Cheap BBQ ideas

With the temperature rising outside, it’s time to fire up the grill and make full use of BBQ season. Grilling your food can be a frugal and healthy way to cook, as long as you adopt your same focus on meal planning and finding deals that you do to your regular groceries year-round.

Here are some frugal tips for cheap BBQ eats beyond your hot dogs and hamburgers:

Get ready

As a first step, always make sure that you have enough propane or charcoal in your tank before you even start to cook. If not, you run the risk of ruining your meal, which causes waste, which delivers a blow to your budget.

Grill your own pizza

Instead of ordering takeout and paying a premium, make your own pizza, right on the grill. Layer pizza crusts with sauce and your fixings. Grill on medium heat until cooked through.

Pork chops

Pork tends to be dry, but benefit from some marinating and the rich flavours that grilling brings out. Marinate in whatever you like (olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs is nice) for a couple of hours and then grill. Pork pairs nicely with fruit as well, so take advantage of the season and grill some fruit (peach slices are yummy) and serve as a compote on the side.

Kebabs

Make your own kebabs and you’ve got two food groups right in one spot. Use chicken thighs, which are less expensive and thread with in-season veggies for the most savings, like peppers, onions and tomatoes. Brush with your favourite BBQ sauce and grill.

One word of advice- don’t forget to soak the skewers in water for several hours before you use them.

Grilled sausages

Grilling sausages are a cheap source of protein and come in all kinds of savoury flavours. You can throw them along the grill, alongside potatoes and assorted veggies in foil packets, seasoned with butter and salt and pepper and you’ve got a full meal.