With the gorgeous weather becoming more and more abundant, it’s hard to resist cooking outdoors. Nothing is more fun than gathering friends and family around the grill in your backyard or at your favorite camping grounds and eating delicious meals. Regardless of where you’re entertaining or how many people you’re hosting, there are some tips and tricks you should have prepared in order to make each outdoor cookout a successful and safe one.

Before breaking out the grill, take some time beforehand to plan what you are going to cook and then arrange your supplies and ingredients accordingly. When you’ve got a group of hungry people to feed, the last thing you want are delays. The key is to save as much time as possible in preparation so that you can get to the meal quicker. When you know what you’ll be cooking, get together the ingredients and keep them in one place that is easily accessible, either in the kitchen (if you’re cooking in the backyard) or on a table close to the grill (if you’re cooking on a campground).

Not only should you account for your cooking ingredients and utensils, but the cookware you’ll need as well. Make sure you’ve got an organized layout of serving dishes, as well as the paper plates and plastic utensils your guests will be using. To keep your meats and sandwiches cool, carry along a small cooler to house them in until you’re ready to throw them onto the grill.

To save yourself extra time in cooking and prep, marinate all meat the night before and store in the fridge. This will ensure that your food is bursting with flavor. When using foils to cook the food in, remember to cook it at just the right temperature for the appropriate length of time to ensure it not only tastes great, but is safe to consume. Avoid cooking food wrapped in foil over direct flames. Instead, cook over a wood or charcoal fire.

Need a healthy dish to prepare for your health-conscious guests? Try this easy recipe that is healthy and delicious! Depending on how many you’re cooking for, cut up the appropriate number of potatoes and one medium sized onion into ¼ slices. Create rings for the onions and place both onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Spread the top of the potatoes and onions with a layer of margarine. Fold the foil over the potatoes and onions and poke some holes into the foil to allow for proper ventilation. Place the foil onto the grill and rotate as needed for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. When done, unwrap and place onto a serving dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

While cooking, be sure to keep a bucket of water nearby in case an unexpected flame gets out of control. Also keep a first-aid kit on hand in case of burns.

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