It’s getting to the time of year of where summer is on its way and that only means one thing – barbecue season! Long afternoons in the garden, barbecue on the go and an iced cold drink –bliss!

We have put together our top tips to host the perfect barbecue which includes the best frozen ingredients to use, recipes and handy tips to make you the King or Queen of the barbecue.

1. The Grub –

Using frozen food on the barbecue will not only save you money but it will also help reduce unnecessary food waste. And the great thing about cooking on the barbie is you can get your burgers and sausages and take them straight out of the freezer and stick them straight on the barbecue – perfect for when extra guests arrive! BBC Good Food have a range of barbecue recipes from skewers to burgers all can be cooked up using frozen ingredients. At Fresh from the Freezer we have a great Gourmet Burger recipe that can be whipped up on the barbecue too, and why not try making a few changes with different cheeses and load them up with delicious sauces. Fish is now becoming a barbecue staple, with frozen tuna steaks and prawns available. Delicious served with a barbecued lemon to drizzle and a crisp salad.

2. Sweet Treats –

Desserts on the barbecue, need we say anymore! Gooey marshmallow, melted chocolate and sweet grilled fruit – perfection! The Martha Stewart website has some fantastic recipes that can be done by using the barbie instead of using the grill.  And the great thing about using fruit is that you can use frozen fruit and just pick out the amount you require, and then there’s the added bonus that the chopping and de stoning has already been done! Grilled fruits like peach and pineapple work well with a scoop of ice-cream. Quick, easy and delicious!

3. Wash it down with –

Cool and refreshing drinks are essential for a barbecue and of course plenty of ice cubes are always needed! Frozen grapes are perfect for putting in drinks to cool it down and they don’t make drinks watery – result! Smoothies go down a treat in the summer weather too, we have two smoothie recipes at Fresh from the Freezer for you to try, and mix them up by changing the fruit. Frozen cocktails are a must in summer, Food Network have a cool selection on their website.

So get the freezer stocked up in time for the sunshine and enjoy having a stress free barbeque by going frozen!

This month we’re giving away a 14 Piece John Lewis Barbecue Tool Set, just in time to polish your barbecue skills ready for the summer months. Enter here and good luck!

John Lewis Barbecue Set

The set includes:

• 1x basting brush
• 1x fish turner
• 1x spatula
• 1x tong
• 1x cleaning brush
• 1x electrical thermometer
• 2x brush heads
• 6x skewers

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

Happy barbecuing!