The Fourth of July is fast approaching – time to fire up the grill and celebrate! For a memorable backyard barbecue, follow these seven fun and easy steps.

1. Get invitations out early. Don’t wait to get the word out! Between vacations, kids’ camps and visiting friends and relatives, summer can be a busy time.
2. Plan for an early afternoon celebration. If some of your guests have kids participating in a morning parade, they’ll appreciate an afternoon celebration. Keeping it early lets you avoid outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day (around 4 p.m.) and leaves plenty of time for your group to attend an evening fireworks show.
3. Make a back-up plan for rainy weather. Having a huge backyard won’t help if you can’t fit all your guests in the house during a shower. If you don’t have a large covered porch or patio, keep a party tent or awning in reserve, or plan to have guests gather in an open garage. In heavy downpours, move the grill under an eave or prepare dinner under the broiler.

   Tip: Have board games, puzzles, family-oriented DVDs or other indoor activities ready to keep the kids amused should the skies open up.

4. Serve all-American food. Independence Day is the perfect time to serve tried-and-true summer favorites like hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, deviled eggs, baked beans, fruit salad, watermelon slices and corn on the cob. Don’t be afraid to spice them up – there are many recipes available, from strictly conventional to ultra-gourmet. For dessert, serve apple pie with ice cream, frost a cake in red, white and blue, or make a crumble with blueberries, raspberries and/or strawberries and plenty of whipped cream for a patriotic presentation.

   Tip: Grilled items and corn on the cob will have to wait for cooking until after the guests arrive, so to make mealtime go smoothly, prepare side dishes and set up drinks and hors d’oeuvres in advance.

   Tip: Be sure to have some veggie burgers or tofu hot dogs on hand for vegetarians or dieters.

   Tip: Stock up on hamburger and hot dog buns and condiments so you won’t run out.

   Tip: For a fun activity that reaps rewards, invite the guests to help hand-crank homemade ice cream.

5. Stock up on drinks. Use coolers to keep drinks convenient to your guests. Pack galvanized tubs or large plastic or resin containers with ice – they make great coolers that keep bottled and canned beverages frosty for hours. This will leave plenty of room in the fridge for jugs of old-fashioned lemonade and iced tea.

   Tip: When you’re stocking up on food and picnic supplies, don’t forget to stock up on ice, too! Inexpensive bags of ice can be found in the freezer section of most food stores.

6. Decorate with a patriotic theme. Disposable cups, plates, napkins and tablecloths in patriotic colors can be found at party stores or your local grocery store. Dress up your dishes with miniature flags, or put half a dozen small flags in a vase with red, white and blue flowers for a centerpiece.

   Tip: Red, white and blue jellybeans wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon make fun and festive party favors.

   Tip: Add tiny, toothpick “flags” to each deviled egg! They’ll add a festive touch to the dish – and make it easy for your guests to pick the eggs up, too.

   Tip: When flying the American flag, make sure to observe proper flag etiquette. For tips on flag etiquette, check our article Five Common Rules of Flag Etiquette.

7. Have outdoor games/toys on hand. Encourage your guests to work up an appetite for all the great food you’ve prepared with a variety of summer activities. Baseball and touch football are popular games at backyard barbecues, but be sure to use a plastic ball and bat and a foam football if you’re worried about windows. Frisbee®, volleyball, kickball, badminton and croquet are fun games adults and kids can enjoy together…they also keep the kids occupied while the adults socialize.

   Tip: Sunscreen and bug repellent need to be reapplied after physical activity. Have extra available for guests who might have forgotten to bring their own.

   Tip: Make games extra fun for the kids by offering small toys or party favors as prizes to winning teams. Choose prizes with a patriotic or summer theme.