16 BBQ Staples Worth Getting At Dollar Tree

If you're in the United States (or anywhere else in the northern hemisphere), summer is truly starting. That means sunny weekends and long, warm evenings perfect for grilling. Whether you're planning regular al fresco dinners with the family or Saturday ragers that run on hot-dogs, beer, and burgers straight from the freezer (it's okay, burgers are actually better cooked from frozen), there are a few BBQ essentials you're going to need. The best place to find them might surprise you — it's your local Dollar Tree. 

Now's the time to stock up for the long grill season ahead. If you get everything you need before you need it, you'll avoid those last minute trips to the store to grab outdoor dinner basics (maybe grab some fun party supplies while you're at it). You should also be able to save a bit of money since planning ahead is economical and so is Dollar Tree.

While the discount store isn't everyone's first choice for groceries or home supplies, Dollar Tree is full of hidden gems. You can find everything from convincing dupes of popular snacks to pantry staples at affordable prices, and there should be one reasonably close as there are over 8,000 across the United States. As the cost of living across the country continues to rise faster than the population's pay stubs, it might be time to add Dollar Tree to your regular grocery shopping route. After you've given it a go for grilling staples, anyway.

While it's not too hard to make your own barbecue sauce, let's be honest you probably won't get around to it for every grilling session of the season. Luckily, Dollar Tree's got you covered. You can grab the same 18 ounce bottles of Kraft Original Slow Simmered Barbecue Sauce that would set you back $2 at Walmart for just $1.50 at Dollar Tree. It might not sound like too big a difference, but I go through condiments quickly even when it's miserable outside. With all the dipping, slathering, and spilling of BBQ season, those savings will add up fast. So, why not get a few bottles? You'll find them alongside Hunt's Ketchup and Kraft Real Mayo, with all three sauces at the same price-point. With prices like that, you could grab yourself a condiment haul that would last the summer. 

The trick to perfectly tender chicken on the barbecue every time is to poach the poultry before you grill it, but you also need to take care of the flavor. You've got plenty of options, but the easiest (and one of the tastiest) is to use a premixed chicken seasoning like this one from Tone Brothers which is handily available at Dollar Tree at just $1.50 for a 3.4 ounce bottle. At that price, the classic combination of paprika, onion, and garlic is a great value.  

You can trust the Tone Brothers seasoning to deliver, too. The business is an institution that dates back over 100 years to the original brothers who launched the pre-ground spice brand in 1873. These days, Tone Brothers offers a wide range of seasonings and pantry staples designed to make cooking quicker and easier. With the Chicken Winner seasoning, you can simply shake, rub, and toss your chicken on the grill. 

Dollar Tree stocks fun garden decor designed to spruce up lawns, yards, and balconies (if that's what you have to work with). Make your next barbecue memorable with fun bug pinwheels ($1.75), get ready for July 4 with patriotic pinwheels ($1.75), or get silly with these whacky summer-themed gnomes ($1.50). 

There are also several hanging decorations, like these colorful creations ($1.50) as well as longer-lasting garden decor like bright and cheerful plastic tulip pinwheels ($1.75) or adorable garden critter yard stakes ($1.50).

These are just a few of the outdoor decorations available at Dollar Tree, so you might find other exciting options at your local store. Pick up a selection next time you're at Dollar Tree to create a cheerful outdoor space you can enjoy all summer. When it only sets you back a few dollars to create a whole new vibe outside, what do you have to lose? 

It might surprise you, but there is actually such a thing as grilling math. The core rule of BBQ arithmetic this — there's either not enough food or there's way too much. This is always true. And as it's embarrassing to get caught short with fewer hot-dogs than guests, there will usually be an excess. 

Plan for inevitable leftovers by stocking up on these to-go paper bowls, just $1.50 for a five-pack at Dollar Tree. They come with lids, of course, alongside a sense of quiet accomplishment when you offer everyone a neat doggy bag and look like an organizational mastermind.

