Ice Tricks & Social Distancing Tips for Your Next Cookout

It’s time to fire up the grill, place your protein of choice onto those red-hot grids, and let the aroma of a summertime cookout fill the air. And we all know what great food calls for: great people to share it with.

Although we can’t ignore the pandemic happening in our world right now, we don’t have to sacrifice all of our favorite things while we ride the virus out. To help you enjoy your holiday weekend (or any weekend you want to cookout with loved ones), we’ve compiled a helpful list of ice tricks and social distancing tips so that you can stay safe and cool.

Ready? Let’s dive on in!

Social Distancing Tips

Remember the experts. Before planning a gathering, it never hurts to refresh yourself on the CDC guidelines for best practices around others.
Label your drinks—especially if there’s a chance your guests’ memory might become wishy-washy as the night burns on. There’s a handful of ways to keep it sanitary, though. For example, ask folks to bring their own Sharpie for beverage identification or label cups before your guests arrive. Speaking of drinks: keep them bug-free with cupcake liners! (Here’s a helpful how-to.)
Keep households grouped together. This one cuts straight to the chase—stick with those you’ve already been sharing the same air with to avoid sharing new germs.
Create a sanitation station. Pumps of hand sanitizer are crucial. Need a place for paper towels, too? Put that old flagpole to use! The way we like to see things is: life might be a little crazy right now, but we can still use our creativity to make the most of our situation!
Keep the party outdoors. Limit the number of people inside your house. Ideally, guests would only go inside to use the restroom. Ensure that your backyard has all the amenities it needs with bug protection, great lighting, and entertainment.

Ice Tricks

This wouldn’t be a proper post if we didn’t share with you great ways you can raise the bar with ice at your next cookout!

Use your ice for function and form! Whether you want to go all-out with a rustic farmhouse aesthetic and pile your beer into a wheelbarrow of ice, or take a no frills approach and fill up an old box, use ice to create a unique look and keep your drinks chilled at the same time. Okay, now let’s talk food…
Deviled eggs, anyone? Who doesn’t love the rich, savory smoothness of a deviled egg topped with paprika? Cut out extra peel time and make the process easier by soaking your boiled eggs in water before peeling them. Their shells will slide right off beneath your fingertips with this easy trick!
Swordfish, lobster, shrimp, oh my! Before showing off your grilling greatness, prep your seafood selection by keeping it on a bed of ice. This will retain the freshness of your fish and is especially useful for shrimp. Once cooked, drop them over ice to keep the delicious bites sweet and succulent rather than chewy and overdone.
Let’s not forget your veggies. Before you start skewing your squash and zucchini onto a kabob, soak your vegetables in a bowl of ice water to get them on track to providing a satisfying crunch once cooked.
Make a red, white, and blue drink! Everybody loves a bright and colorful drink—especially when it’s hot out. Whether you’re serving adults, kids, or both, there are plenty of options for all needs and preferences. To the left, you can see a boozy red, white, and blue slushie that would pair perfectly with pearl ice.