What to buy for a neighborhood barbecue
A neighborhood barbecue needs more than meat and charcoal. Use your final guest count to plan food, drinks, serving equipment, tableware, cooling, and a safe barbecue area. Buy chilled drinks and fresh ingredients as late as practical, while arranging tents, tables, gas cylinders, and lighting several days ahead. This checklist also covers the items people often overlook, such as serving tongs, aluminum trays, coffee cups, waste stations, and extra ice.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Party tentqty 2
- Tablesqty 6
- Chairsqty 55
- Buffet tablesqty 3
- Tableclothsqty 6
Equipment
- Barbecueqty 2
- Gas cylindersqty 2
- Coolersqty 4
- Extension cordsqty 3
- Power stripsqty 2
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 4
- Chef's knivesqty 4
- Mixing bowlsqty 6
- Serving tongsqty 6
- Barbecue tongsqty 4
- Barbecue brushesqty 2
- Aluminum traysqty 12
- Aluminum foilqty 3
Tableware
- Platesqty 60
- Bowlsqty 30
- Cutlery setsqty 60
- Glassesqty 60
- Coffee cupsqty 30
- Pouring jugsqty 6
- Serving plattersqty 12
- Serving spoonsqty 8
Decorations
- Buntingqty 6
- Table décorqty 8
Lighting
- String lightsqty 4
- LED lampsqty 6
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 4
- Cleaning bucketsqty 2
- Broom and dustpanqty 2
- Mopsqty 2
- Spongesqty 6
Catering
- Groceries
- Beef burgers - 50 pieces
- Barbecue sausages - 50 pieces
- Chicken skewers - 50 pieces
- Veggie burgers - 15 pieces
- Halloumi - 2 kilos
- Corn cobs - 30 pieces
- Mushrooms - 2 kilos
- Hamburger buns - 60 pieces
- Baguettes - 10 pieces
- Herb butter - 1.5 kilos
- Mixed lettuce - 3 kilos
- Cucumbers - 10 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Red onions - 1 kilo
- Bell peppers - 2 kilos
- Canned corn - 6 cans
- Kidney beans - 6 cans
- Feta - 1 kilo
- Potato salad - 4 kilos
- Pasta salad - 4 kilo
- Coleslaw - 3 kilo
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Peanuts - 2 kilo
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 jars
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Garlic sauce - 3 bottles
- Barbecue sauce - 3 bottles
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Italian herbs - 1 jar
- Garlic - 6 bulbs
- Still water - 48 bottles
- Sparkling water - 24 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Beer - 6 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Rosé - 8 bottles
- White wine - 6 bottles
- Red wine - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Ice cubes - 15 kilos
- Ice pops - 60 pieces
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Toothpicks - 1 box
Tips
- Plan about 250–350 g of meat, fish, or vegetarian barbecue food per adult, plus 150–200 g of salads, bread, or other side dishes. Add 10% extra if guests are likely to arrive hungry or stay for several hours.
- Allow 2–3 drinks per person for the first hour, then about 1 drink per hour afterward. Chill drinks in coolers before guests arrive and keep a separate supply of water available throughout the barbecue.
- Set out one plate, bowl, cutlery set, and glass per guest, plus at least 10% spare tableware. Provide serving platters, serving spoons, and separate tongs for raw and cooked food so guests do not reuse cooking utensils.
- Check the barbecue and gas cylinders at least 2–3 days before the event. Keep barbecue tongs, a barbecue brush, cutting boards, chef’s knives, aluminum trays, and aluminum foil together at the cooking area instead of scattering them across the buffet tables.
- For an outdoor evening barbecue, arrange party tents, tables, chairs, tablecloths, string lights, and LED lamps at least one day ahead. Add 1 waste station per 15–20 guests and check the restroom area before shopping is finished.
Frequently asked questions
- How much food do I need for a neighborhood barbecue?
- For each adult, plan 250–350 g of barbecue food and 150–200 g of salads, bread, or sides. Buy around 10% extra when the guest count is uncertain or children and teenagers make up a large part of the group.
- How many drinks should I buy for a neighborhood barbecue?
- Allow 2–3 drinks per guest during the first hour, followed by about 1 drink per hour. For a four-hour barbecue, that means roughly 5–6 drinks per person, with extra water and ice for warm weather.
- How many plates, glasses, and cutlery sets are needed?
- Buy one complete setting per confirmed guest and add 10% spare items. For 30 guests, prepare at least 33 plates, bowls, cutlery sets, and glasses, plus enough coffee cups if coffee will be served.
- When should I buy food and drinks for a neighborhood barbecue?
- Buy dry goods, tableware, decorations, and non-perishable supplies 2–3 days beforehand. Purchase meat, vegetables, salads, and ice on the day itself or no earlier than the previous day, then chill the drinks before guests arrive.
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