a homey feel when you walk in – incredibly friendly staff and fresh products – and to this day, they still load all your groceries into your vehicle for you! As they say, it’s their pleasure.
Fareway is now in seven Midwest states, with their newest location in Kansas popping up this Summer. Meet a Midwesterner, they’ll know Fareway.
With outdoor barbecues and parties, the norm during the months of June through August, I wanted to showcase what I love about Fareway when prepping for a Summer barbecue – because guess what? I take some shortcuts. No one wants to be slaving in the kitchen when everyone else is outside enjoying themselves.
I picked some of my favorite things to serve – brats and sides, plus an incredibly easy dessert {we are talking just 3 ingredients!}.
Let’s take a look!
Fareway has been known for decades to have a wonderful meat counter. Their display cases are gorgeous and the employees they have working behind the counter are extremely knowledgeable. In the Summer I immediately gravitate towards their wide selection of brats – they’ve always been a favorite of mine.
On this day I chose a variety of flavors – pineapple, cheddar and beer.
Brats are easy to grill up for your guests. They don’t take much babysitting, plus they can stay warm in a roaster or crockpot after grilling in case your guests don’t eat right away.
Remember how I said I was going to make this barbecue extremely easy?
To do this, I stayed right there at the meat counter where they also have a big selection of homemade prepared salads. Pretty much whatever you are craving it is there! I had already grabbed some baked beans in the can aisle {who doesn’t love baked beans?}, so I knew a creamy and tangy pasta salad would be perfect to accompany those.
I picked two – their FAMOUS, traditional potato salad and one I had been eyeing – Mrs. Jerry’s Smoked Gouda Pasta Salad. My family looooooooves anything with gouda, so I’d knew they’d be game.
So let’s do a run down of the menu.
Variety of Flavored Brats, Buns & Condiments
Baked Beans
Potato Salad
Smoked Gouda Pasta Salad
Blueberry Lemonade Dump Cake with Whipped Topping
Paper Plates, Napkins & Silverware
I told you this would be easy!
Shall we now talk about my easy dessert? I wanted to give you something that requires basically NO effort. The whole dessert is just 3 ingredients. No joke! Canned blueberry pie filling, a boxed lemon cake mix and a stick of butter.
Dessert doesn’t have to be fancy; it only needs to taste good. Plus, this dessert holds up in the heat. If it needs to sit out for a bit – no problem. If you have fridge space to store the leftovers – great! But there might not be any leftovers, so prepare for that.
In my opinion blueberries and lemon just kind of go together. In the Summer it’s a welcome, tangy and tart treat. Not too heavy, but just enough flavor to end any good meal.
And don’t forget the whipped topping! Any and all desserts are better with it – trust me.
I cannot wait to see your tablespace for an easy Summer grilling menu! Remember, good food doesn’t have to be fussy. When people are being served a meal at your house, they are just happy to be served! Small, intentional meals like this one often make the biggest impact.
Plus, let’s not forget this DESSERT. Go ahead and print off the recipe below on the attached recipe card. I promise when you serve it people will ask for a copy of the recipe!
Thank you to Fareway Meat & Grocery for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own. I hope you enjoyed!
