Summer is just around the corner, and that means: Barbecue season is here! Warmer weather, longer days and balmy nights mean that it’s the perfect time to gather family and friends for some outdoor grilling and al fresco dining. You’ll be able to linger over cocktails around the fire with the adults while the kids play lawn games and catch fireflies together.
Ready to host but need help getting it all organized? There’s an app for that. You can turn your smartphone into your picnic command center with all sorts of great apps that will help you plan the menu, keep everyone entertained and save money on throwing a great outdoor party. Here are the top five apps to get you ready for Memorial Day weekend with ease:
1. Weber Grills
The Weber Grills app provides everything you need to get that meat done to perfection, no matter what you’re serving up. It’s packed with delicious recipes and provides instructions about how to grill any cut of meat. It even has a timer that you can set up so that you know when to flip and when to serve. You can also create a shopping list directly from the recipes.
2. Find&Save
The Find&Save app helps you find the best deals on everything you could possibly need to host that perfect picnic. From groceries at Walmart to a new set of dishes from Macy’s and a gas grill from Home Depot, this app lets you know where the best deals are. You can clip digital coupons and browse the circulars wherever you go – no paper required. Not to mention, when you are done shopping, you can submit your receipt for cash back – it doesn’t get more convenient than that!
3. Dark Sky
With the Dark Sky, you’ll never have to worry about rain on your grill again. The Dark Sky app gives up-to-the-minute “hyperlocal” weather info, meaning it let’s you know when it is about to rain in your exact location. You’ll get an alert right before it’s time to cover up the grill and give your party a heads up. Whether it is rain starting in 13 minutes or a snow storm coming this weekend, Dark Sky goes deeper and is more precise than city or state weather alerts.
4. Bartender
Looking for a new cocktail recipe? Not sure what to mix up with that bottle of spirits a thoughtful guest brought along? The Bartender app lets you search cocktail recipes by ingredient so you can choose the perfect drink based on what you already have in stock. You can also do a quick search to find the exact recipe you want so you can serve your guests the perfect drink every time.
5. Heads Up!
Heads Up! is a fun game that Ellen DeGeneres made famous on her daytime talk show, and it’s the perfect party game to play outdoors at night, since your phone lights up. One person holds the phone up to their forehead to reveal a clue while the other players try to make her guess what it is. Hilarity ensues.
Once you’ve got your party shopping sorted, your drinks mixed and your party games lined up and ready to go, all that’s left to do is enjoy a beautiful holiday evening. Best of all, these apps make planning the perfect barbecue so easy that you’ll want to do it again and again between now and Labor Day.
The Happy Shopper 
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