Naturally Healthy Parenting The parent's guide to a healthy family
When the weather forecast promises us a few days of dry, sunny weather, having a garden party to celebrate anything at all seems like a great idea. It’s not often we can do it, so making the most of the weather needs to be an extravagant event! So uncover your custom made fire pits and get ready.
If you have a good-sized garden and can accommodate some friends and family for a barbecue, it only takes a little planning and organising to make it a special day. First thing on the to-do list is probably cleaning up the barbecue! Once that is out of the way, it is time to start preparing the shopping list of everything you are going to need.
After you have got the sausages and burgers in the shopping cart, spare a thought for those who may not want to eat beef or pork. See if you can find some nice veggie burgers. Most of the good ones tend to be in the freezer section, but if you are feeling brave, you may want to make them yourself. There are far more recipes than ready made veggie food, so take a note of some key ingredients and have a go.
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Also grab plenty of salad like lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber. Fresh food like this on a hot day is lovely. You may want to prepare it undressed and leave people to dress their salad at the table. Other foods and nibbles include savoury biscuits, buns and breads, cheeses and fruits.
Beer and wine will probably be a popular choice, but you may consider these inappropriate on a hot day with children around. You could create a virgin fruit punch for everyone to enjoy instead. Provide jugs of iced water around the table too. When you are decorating the tables, you may prefer plastic coverings, so they are easy to wipe, or recycled paper to dispose of everything easily.
To get into the party mood, try some balloons that can be found at Balloons Galore or your local party store. They are great fun for kids to play with as well, or even to take home as a little memento of the day. You may also want to theme your party, either by color-coding or shape or character.
If you don’t have a gazebo, it may be worth investing in one or some other means of keeping the sun off people. The sun can be quite hazardous, especially for kids’ skin, so have a large bottle of hypoallergenic sunscreen available for guests who haven’t brought their own. You might be thinking of providing a pool or water games to keep everybody cool, but make sure a non-drinker is taking a supervisory role in this for safety sake.
Finally, it’s time to select the soundtrack to your music. Some areas require you to purchase a temporary licence if you are playing music, whether it be live or recorded. Check the rules in your area first. If you have music at your party, it may be best to invite the neighbors along, so they don’t complain about the noise!