More grilling math incoming, though this might be the more general field of party math because it's not just barbecues that need silverware; and no, you definitely don't have enough. Of course, the outdoor aspect of a BBQ adds a few factors worth considering. Namely, knives and forks will get dropped in the grass, it's a long walk to the kitchen to rinse and reuse real silverware, and if guests go inside to search for a fork they're likely to bring a mess with them.

If that doesn't convince you to invest in plastic utensils for your next barbecue, maybe the price of a set from Dollar Tree will. This set of 48 clear plastic utensils is just $1.25, and buying it almost guarantees you won't find your favorite forks rusting in a flowerbed come fall.

Red solo cups are a cliche for a reason. Solo branded or not, red plastic cups make it a party. That's just as true for a small gathering as it is for big holiday barbecues. If you purchase your plastic cups at Dollar Tree, you'll get more celebratory atmosphere for less. 

You can pick up 22 mini Solo cups for $1.50 or 16 regular-sized red plastic cups for the same price. Whichever size you choose, while beer pong is optional you can also get six ping-pong balls for $1.75 if you're so inclined. Party games or not, the plastic cups will help avoid broken glass, mid-barbecue dish washing, and serving mixed drinks in embarrassing mugs. 

Finish your disposable dining essentials collection with paper plates and bowls from Dollar Tree. Disposable dishes just make things easier when you're eating outside, even if it's only you and the family or a ragtag gaggle of roommates. 

Always ready with party supplies, Dollar Tree stocks several varieties of single use dishware. You could keep things simple with some 9 inch, uncoated paper plates, available in packs of forty for an incredible $1.50, or spring for coated, soak-proof 10 inch plates. They're the same price per pack, but you only get 10. For something more fun, there are colorful options too, including red paper plates to match those Solo cups, pink ones to add some feminine charm to proceedings (both $1.25 for 30), and patriotic square paper plates ($1.50 for 16) for a July 4 cookout. 

Once you've got the disposable utensils, cups, and dishes, why not go whole hog and get instant table covers too? There are plenty to choose from at Dollar Tree, and many of them (like this royal blue holographic number) are both decorative and practical. The blue cover is 54 inches wide by 108 inches long. If that's not large enough to cover your outdoor dining table, you can probably afford to buy a couple as they're only $1.25 (that's Dollar Tree's primary price point, by the way, which is why it pops up so often).

If blue's not your color, the same cover comes in pink and silver. They all bring a bit of sparkle to an outdoor space, are made of wipe-clean plastic, and promise not to stain or mark the surface beneath them. You can rely on these covers to minimize end-of-event cleaning as well as making quick mop-ups easy. A few spills are inevitable at a good cookout, so you might as well be prepared.

Dollar Tree stocks a whole bunch of outdoor lighting solutions which offer more decorative touches to your BBQ space as well as practical illumination after the sun goes down. Keep the cookout going until the last dog has been grilled with these understated lamps designed for fence posts (they would work on pretty much any flat surface) or light the table with these lantern-style lights (both are $5.00).

Looking for something a bit more whimsical? Dollar Tree also stocks lawn and garden stakes shaped like colorful mushrooms ($3.00). You could use a few to light a pathway, but they double as decorations while the sun's still up. All these garden lamps are solar powered, so you won't need to worry about changing batteries; just leave them out in the sunshine to recharge and you can use them all summer.

You think you might have a basting brush somewhere, right? Turns out you don't. The basting brush is one of those household items that likes to disappear from time to time, not unlike socks, chopsticks, and the little screwdriver you need for tightening your glasses. Don't worry, you can get new basting brushes at your local Dollar Tree for cheap.

McCormick Silicone Basting Brushes are priced at $1.25 each. They're dishwasher safe, durable, and useful for many cooking tasks, from egg washing baked goods to spreading melted butter onto tins. They're particularly useful around the grill. Use a basting brush to spread marinades on meat and vegetables, apply BBQ sauce to food as it cooks, and us it to beer baste chicken on Father's Day.

