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Summer is nearly upon us which means days of going to the local parks or lakes are also almost here too. Spending the day at a local lake is one of my most favourite summer activities. I think the reasons are that I get to spend the day outdoors, I can forget about work or any other stresses, and it’s something the whole family enjoys.

Now that my boys are 10 and 15, I think I have packing for the day out down to an art form. Packing for a day at the lake always means taking along our portable BBQ. Days at the lake seem to make everyone hungry and having the BBQ along means we can whip up a delicious and filling meal.

Benefits of a portable BBQ

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We currently use this Napoleon TravelQ 10,500 BTU Portable Gas BBQ and we love it. We’ve cooked hamburgers and hotdogs on it of course, but it’s also great for steaks and kabobs.

One of the benefits of owning a portable BBQ are that you have more options for meals when you’re out. We like to enjoy every minute of our day when we’re at the lake so I usually pack sandwiches for our lunch and then something to grill for dinner.

Another benefit is that it can be taken anywhere. We’ve even taken it along to a friends place for extra grilling space when there’s a large gathering. It’s also great as a backup grill for at home. Oh the amount of times our propane has run out halfway through our dinner being cooked on our BBQ.

There are also some great portable BBQ’s with legs on wheels to easily be taken along anywhere you go. This Napoleon Rodeo Charcoal Kettle Grill is lightweight and has all-weather wheels so you can grill anywhere. This grill is also heated through charcoal and will give your meal a delicious smoky barbecue flavour.

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Of course you can always go with the typical hot dogs and hamburgers, which are fast and easy to cook, especially if you’re feeding a large group, but there are some other great foods you can cook on a grill that are a great alternative to hotdogs and hamburgers.

Our typical portable BBQ meal is usually kabobs. They are easy to marinade, put them together at home and then layer them in a tupperware. I always make sure to put enough ice packs or ice in the bottom of my cooler so the meat stays fresh during hot summer days. I also always store my cooler in the shade.

To complete the meal I sometimes serve the kabobs in a sub style bun with toppings like mayo, cheese, lettuce and even grilled veggies. Another option is to bring a nice pasta or potato salad home. To finish off our day at the lake or beach we stop at the first ice cream shop we find for a from cool treat.

The benefits of owning a portable BBQ are many, and you’ll probably find you’ll get so much use out of one. You’ll also love that you won’t have to always pack sandwiches for your days at the beach. There’s also so many varieties and styles to choose from, there’s sure to be the perfect one out there for your families needs.

Check out bestbuy.ca for a variety of portable BBQ’s.

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Lindsey Reed
I am a mom of two boys who loves reading and trail runs. I am passionate about health, fitness and food and write about these topics and more on my personal blog www.organicfitnesstips.net.