Don’t Forget the Ice! Consult Our Coal Region Cookout Checklist

You don’t need an excuse to have a cookout in the coal region.

But your party will fall flat if you forget even the most minor party supply.

Don’t worry! We’ve got your back on this.

Coal Region Cookout Checklist

The Canary doesn’t want anyone hosting or attending a cookout in the coal region that’s missing anything. So, we’ve put together this handy Coal Region Cookout Checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything!

Now, we’re assuming you’ve called everyone ahead of time and they all know when to show up for your shindig. We’ll just focus on the supplies here:

The Basics

Let’s start the cookout checklist with the bare bones. You’re going to need some party infrastructure. Your cookout will be an immediate disappointment without:

• Chairs (plenty of them)
• Eating tables – a lot of people call them picnic tables
• Serving tables
• A tent (or two)
• Grill
• Grilling tools
• Charcoal or Propane (and propane accessories)
• Slow cooker(s)
• Chafing dishes
• Trash cans
• A water hose
• Storage bins

Party Supplies

Before we get to the food, no matter what you serve, you need to serve it on or in things. And people can’t eat with their hands. They will. But you should at least offer some of these essentials and add them to your cookout checklist:

• Serving dishes
• Plates
• Forks
• Spoons
• Knives
• Napkins
• Trash bags
• Table cloths
• Cups
• Paper towels
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic wrap

Raise the Comfort Level

Go the extra mile for your guests. Add a few of these things to your cookout checklist to show your guests you’re thrilled to have them:

• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Citronella candles
• Bug punks
• Patio umbrellas

Most Importantly … The Menu

No cookout checklist would be complete without mentioning the reason everyone’s showing up. That’s the food. Now, until this point, everything on this list is essentially mandatory. But here’s where you can freelance. You can go the traditional route with your cookout or you can make this your own. We’ll start with the standards that never disappoint and go from there:

• Macaroni salad
• Potato salad
• Macaroni salad
• Baked beans
• Potato chips
• Chips and salsa
• Cole slaw
• Pretzels
• Cheese puffs (aka Shendo Shrimp)
• Pickle plate
• Vegetable tray
• Fruit tray
• Garden salad
• Watermelon
• Haluski
• Hamburgers
• Hot dogs
• Grilled chicken
• Sloppy Joes
• Fried chicken
• Halupkis
• Ribs
• Sausage and peppers
• Pulled pork barbecue
• Corn on the cob

Don’t Forget These Menu Extras

You’ll be a bad host if you don’t have these at your cookout. Add these to your checklist at once:

• Hot dog buns
• Hamburger buns
• Sandwich rolls
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Relish
• Diced onions
• Sliced onions
• Salt and pepper
• Chip and vegetable dip
• Cheese slices
• Mayonnaise

We Almost Forgot Dessert

Even after all that food, it won’t be enough. Have some easy-to-serve desserts ready:

• Cupcakes
• Sheet cake
• Cookies
• Ice cream
• Popsicles
• “Fudgickles”

Anyone Go for a Drink?

Yeah, what cookout checklist is complete without drinks? Don’t forget these refreshments:

• Bottled water
• Soda
• Iced tea
• Lemonade
• Little Hugs
• Beer
• Liquor – Think of creating a signature drink to limit how much you need to buy
• Coffee

One More Thing …

For the love of everything, get plenty of ICE!

Well, that’s it! We probably forgot something. If we can’t figure it out, we’re certain one of our guests will remind us.

Image: Depositphotos.com

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