Six ways to fire up the barbecue on the cheap this Easter weekend

WITH the weather looking good for the Easter weekend, it’s time to fire up the barbecue.

But you don’t need to watch your cash go up in smoke to entertain friends and family.

Follow these tips to enjoy the bank holiday — while giving your bank account a holiday, too . . . 

CHEAT MEAT: You don’t need the finest burgers and sausages. Instead, upgrade cheaper alternatives by layering on blue cheese, cheddar or chopped bacon as they cook. Aldi has blue cheese burger melts for £1.49. But you’ll get an extra 50g for just a penny more with Asda’s Castello cheese rollback deal at £1.50. Just break it into pieces yourself.

BBQ BARGAINS: Iceland has three for £9 on fresh meat, including 12 Richmond pork sausages, normally £3.25, and four hot and spicy pork loin steaks, £3.25. Asda has a two-for-£7 offer including pork mini ribs, £4.50, ten sausages, £4, and chicken drumsticks, £4.

TAC A BREAK: Offer guests tacos rather than baps as they are smaller and need less meat to fill. Aldi sells an eight-pack of tortillas for 65p.

CARB DOWN: Buy plenty of cheaper sides, such as garlic bread, potato salad and corn on the cob to fill up guests before the meat comes out. Asda’s Smartprice garlic baguettes cost 32p each, and a bag of 900g frozen mini corn cobs is £1.60.

BEER YOU ARE: If you’ve got a lot of guests coming, buy beer in bulk. Asda has two for £20 on 20-packs of Stella Artois and Heineken.

KEEP THEM SWEET: Instead of buying fresh desserts, stock the freezer with ice cream that will keep if not eaten on the day. Iceland has three for £5 on four-packs and six-packs of ice-cream sticks and lollies, including Barrett’s Wham rockets, normally £2 each.

• Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

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