It’s November. The days are stretching out, the jandals have made their way back to the front door, and someone in the group chat has already floated “BBQ at ours Saturday?”
Welcome to BBQ season. Our favourite time of year, and the one with the most invitations per square metre.
Here’s how we’re doing it this summer.
The anatomy of a Kiwi BBQ
Every good BBQ has the same cast:
- The one guarding the tongs like a family heirloom
- The one who brought a salad and will mention it
- The cousin who’s “just popping in” and leaves at 10pm
- The chilly bin, quietly doing all the heavy lifting
That last one is where summer is won or lost.
Pack the chilly bin like you mean it
A chilly bin says a lot about a host. Here’s what earns its place:
- More ice than you think you need (there’s never enough)
- Something bright and botanical for the hottest part of the afternoon
- A proper drink for the drivers, the early starters and the not-tonight crowd, not a sad lemonade
- Sunscreen, reapplied more often than you’d like
- A backup set of tongs, because someone will claim the first pair
The “quick one” problem
BBQs are long. That’s the point. But a long afternoon has a way of turning one drink into six by the time the pav comes out, and suddenly Sunday’s plans (the swim, the run, the doing anything at all) are off the table.
That’s why more Kiwis are going sober-curious for summer, or just swapping a few drinks across the afternoon. Not as a rule. Just because they’d rather be at the BBQ than recovering from it.
If you’re after a swap that still feels like a treat, our round-up of the best low-calorie drinks and our practically sugar-free picks are a good place to start.
Hosting? Make it easy on yourself
- Set up the drinks well away from the grill, so nobody’s in the cook’s way
- Keep a few different flavours on ice, so everyone can find their thing
- Put a bowl of lemon wedges, mint and frozen berries next to the chilly bin, and suddenly everyone’s a bartender
Where Terps & Co comes in
Every Terps & Co drink is made with botanical terpenes, the aromatic compounds plants use to talk to the world. They’re the reason lemons smell like lemons and pine smells like a walk in the bush, and they’re behind the flavour and character of our whole range. No alcohol, made in Aotearoa.
Something to reach for at the beach, by the grill or before the last round of backyard cricket, when you want to be part of the round without paying for it tomorrow.
Before you go
Summer’s long. The good stuff is whatever still feels good the next morning. If you want to dig into that a bit more, we’ve written about how to tell what’s actually supporting your body.
Not sure where to start? The Mixed Pack lets you try the range and find your favourite, no commitment required.