I have a confession to make: In the past I've used an indoor spatula outdoors. That's right, I used the spatula I normally use for eggs on the barbecue. It wasn't a good idea. It wasn't the right width or shape and it got horrifically dirty. Make better decisions, and get yourself a Deluxe Barbecue Spatula from Dollar Tree.

Priced at just (you guessed it) $1.25, this spatula is designed specifically for use on the grill. It's made of sturdy, rust-resistant stainless steel and has a non-slip rubber grip to avoid those BBQ tools in the grass (or worse, in the coals) oopsies. There's also an in-built bottle opener, making the doubled-up job of grill master and bartender easy. Just be careful when it's hot.

Do you need individual plastic corn trays shaped like corn on the cob? Maybe not strictly, but you probably want them. Charm your guests and family with this corn tray set, which is currently $1.25 at Dollar Tree and comes with four cob-shaped trays.

From elotes to smoking, there are near-endless ways to cook corn on the cob. However you decide to prepare it, your corn will look better in these adorable trays. It might even taste better, too. We eat with our eyes first, right?

While they're not suitable for holding piping hot corn, you can have your cobs lined up and waiting for the grill in these yellow plastic trays, serve cooled corn in them, or switch things up and use them as hot-dog holders. They're another item that serves a dual purpose, as they're both a practical little plate and whimsical decor. 

Let's be realistic about barbecues. The grilling part can be hard to time perfectly, particularly if you're working with anything but a top-end gas grill. Even with as much planning as you do, you might end up caught short and need snacks to fill in the gaps. When simple BBQ apps like watermelon sparklers aren't enough, don't be too proud to turn to that stash of bagged nibbles. If you don't have enough, you can stock up at Dollar Tree when you're grabbing all the other BBQ Staples. 

There are plenty of chips for dipping available, including a root vegetable chip blend. You could throw in some white cheddar popcorn, cause who doesn't love white cheddar? If you're keeping things classy with some cheese or charcuterie before the grill is fired up, add some olive and oregano crackers to your cart. Top your haul off with a few sweet treats in case no one brings dessert, like some animal-shaped cookies or Welch's Fruit Snacks for the kids (and the young at heart). With all these snacks priced at $1.25 a pack, there's really no need to hold back.

These foil grill toppers cost just $1.75 for a pack of two at Dollar Tree and are designed to keep food from falling down into the grill while cooking. That's not all they're good for, though. While you might want to give skin-on chicken and steak some direct heat to get a good char, you can use a grill topper to section off another part of the grill for slower and more even cooking.

Grill toppers are also useful if you're catering to dietary requirements. You could have one for veggies, another for shrimp, and a third for red meat, for example; ensuring that no cross-contamination happens. Finally, these toppers are disposable, so you're not adding much to cleanup.

The length of your BBQ fork is one thing you won't be complaining about once you add this expandable BBQ fork to your grilling tool arsenal. Priced at $1.25, this two-pronged steel fork extends up to 30 inches, allowing you to poke around in the grill if something falls in, flip dogs from a distance when things get a little too hot, or let the kids have a go at grilling from a safe spot. The fork operates telescopically, so there's no folding necessary. It can be used as a standard length barbecue fork when needed, so it's more than just an occasional tool. Finally, it makes a great marshmallow fork for s'mores, so you might want to pack it down and take it camping with you. You might need a few around the campfire, though, or there will be squabbles.

The party has to end some time. When all the guests are gone and you've recycled all those plastic plates and cups, you'll be glad you invested in a wire grill cleaner ($1.25). With careful planning, there shouldn't be too much cleanup after a BBQ cookout, but scrubbing the grill is essential. Seriously, future you will be thankful you did it before all the grease was rock hard and burnt on.

This long-handled grill cleaner should keep your hands clean while you remove carbon, grease, and food residue from your grill. It's made of tough plastic and stainless steel with a wire brush to get at the stubborn stuff. It isn't the most glamorous part of manning the grill, but at least the cleaning will get done quickly when you have a tool designed specifically for the job.