Summer Cookouts & Picnics That Won’t Break the Bank!
By Molly Winsten MS, RD
Summer is truly such a fun time. The days are longer, school is out, and hanging out with friends and family just seems to happen more and more! With all these social events comes a LOT of food prep – gluten-free groceries are often already more expensive, but once you add in cooking for a crowd, it can add up even faster! This article will explore ways to minimize costs to host, bring amazing side dishes, grocery shop, and everything in between for the best summer ever that won’t break the bank!
Let’s start with hosting on a budget. The host is often in charge of main proteins, which can be expensive to buy for a crowd! Luckily, a few swaps can absolutely bring the price down while not sacrificing any flavor.
- Bone in chicken or even boneless skinless thighs are full of flavor but usually much cheaper per pound than chicken breasts.
- These work great for barbecue chicken, a spicy marinade, or just well-seasoned and baked/grilled. Of course, always make sure that whatever ingredients you purchase are gluten-free (gf) and avoid any cross-contact risk.
- Barbecue sauce and other marinades can have gluten containing ingredients so it’s always important to check!
- Pork loin is also an amazing main protein. You can make pulled pork in the crockpot, cut it into chops and grill, or even cut into bite sized cubes and use on skewers!
As the host, buying in bulk is also very helpful and can save on price. Look for bulk groceries to see if the price is lowered for larger packages! And for fruits and veggies, see what’s on sale and allow some flexibility in your menu. This is also a good tip for your main proteins – do some research to see what’s on sale in order to help plan your menu. This will allow you to host an amazing spread while still staying in budget. For dessert, think simple. Fruit with fresh whipped cream is so delicious. You can bake a gluten-free yellow cake and cube it up for a super easy strawberry shortcake bar!! Or just buy a variety of gf labeled novelty ice creams and call it a day!
Now if you’re going to a cookout or picnic, you’re usually bringing a side dish, appetizer, or dessert. In order to impress while not going over budget, it’s really great to use naturally gf items for this versus buying specific gf bread or other substitutes. Corn can make an amazing side or appetizer, and you can even use frozen or canned! Street corn dip is always a winner and is served with naturally gf tortillas chips. Homemade salsa can also feed a crowd super easily! For side dishes, something naturally gluten-free leaning like potato salad does better than a gluten-free pasta salad, and there are so many directions you can go with it! Add bacon and cheddar for a loaded potato salad, add lemon and dill for a bright fresh take, or even go no mayo for a lighter version. Coleslaw and legume-based salads are also easy to make and keep well in the fridge!
For dessert, if you’re going to a cookout or picnic, you don’t want to bring something frozen – too hard to keep super cold! Instead, think of things that travel well. Cookies or brownies do well, as does a fruit salad. Another fun option is bringing a crockpot and basically doing fondue! Fill with gf chocolate, let melt during lunch or dinner, and then dip in fruit, gluten-free graham crackers, or marshmallows. Speaking of marshmallows, crispy treats are an amazing option any time of year, but especially in the summer because you don’t need to turn on the oven and they are great at room temperature! A word of caution, a lot of rice cereals have barley malt in them, making them unsuitable for anyone on a gluten-free diet or with celiac disease. So, use caution and make sure to buy labeled gf cereals, then melt down gf marshmallows and butter or non-dairy butter until smooth. Add some gf vanilla extract, mix with the cereal, and then add to a flat dish to cool and set. You can add sprinkles, chocolate chips, whatever you’d like! Easy, fast, and inexpensive. And as always, gluten-free!
One last point before we conclude here – remember that you don’t have to make every single little thing from scratch. Use naturally gluten-free items such as meat, corn, rice, legumes, fruits and veggies to stay on budget. If you find a labeled gluten-free item like potato salad or tasty chips and dip, go for it! This will allow you to spend more time on other items and not go crazy. Aluminum tins are also amazing for limiting mess and can be purchased in bulk or at a dollar store to save on cost. If you take all these ideas into account, you’re sure to have the most amazing summer with great GF food that stays in budget!