5 Grilling Essentials for Your Summertime Barbecues

Whether you're enjoying holiday gatherings or weeknight family meals on the deck, nothing quite says "summer" like firing up the barbecue and grilling up all the warm-weather classics. If you're getting ready for grilling season, make sure you have these essentials on hand along with your favorite BBQ recipes. The best part about these grill supplies is that you can find all of them at your local Food Lion.

Charcoal

What good is a grill without heat? If you don't use a gas grill to barbecue, pick up some charcoal to get the summertime cooking started. These handy briquettes stay smoldering, creating the right amounts of heat and smoke to cook and flavor everything from burgers and artichokes to pound cake.

Bamboo Skewers

Whether you're toasting marshmallows or grilling up your famous beef shish kebabs, bamboo skewers come in handy. Be sure to soak them in water for about half an hour before you spear your food to make sure the skewers don't burn up in the heat of the grill.

Aluminum Foil

Use aluminum foil to make pouches for grilled veggies and fish. Poke a few holes in the pouches to steam delicate foods. Foil also works well as a liner for the bottom of the grill, notes Food Network. When you're cooking heavily marinated or sauced dishes like barbecue ribs, that foil liner makes cleanup a breeze and protects the grill from drips and splatters. As an added bonus, you can also rub crumpled-up aluminum foil on the grill grates to clean them.

Lighter Fluid

Charcoal and lighter fluid pair together like marshmallows and campfires. Use lighter fluid to get your charcoal started quickly and safely. After you've arranged your coals into a neat mound in the grill, squirt the lighter fluid all over the top and sides of the coals. Light them right away and let the briquettes burn. When they start turning gray, your grill is ready for cooking.

A Spatula and Tongs

Your grill gets hot — that's why it's so efficient at putting a tasty char on foods — and it's important to protect your hands from that heat. That's where BBQ tools come in handy. Arm yourself with a silicone-handled grill spatula that helps you lift food off the grates and serve it with ease. A pair of long grill tongs is another essential that can help you flip food while keeping your hands a safe distance from the charcoal.

Are you ready to get grilling? Food Lion has all the grill supplies you need for a summer of tasty outdoor fun.