Celebrate Memorial Day with an Outdoor Party

In many ways, Memorial Day signifies the official start of summer as well as the chance to remember those who have served our country. There's no better way to celebrate a season of warm weather, outdoor fun and R&R like a Memorial Day party outside. A Memorial Day barbeque or picnic will require some planning - check out ideas below to make your party go off without a hitch.

  • Memorial Day BBQ Ideas: Food made on the grill is both traditional and perfect for a Memorial Day barbeque. To make things easy, purchase pre-made hamburger patties and then offer hot dogs and veggie burgers. Chop up a variety of vegetables, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap them up in tin foil. The veggies will take the longest to cook on the grill, so fire it up and get those started first. After about 15-20 minutes, add the burgers. Once those have been cooking for around 10 minutes, add the hot dogs and veggie burgers. Everything should be fully cooked after a total of 30 minutes. Set out the burgers and dogs with a selection of condiments and buns. Make or buy a variety of pasta salads and set out bowls of chips, dip and salsa. Cut up an assortment of fresh, seasonal fruit and set aside. In a small bowl, mix one cup of plain Greek yogurt, one tablespoon of honey, a dash of cinnamon and a teaspoon of vanilla. Mix it all up and drizzle over the fruit.  As a twist on S'Mores, crush one package of graham crackers and spread on the bottom of a glass pan. Melt two tablespoons of butter on medium heat and spread over the cookie crumbs. Melt an entire jar of marshmallow fluff over medium heat in the same pan as the butter. Once it's soft and bubbly, poor over the crumbs and butter. Layer the entire top with milk chocolate chips and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Place the pan in the refridgerator and let cool for 20-30 minutes. The result is an ooey, gooey sweet treat that everyone will devour! 

                                                   Memorial Day BBQ 

  • Memorial Day Picnic Ideas: Picnics are fun but always require a little preparation ahead of time. Stock a few coolers with ice and a few ice packs. Buy a variety of cold cuts, cheeses and veggies as well as a few fresh loaves of bread so everyone can make their own sandwich.  Make or buy a pasta salad and a offer a variety of snacks like trail mix, pita chips and hummus or pretzels. Stock up on bottles of soda, juice, water, beer and wine and don't forget utensils, a sharp knife, napkins, plastic bowls, bug spray and a large blanketfor everyone to sit on. Make a batch of cookies or cupcakes (or an old-fashioned apple pie!) and ask all your guests to bring their favorite outdoor game to play after eating. Hope for a little sunshine and you have all the makings for the perfect Memorial Day outdoor party.

Every good Memorial Day picnic or bbq needs a little music, so turn up the volume of your favorite radio station, connect to one online or make a playlist on your mp3 player and get the party started!

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