Barbecue season is here, but when you’re busy having fun in the sun it can be hard to plan ahead. However, just because its last minute doesn’t mean that you can’t throw a successful barbecue for your friends and family! Plan wisely with these 5 last-minute ideas for your summer BBQ.

1. Delegate To Guests

Once you have an idea of who will be coming to your BBQ, hopefully you’ll get the “What can I Bring?” questions. Don’t be shy – last-minute events require reinforcements. Delegate to your guests by asking them to bring the most inconvenient things on your list: dessert, ice, drinks, etc. You can even keep yourself organized by creating a quick checklist to mark things off as you assign them to your guests.

2. Planning Your Food Menu

Build your food menu around simple, crowd-pleasing recipes that take mere minutes to prep and not a lot of time to cook. Consider meals that you can make in your slow cooker, marinate and throw on the grill or that you can order ahead and pick up.

3. Prep Ahead If Possible

Planning accordingly is the key to pulling off a successful last-minute BBQ. Make sure to plan ahead wherever it’s possible. If you’re grilling any veggies, prepare them before guests arrive. Remember that corn on the cob and potatoes should be on the grill about an hour before your meat.

4. Choose the Right Party Decorations

When hosting a summer BBQ, you want to choose party decorations to wow your guests while also keeping it simple. A few examples include filling jars with fresh blossoms and greenery from your garden or local grocery store and placing them on the table, choosing compostable plates and napkins in fun, bold colors or stringing up lights and setting out candles to create midsummer magic when the sun goes down.

5. Keep Your Entertainment Simple

Luckily, entertainment isn’t necessarily expected at a barbecue. Most just come to relax and enjoy your company. Feel free to throw on your favorite tunes, pull out a deck of cards or play some yard games. Just make sure to keep your entertainment simple and stress-free!