We might not have had the heatwave we hoped for this summer, but that definitely won’t stop us from donning our aprons and rolling out the BBQ for a foodie feast!

Here’s some of our top tips and recipe ideas for making your BBQ one to remember, whatever the weather.

Frozen favourites

One of the many benefits to frozen food is its lengthy use-by date, meaning that you can keep a selection of BBQ must-haves in the freezer ready to take out and prepare as soon as the sun decides to appear. This also helps reduce your food waste, as there’s no worry about food going past its use-by date and needing to be thrown out. You can simply take out the portions you need, when you need them and place any unused food back in the freezer for another day!

You can find a huge range of cook-from-frozen meats such as the classic burger or sausages, or branch out to more adventurous new products such as BBQ chicken wings or sticky chicken skewers, that can be put right onto the BBQ.

Something new

Red meat isn’t the only king of the BBQ, why not see what delightful dishes you can whip up using seafood? Defrosted frozen prawns are so easy to cook on the BBQ as it gives them a great smoky flavour and grilled finish. You can marinade them in lemon juice and chilli and skewer them for zesty kebabs with heat, or why not try this Salmon Nicoise Salad, just wrap each fillet in some tinfoil with salt and pepper and a slice of lemon and grill on the BBQ for 10-15 minutes then add to the other ingredients for a refreshing summer salad.

Off the BBQ

The best buffet tables have a vibrant selection of dips and sides to tuck into, so did you know that you can make a flavoursome guacamole using frozen avocados, and you could even add some frozen chilli for an extra kick. Keep the ingredients in the freezer, pre-prepared and simply pull out what you need when you need it! Head to our Facebook page Fresh from the Freezer for chef Lee Maycock’s video on how to make guacamole.

Add some sweetness to the buffet table with a super easy fruit sorbet! There’s so many different frozen fruits you can pick up really easily from your local supermarket and make into a smooth and vibrant sorbet in just a few easy steps. We love these no-fuss recipes from Goodful, you could even mix the blitzed fruits together to make a rainbow-style dessert!

Quench your thirst

Along with any BBQ you must have a refreshing selection of beverages for all, but have you ever thought of how you can use frozen products? Fruit smoothies are a huge trend at the minute and are so versatile in that you can use whatever you like to suit your own personal tastes. Simply choose your combination of fruits and even vegetables, add some ice and milk and you’re good to go! One of our favourites is this berry-liscious smoothie or use frozen fruit and add sparkling water for a fruity alternative to fizzy drinks, like this recipe from Dooney’s Kitchen.

While we brace ourselves and hope for an Indian summer, there’s plenty of ways to make the most out of your BBQ when the sun finally does peep out and with frozen food ready to be cooked whenever you need it, you’ll be sure not to miss a moment!

To help you with your BBQ we’ve created guides on how to defrost chicken, fish, sausages, turkey and mince.