Cook-Outs
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
United States
May 21, 2009 10:06am CST
How often do you have cook-outs or picnics in the summer?
We had our first of the season last night. We didn't have a whole lot of money, otherwise we probably would have just eaten out instead of tried for a picnic. But it was so nice and hot out, and I did not want to sit around the house and slave over a hot oven! We had some ground beef I was going to make a meatloaf out of, but instead we went and bought some buns, chips, potato salad, and charcoal.
We went to a nearby park that has a stream running through it. There are playgrounds there if the kids don't want to play in the water, and plenty of room to run. Hubby grilled the burgers while the babies and I splashed in the water, and my older 3 kids ran around the playground, occasionally running through the water real quick. Afterwards we went for a little walk along the stream through the woods.
We had a great time and decided we want to do this a lot more often. Hubby thinks maybe even weekly!
When was the last time you had a cook-out or picnic?
1 person likes this
16 responses
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
23 May 09
We haven't had a cook out in I'd say two weeks or so. I got a deal on 3lb pkgs of Kielbasa for $3 and my hubby is a sucker for anything that involves using the grill!! & if the price is right YAY!
He's going to be grilling forsure either tomorrow or monday for the holiday weekend.
I'm hoping to hit the grocery store in a few days subsiquent to the holiday & see what deals I can find ;)
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
22 May 09
When I lived in Utah, we would often go to one of the city parks and cook out. The parks offered charcoal grills for public use and we'd take advantage. But, since moving back to NJ, I haven't cooked out once in 13 years of being here. It's far too humid for me and all the cities have prohibitions in the parks, so they're not as "user friendly" as the ones in Utah were. I kind of miss it. But, not enough to move back to Utah. I remember one time I went with my mother-in-law, my step daughter and our kids to a park. We had hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. There were some tramps/homeless hobo types sitting a couple tables away, so when we were done, we still had hamburger and hotdogs left and hot coals. I asked them if they wanted to finish cooking what we had to eat for themselves and they did. We left them the rolls and took our drinks and salads home while these guys got to eat some hot food without having to walk across town to the shelter to get it.
@angel_690 (208)
• United States
22 May 09
We cook out quite often especially when the summer temperature gets warm. It is much easier to either grill outdoors, or make sandwhiches instead of heating the house up with the oven or the stove. I love grilling my husband makes the best steaks on the grill, I actually do not like steak unless it is cooked on the grill. I think it tastes the best that way.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
22 May 09
Sounds heavenly! It's been so rainy and
over cast today, there was no way to cookout.
I was thinking that cooking out more might be
a way to save money when the electric prices
go up.
Who knows, maybe we'll all be cooking outside
like in caveman days!
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
22 May 09
Your evening sounds fantastic, we have no where within walking distance where I live that is like that. I have not really done a picnic for years yet I always used to make a picnic up for me and my eldest when it was just us and we often would spread a blanket in the garden and have it out there in the sun. Mind you the summers have been poor here for ages now so it is not really picnic weather but maybe if the weather warms up I could do it with my other children. I do love a barbeque though and my local supermarket at the moment has some fantastic offers on barbeque food and I have a voucher for money off one of the packs so I am planning to have a barbeque sometime next week hopefully if the weather perks up. The kids are off school next week so it will be nice to do something with them.
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
21 May 09
As I've mentioned before, I'm lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world; the river is a 15 minute walk from my front door. My children and I go for cook-outs VERY often. Every nice day we have, we hit the riverbank for weiners.
We've already gone for 3 this spring. Our river is running high so we don't have much beach but it's still soooo much fun.
Most of my grocery shopping during the summer is stuff that can be done up on a fire so that we are always ready to hit the river.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
21 May 09
I will be having one this weekend....My son and his wife and I bought a camper and it's only 45 minutes away from here so we will be doing more of it...otherwise I only have a cookout when I am with my son's family.....I live alone so it's not something I do on a regular basis.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
21 May 09
The last time I had a cookout was last summer. I love food cooked out on the grill, but I don't take the time to do it very often. It sounds like a nice place for you and your family to hang out. There is a park by here that has the BBQ pits you can use and tables and a playground and room to walk around. I should plan on doing that with the kids sometime soon.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
21 May 09
We live in south Florida and have a big deck out back so we cook out on the grill just about every weekend and eat outside. Our house faces west so it's nice and shady on the deck by then. I love having cookouts and try to come up with ideas for the grill aside from the usual burgers, hotdogs, steaks and chicken.
@ProudMommy22 (705)
• United States
22 May 09
We've had a Few...But we dont do it as often as we'd like too. Just dont have the money to do it right now. But its nice to do it when you have some friends and family come over on a nice day. We have inground pool but we dont usually open it until June but i dont think we'll open it until july not sure just yet. We do the pool party kinda cook out.
@MAllen400 (829)
•
21 May 09
Oh I envy you. We are waiting for our summer and perhaps have a barbeque then but at the moment it is not picnic weather. Hope you enjoy lots of picnics.
@mimuche (163)
• Canada
21 May 09
I love picnics and as soon as summer is around the corner there is no stopping. The last one was just last friday and we had an amazing time. I love being out in the sun and it has so many advantages: it is cheaper, is it better to be outside and everybody seems to enjoy everything more. Sometimes me and my friends bring snacks only and spend the day laying Frisbee and soccer. It is all about being with the people you get along with and love and enjoying mother nature for what it has to offer
@harryt123 (327)
• United States
22 May 09
When the weather is really good and it's summertime we usually have a picnic at the local park. We usually barbeque as they have grills and we cook hot dogs and burgers and have a good time. But most of the time we usually cook at home in the backyard and invite relatives over or just have with family.
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
21 May 09
I honestly cannot remember the last time I went to an actual cook out or picnic that wasn't put on just because someone wanted to have a picnic or a cook out. All the cook outs that I've been too that I can think of have been several years ago and were for reasons such as graduation parties, birthdays, that kind of thing.
I was just thinking last night that it would be nice to put on a picnic or have a cook out sometime soon. I was thinking that it would be rather fun to just get a few people together, buy some food and just have a picnic. I kind of miss all the fun summer stuff that we used to do when I was younger. Since everyone has gotten older and people have really lost connections, it just doesn't happen anymore.
@derlilaStern (1756)
• United States
21 May 09
I havent been to a cook-out since last summer!
We generally do this kind of thing at home. We have a grill that makes it easy. Sometimes we will have some friends over. Hot dogs and hamburgers make for an easy fun get together with friends!
Reading this really makes me want to have a cookout now. We bought a new grill last fall that we havent put together yet. Hopefully this weekend we will have time because we will both be home Monday afternoon for the holiday! I cant wait to try it out!
That park you went to sounds fantastic! There was one like that where I grew up. You definitely cant beat it for family outings! Cheap and fun!
