Barbecue bargains

Posted by Anita Brook at 09:03 on 29 Jun 2010

• Print
• Share
• Comment

As the weather warms up, Neanderthal man has started cooking, setting fire to wood and coal and burning meat that remains raw in the middle - mmm, delicious. If you're in charge of the barbie, or lucky enough to have someone else to do it for you that can actually cook, there's some great outdoor food deals available, plus some oh so feminine ways to grill al fresco.

If you want cheap meat it's out there in abundance, it doesn't taste very nice though and the poor animals it comes from probably didn't have much fun during their short lives. Don't despair, you can eat well on a budget and there are some great deals to be had when it comes to good quality produce:

Burgers: Tesco is doing two packs of four organic burgers for £5 and if you're feeling adventurous, make your own with two packs of Tesco organic mince for the same price.

Bangers: TV chef Paul Rankin's sausages are currently on offer at two packs for £3.50 at Waitrose. In addition to the bangers, Waitrose is doing an excellent line in BBQ food and all of its meat adheres to good animal welfare standards, with British producers used where possible, so you can buy with confidence. You can currently get three packs of BBQ meat for £10, which includes Thai green chicken kebabs, lamb koftas and mini burgers.


If you fancy a change from the supermarkets, take a trip to your local butcher where you're more likely to find local, quality meat at a reasonable price. A good butcher can even take the hassle out of preparation, boning and chopping where necessary.

Vegetarian: If meat's not your thing, Sainsbury's vegetarian range, including spicy bean burgers, cheese and leek sausages and cauliflower cheese grills, is on offer, at two packs for £3. For budding cooks, Sainsbury's website also includes recipe ideas, such as barbecued bananas with chocolate, marshmallows and rum.

BBQs: Want something gorgeous to cook on? Check out these bargain bucket barbecues on Amazon, just £15.99, in lovely bright colours. Slightly more expensive, but seriously stylish, is Bodum's new range of portable bar-b's in a selection of on-trend hues, including lime green and orange. The cheapest I've found is at Emporium. The fact that these BBQ's are portable means your feast can be movable.

All this talk of food's making me hungry, I think it's time to pour a Pimm's, light the coals and get grilling!

• Next entry
• Previous entry