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Grilling Etiquette

Contributed by: NAPSA

Grill For The Thrill (NAPSA) - Americans love the flavor of the outdoor barbecue, with the majority of grill owners (60 percent) saying they grill quick, delicious meals year-round, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA). But it's not just a taste for barbecue that's inspiring people to take food to the flame. More people are grilling today than ever before for the ease and convenience the grill has to offer.

"With all the new grills and innovative accessories on the market today, consumers are firing up grills multiple times during the week for delicious grilled food," said Leslie Wheeler, HPBA Communications Director. "Grilling is the no-muss, no-fuss way to prepare a quick meal for yourself, family or friends any day of the year."

No matter where or when you light your grill, it's important to keep grilling etiquette in mind. "Grilling is not a complicated process," added Wheeler, "but everyone's skill and opinion on the subject varies."

Revealed in HPBA's recent national survey, practice these dos and don'ts for a blunder-free barbecue:

When invited to a barbecue:

• DO feel okay bringing your own sauce; 49 percent of grillers say it's acceptable.

• DO expect to pull your weight by bringing your own sides and beverages. Go the extra mile and bring enough to share with others.

• DON'T touch the grill. Sixty-one percent of those polled say only the host/hostess should handle the grill.
• As the host of a barbecue:

• DO have all grilled food ready at relatively the same time (83 percent agreed).

• DON'T feel obligated to invite your neighbors. Two-thirds of people polled said there is no need to extend an invitation to neighbors, even if they can see and smell that you're having a barbecue.

• DO offer grilled vegetarian options (66 percent agreed).

For more barbecue dos and don'ts, step-by-step barbecue party preparation tips, safety and food-handling tips, and delicious recipes, download HPBA's "Grill-amentals of Grilling: A Complete Consumer Guide to Year-Round Grilling," available at www.hpba.org.