Essentials for the best backyard bash! This post is sponsored on behalf of Tyson, Unilever and Bimbo. All opinions are my own.
The best part of summer is being outside, so throw a little outdoor party in the backyard and enjoy those warm, sunny days for everything they’re worth! These essentials for the best backyard bash will ensure you have everything you need for a day of fun and a world of memories.
Essentials for the Best Backyard Bash
A cozy place to gather
The most important thing is to have lots of seating and shade! People like to tuck up somewhere comfy and chat, so give them plenty of options. Chairs, chaise lounges, stools and picnic benches are better than sitting on the grass. If you don’t have enough chairs, lay out blankets for people to sit on too.
Keep in mind some people don’t like balancing their plates of food on their lap (or have difficulty doing so), so have at least one big picnic table available and several small side tables on which people can set their drinks and plates while they eat.
If everyone will be seated while eating, make the table inviting with pretty flowers, decorations and place settings. It adds a really fun and festive vibe to your backyard bash.
Friends and family
There are some events where everyone needs to be invited but for the best backyard bash, stick with inviting the people you enjoy most (and feel free to skip those who feel more like obligations).
If you like parameters, give a start time and end time so you’re not hosting all day long, but I really like leaving my end time open so people can linger all afternoon and into the evening if they’d like. (This also means I get to delay clean-up or recruit helpers to join me in cleaning-up as needed.)
Tip: Don’t ignore the grill master. He or she will spend a lot of time cooking, so make sure the grill isn’t too far removed from where everyone is socializing so they can join in on some convos too.
The best memories are made with the people we love, so relax and enjoy them!
My cats are all indoor cats and watch the festivities from the windows, but my best little girl loves to come outside in my arms for a few minutes, look around and say hello.
Outdoor activities
My family and I love playing badminton, so we have a portable self-storing set that literally takes minutes to set up. Whether we free-style lob back and forth or get competitive, it’s always fun!
I also love simple tossing games like cornhole, ladder ball, lawn darts and this fun toss-the-can game I bring out for every party.
Fresh-brewed iced tea
I keep two kinds of tea bags around: regular for everyday use and Lipton Iced Tea 48 One-Gallon Tea Bags for backyard bashes. I get the family size at Sam’s Club.
In the summertime, I like making sun tea outdoors with lemon slices. But, I’m kinda excited to try a new recipe I found in the Sam’s Club summer recipe collection for sparkling Sangria tea! Doesn’t that sound good? There’s more iced tea inspo in the collection too, so check it out!
Deeee-licious food!
Cooking outdoors on the grill is one of the best parts of summer and whenever we throw a backyard bash, we grill at least one kind of meat. Hillshire Farm Beef Smoked Sausage is always a hit so I recommend picking it up in a 4-pack at Sam’s Club. Buying in bulk saves you time and money!
It’s phenomenal grilled and eaten on its own, in a sandwich or sliced and cooked along with baked beans.
And have you seen the big pack of Tyson All-Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts? There are two breasts per vacuum pack so if you don’t need them all, they’re easy to save for the next backyard bash. There is soooo much you can do with chicken, right?
Hint: For sandwich buns that won’t disappoint, pick up a package of soft and delicious Ball Park Tailgaters Crustini Buns at Sam’s Club. They’re so good!
Ready to master your summer? If you follow these 5 essentials for the best backyard bash, you’ll be on your way to having a summer party you’ll never forget.
Be sure to try one or more of the yummy summer recipe ideas at samsclub.com/mastersummer
