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Punch is a good idea for a party where there will be children as well as grown ups. If the punch is meant to be sparkling (adding soda), chill the punch first without the soda and add it just before the guests arrive. That way, the punch won’t lose its fizz while in the fridge.

If the guests are told to bring their appetites, you may want to eliminate grilled chicken from the menu. Chicken takes a long time to cook depending on the parts of the bird you are grilling. It is also not safe to eat an undercooked bird due to health considerations.

If you try to do a chicken, this alone will cause some people to get their food ahead of others. To ensure that no guest is left with an empty plate, choose other meats, or pre-bake your chicken in the oven as if you were going to eat it roasted, and then put it on the grill to reduce the cooking time.

Or roast it, and then just add smoky BBQ sauce, so that your grill is not taken up with a bunch of long cooking chickens and you have no room for anything else.

Remember to always preheat the grill. When people come in and see smoke rising from the grill they expect that you have already put food on it. Don’t surprise them with the smell of smoldering charcoal.

Forty-five minutes before the party, start the gas or charcoal grill so that the coals get hot and are ready for grilling once the guests arrive. You can also grill in advance, and keep warm in the oven.

What’s more fun in the warm months than grilling?
Grilling with friends.

Host your own backyard barbeque and invite all your buddies over for a tasty meal and some backyard fun.

Here are some tips to get your party started right.

The number one complaint most people have about throwing a party is that they have to do so much preparation and cooking that by the time the company arrives, they are exhausted.

People often underestimate the time it takes to prepare, and so leaving things to the last minute means that the food is not ready when the guests arrive.

It is hard to entertain and fix the food at the same time. A sit down meal can be a real ordeal. Multiple courses can be an issue as well.

Avoid this nonsense and have a BBQ instead. If you are going to have a barbeque get-together, plan ahead so that it is easy on the guests and the hosts. Know your menu.

Decide the week before what you will serve for the meal. Appetizers or finger foods, plus an array of salads, will allow guests to eat all sorts of things while they wait for the main course to finish on the grill.

Appetizers should be small, especially if you plan on serving a variety of grilled meats and vegetables. Try a veggie or fruit tray with some low calorie dip.

This is easy to make—you go to the store and pick one up! The name of the game here is to have fun and to do as much as you can ahead of time.

These appetizer trays have no preservatives so it’s okay to buy them pre-packaged from the store.