May is National Barbecue Month, so what better way to soak up the rays of May than with a good old-fashioned family BBQ?! The best part about a family BBQ – besides the delicious food – is there’s something for every member of your family to do; whether it’s helming the grill, shucking fresh corn or helping whip up the perfect summer salad. Read on for five kid-friendly and vegetarian BBQ dish ideas your littles ones can help you prepare during your next backyard get-together.
Grilled Corn
Grilled CornWho doesn’t love the smoky flavor and texture of summer corn on the grill? Grilled corn is a fantastic kid-friendly & vegetarian BBQ dish because, as the saying goes, many hands make light work. Or in this case, many “tiny” hands make light work of shucking all that fresh corn. Your kids can also help baste or pour a simple mixture of microwaved butter and minced garlic over the grilled corn to get even more flavor out of your BBQ!
Veggie Skewers
Not only are veggie skewers a delicious and versatile dish but they’re super fun to make, too! If you have a teen or older child confident with a paring knife, they can help you chop your vegetables of choice: we recommend bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes and red onion to start. Make the first skewer yourself to teach your kids how to properly put the vegetables on and then let them finish the rest. While they’re assembling, you can get started on the perfect gla
ze (olive oil and lemon juice go a long way!) for this tasty kid-friendly and vegetarian BBQ dish.
H
omemade BBQ Sauce
It wouldn’t be much of a summer cookout without that iconic, tangy condiment we love to slather over our chargrilled cuisine: barbecue sauce! And while it would be easy-peasy to buy a bottle of sauce from the supermarket, why not try making your own with your kids? In just 10 minutes and with only a few ingredients, you and the kids can begin slathering your own homemade sauce over these kid-friendly and vegetarian BBQ dishes.
For a standard barbecue sauce recipe: combine ketchup, worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne (to taste) in a medium saucepan and whisk together. Then bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Halloumi and Watermelon Skewers
Obviously, we’re pretty big fans of skewers. What makes this dish stand out is the combination of salty and sweet. Halloumi is an addictively delicious grilling cheese with a tangy, salty flavor that really pops over the grill; watermelon provides the juicy, sweet counterbalance to the cheese. Together, they form another tasty opportunity for you and the kids to skewer for your next cookout.
S’mores for Your BBQ
After the final drops of barbecue sauce have been wiped from our lips and licked off our fingers, it’s time for a special summer treat: s’mores. This childhood favorite is the dessert of choice around the bonfire, but what about when you don’t have access to a firepit? Simple. Just prepare your s’mores according to your family’s favorite recipe (we love swapping graham crackers for cookies) and then help your kids to carefully wrap them up in tin foil. Preheat the grill to a medium heat and lay the tinfoil-wrapped s’mores down for two minutes. Voila! You have the perfect dessert to round out a menu of kid-friendly and vegetarian BBQ dishes.
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