The Ultimate Garden BBQ Checklist for 2025

Published Date: 24th April 2025
Last Updated: a day ago

Everything You Need for the Perfect BBQ Party in the UK — Food, Shelter, Music, and a Bit of Planning

What do you need for a BBQ in the garden?

You need more than just meat and matches. A proper British BBQ demands a bit of grit, a solid plan, and the ability to pretend you’re not cold when the clouds start flexing. Whether you’re cooking for four or thirty-four, this checklist covers everything from planning and shopping to hosting and packing up.

Planning a BBQ in the Garden: Start Here

A great BBQ isn’t just thrown together. Here’s what you need to consider before you start buying sausages by the kilo.

Picking a date (and accepting fate)

You can’t control the weather, but you can plan for it. Look at the forecast, yes—but more importantly, prepare for any forecast. Whether it’s blazing sunshine, patchy clouds, or “possible showers,” a gazebo keeps the event going.

Letting people know

Create a WhatsApp group, a Facebook event, or go old school and call people. Include the time, location, and what you’re sorting vs what they should bring. Don’t assume everyone knows BBQ etiquette.

Pro tip: Always ask your guests to confirm. If you’re feeding 20 but 12 show up, you’ll be eating sausages for a week.

Telling the neighbours

Give them a heads-up. Better yet—invite them. It avoids drama, earns you good karma, and they might bring wine.

The BBQ Gear You’ll Regret Not Having

Half the stress of hosting a BBQ is realising you’ve forgotten something. Here's the equipment list that separates the pros from the panickers.

Must-haves:

BBQ grill – Charcoal for flavour, gas for ease. Don’t try out a new BBQ the day of.
Fuel – Charcoal, gas canisters, firelighters. Always overestimate.
Tools – Sturdy tongs, a flat spatula, meat fork, and a heat-safe tray for cooked food.
Chopping board & prep knife – Especially if you're assembling burgers or slicing up skewers.
Cooler box – For drinks, meat, or both. Fill it with ice and frozen bottles of water.
Gazebo – More on this later, but it's a non-negotiable
Food thermometer – Because undercooked chicken is never a good story.
Cleaning brush & gloves – Cleaning while it’s still warm is 90% easier.

Nice-to-haves that make you look like a legend:

Foil trays – For resting food or keeping veg off the flames.
Bin bags attached to gazebo legs – It’s practical. Just do it.
Foldable side table – Somewhere to rest your drink and your dignity.

BBQ Food: The Heart of the Party

Build your menu with intent

Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Pick a theme or a vibe: classic British grill-up, Mediterranean skewers and salads, veggie-forward fare, or street food style with wraps and sauce bars. Let your food reflect the kind of gathering you want.

The essentials:

Burgers & buns – Go fresh. Toast buns on the grill. Add caramelised onions or bacon for a gourmet touch.
Sausages – Butcher-quality if you can. Don’t forget the ketchup, mustard, and maybe a surprise spicy sausage to spark conversation.
Chicken – Thighs or skewers marinated in advance. Think tandoori-style with yoghurt and spices, or lemon and rosemary.
Veg options – Halloumi, jackfruit, mushrooms, or chunky veg kebabs. Don’t forget plant-based sausages and grillable cheeses.
Something unexpected – Butterflied lamb, BBQ prawns, or a smoked camembert with garlic and rosemary. It’s a showstopper.

Sides that get eaten:

Coleslaw, potato salad, couscous with herbs
Sweetcorn grilled in husks
Tomato, feta, and basil salad with oil and vinegar
Bowls of crisps, dips, and flatbread strips
Grilled peaches or nectarines served with mint and feta as a fresh twist

Make your prep work do double duty. A herby oil can be a salad dressing and marinade. Leftover pitta? Use it for dips or dessert wraps.

Desserts (minimal effort, big payoff):

Ice cream tubs in the cooler
Chocolate-stuffed bananas (wrap in foil, 10 mins on grill)
Marshmallows and biscuits = make-your-own s’mores
BBQ’d pineapple with rum and brown sugar — flambé optional

BBQ Drinks: Keep Them Flowing

The drinks table sets the tone. If it’s well-stocked, organised, and accessible, you’ll have a smooth-running day.

Set up a drinks station:

Use a trestle table or a fold-out picnic bench. Add coolers underneath and lay out cups, stirrers, and a drinks bin or bucket. Label the wines and soft drinks. Hang a tea towel on one end. This is your bar.

Crowd-pleasers that hit the spot:

Lager & cider – Mix of craft and classic
Wine – Rosé always disappears first
Pimm’s – Serve in a jug with chopped cucumber, strawberries, mint, and lemonade
Pre-mixed cocktails – Cans of mojito or gin & tonic save time
Mocktails & fizzy pop – Think elderflower, ginger beer, lemonade with raspberries

Have a jug of iced water with lemon or cucumber. People won’t ask for it, but they’ll use it. If you’ve got kids around, a self-serve squash station works wonders.

