{"id":51620,"date":"2026-06-25T15:19:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T19:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.journee-mondiale.com\/en\/5-easy-summer-bbq-menus-for-large-groups-with-shopping-lists\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T15:19:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T19:19:30","slug":"5-easy-summer-bbq-menus-for-large-groups-with-shopping-lists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.journee-mondiale.com\/en\/5-easy-summer-bbq-menus-for-large-groups-with-shopping-lists\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Easy Summer BBQ Menus for Large Groups With Shopping Lists"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hosting 24 people on a $320 budget used to mean three trips to the store and a flat of warm beer. Here’s the fix: three tested menus that scale, with every brand and every price pinned down before the charcoal even lights.<\/p>\n

These shopping lists lean on Costco, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and Amazon. Pick a menu, send the list to one friend with a truck, and you’ll be sipping a cold one while the grill does the work.<\/p>\n

Build a Burger and Hot Dog Bar With Costco and Walmart Staples<\/h2>\n

Twenty-four guests, one grill, and zero stress starts with a burger-and-dog bar. Grab a 40-count box of Kirkland Signature beef patties<\/strong> from Costco<\/strong>, which runs around $54 in 2026 and keeps everyone fed.<\/p>\n

Pick up Oscar Mayer Classic hot dogs<\/strong> (about $18 for a 30-pack at Walmart<\/strong>), King’s Hawaiian<\/strong> or store-brand buns, and two bags of Kraft Singles<\/strong>. Add Heinz<\/strong> ketchup, Hellmann’s<\/strong> mayo, French’s<\/strong> mustard, and Sweet Baby Ray’s<\/strong> BBQ sauce.<\/p>\n

Total spend sits near $320 and feeds 24 with seconds. Lay it out buffet-style on a folding table and let people build their own.<\/p>\n

Skip to Chicken Skewers and Grilled Corn From Trader Joe’s<\/h2>\n

Want a lighter spread? Marinate 12 pounds of chicken thigh chunks in Lawry’s<\/strong> teriyaki the night before, thread onto bamboo skewers, and grill alongside 30 ears of corn.<\/p>\n

Trader Joe’s<\/strong> sells soyaki sauce around $4 and honey mustard around $3.50, which punches up the marinade. Hit Costco<\/strong> for the chicken (~$45 for 12 pounds of thighs) and a local farm stand for corn (about $1 an ear, so $30).<\/p>\n

Serve with watermelon cubes, Lay’s<\/strong> classic chips, and lemonade pitchers. Plan on roughly $260 total, and you sidestep the raw-beef liability of a burger bar.<\/p>\n

\"realistic<\/figure>\n

Run a Street Food Night With Tacos and Grilled Skewers<\/h2>\n

Assemble a build-your-own taco wall and skewer station. Brown 8 pounds of 85\/15 ground beef<\/strong> from Walmart<\/strong> (about $30) with Old El Paso<\/strong> taco seasoning (~$2).<\/p>\n

Add 4 pounds of sliced Bell & Evans<\/strong> chicken breast for shawarma skewers with McCormick<\/strong> smoked paprika (~$5 at Target<\/strong>). Stock 18 Old El Paso<\/strong> hard taco kits (~$4 each) plus 6 jars of Pace<\/strong> salsa and 3 tubs of Tropicana<\/strong> guacamole.<\/p>\n

Build a $35 case of Coca-Cola<\/strong> 20-oz bottles through Amazon<\/strong> and you’re at $290. Best part: kids, vegetarians, and picky eaters can all customize their plate.<\/p>\n

Stock the Cooler With Walmart and Amazon Drinks<\/h2>\n

Hydration matters more than craft beer for 24 people. A 24-pack of Coca-Cola<\/strong> 12-oz cans runs about $9 at Walmart<\/strong>, and a 35-pack of Dasani<\/strong> water is around $7.<\/p>\n

For the adults, grab a 30-pack of Bud Light<\/strong> (~$25) or a mixed 24-pack of Michelob Ultra<\/strong> and seltzers from Total Wine<\/strong>. Skip individual glass bottles and stick with cans.<\/p>\n

Add two bags of ice (~$5 each) and you’ve got the cooler locked down for under $60.<\/p>\n

\"realistic<\/figure>\n

Use Home Depot Gear to Set Up a Self-Serve Buffet<\/h2>\n

Skip rented tables. A 6-foot Cosco<\/strong> fold-in-half table from Home Depot<\/strong> is $79 and seats a full buffet line.<\/p>\n

Lay down a roll of kraft paper ($12) as the runner, and weigh it down with Mason<\/strong> jars filled with lemons and wildflowers ($18 for 12). Add a $39 Weber<\/strong> portable side table for the grill master and a $25 galvanized trash can from Home Depot<\/strong> for easy cleanup.<\/p>\n

You spend around $175 once and reuse the setup every summer after.<\/p>\n

Buy the meat two days early, marinate overnight, and prep every side before guests arrive. That single rule turns a backyard cookout into a party.<\/p>\n

Mia Carter writes about small-space living and budget home makeovers. She has restyled three rentals and tests most ideas in her own 45 sqm flat.<\/em><\/p>\n