Bonus tip: Freeze fruit slices in ice cube trays for instant posh drinks without effort.

Music: Vibe-Setting Without the Volume Wars

Music is the emotional architecture of your BBQ. Too quiet and the energy dips. Too loud and everyone’s shouting. The sweet spot? A playlist that matches your guests, the weather, and the drinks.

Don’t overthink it. Keep the tempo mid-range to start, and gradually pick up the pace. Avoid anything too shouty early on, and save the cheesy bangers for when the sun starts dipping and everyone’s feeling sentimental.

Bluetooth speakers are fine, but try to elevate them (on shelves, garden hooks or a table) to carry sound without cranking volume.

If you’re going all out, run an extension cable from indoors and plug in a decent sound system — just keep it neighbour-friendly.

Because we're a team of music and party lovers here at Gala Tent, we've put together a great crowd-pleasing playlist to get you in the mood for a BBQ in the sunshine! Give it a listen, get some inspiration and create your own now!

Three ways to get the music right:

Collaborative playlist – Ask each guest for 3 songs and build a mix. Great for engagement and banter.
Host-curated – Make one yourself that moves from afternoon chill to evening groove. Include crowd-pleasers, throwbacks, and background-friendly tracks.
Take requests on the fly – Keep your phone nearby and swap songs if the vibe dips.

Because we’re a team of music and party lovers here at Gala Tent, we couldn’t resist putting together the ultimate BBQ soundtrack — 30 feel-good tracks that span decades, genres, and garden speakers everywhere. From Shaggy to Sparks, Taylor to Tom, this playlist brings sunshine whether the sun shows up or not. Give it a listen, get inspired, and build your own vibe from there.

The Gazebo: Your Secret Weapon

If the BBQ is the flame, the gazebo is the hearth. It draws people in, keeps the chef dry, protects the buffet, and adds structure to the event. It’s a gathering space, a windbreaker, a sunshade, and a tactical hideout when Uncle Gary gets too loud.

Whether it’s a small 3m x 3m garden gazebo for get-togethers or a full 6m x 3m with sides for a neighbourhood street party, the right gazebo keeps the event alive long after the forecast turns grim.

How to make it work:

Set it up first. Always.
Weigh it down with leg weights or pegs (British gusts don’t play).
Hang battery lights or solar bulbs inside for ambience.
Use the side panels to create warmth and shelter.

See our BBQ Gazebo Comparison Guide to find the right shelter for your setup.

Entertainment: Light Touch, Big Impact

Nobody wants structured fun. Just have things out and ready.

Giant Jenga or Connect 4
Limbo or a DIY ring toss
Cards, dominos, or board games
Garden chalk or bubbles for kids
Disposable cameras or a Polaroid station for keepsake snaps

For bigger groups, consider a "sauce-off" — everyone brings a weird sauce, you vote for the best. Winner gets a crown made of napkins.

Comfort & Safety: Small Things That Make a Difference

A successful BBQ is one where people stay longer than they meant to. Here’s how to make that happen.

Provide more seating than you think you need
Blankets and cushions for ground-sitters
Insect repellent and citronella candles
Bin bags and recycling sorted early
Water bowls if pets are attending
First aid kit (and suncream) within reach

For BBQing in winter, add hot drinks, outdoor heaters, and soft lighting. Keep guests close and cosy — your gazebo sides will earn their keep.

Clean-Up: How to Avoid a Hangover of Rubbish

Set up bin bags before the first sausage is flipped
Soak grill tools in hot soapy water ASAP
Ask mates to help carry stuff in — they will, if you ask
Label leftovers and pack them into containers as people leave
Tidy early the next day — before the seagulls arrive

Pro move? Have a post-BBQ debrief with your partner or best mate and make notes for next time. You’ll thank yourself next year.

FAQs: Quickfire BBQ Wisdom

What does BBQ stand for?
Barbecue — from barbacoa, meaning food cooked over a fire. Modern translation? An excuse to gather and eat.

How do you BBQ in winter?
Gazebo, layers, hearty food. Keep drinks warm and guests closer. Works best with a fire pit or heater.

Cheap BBQ ideas for big groups?
Bulk sausages, grilled veg, rice-based salads, and one or two show-stoppers (like pulled pork in buns).

What’s essential to bring to a BBQ as a guest?
Drinks, a dish, and a chair. Extra napkins or a dessert will get you bonus points.

Why do I need a gazebo for a BBQ?
Because it’s Britain. It’ll rain. Or be scorching. Or both. A gazebo keeps the day on track.

Final Thoughts: Host Like You Mean It

A BBQ doesn’t need to be complicated. But it does need care. If you set the scene, prep your space, and make your guests feel welcome — the food almost doesn’t matter.

Except it does matter. So make it good. And do it under a solid, weatherproof, easy-to-set-up BBQ gazebo.

Find your perfect BBQ gazebo today