How to get two great meals out of one use of your BBQ

We love a good home-cooked meal, and we love a good life hack. And when you combine the two? You’re golden. With warmer temperatures expected across the province, we’re looking forward to more meals cooked on the BBQ. Here’s our quick and easy guide to getting two meals out of one use of your grill.
What you’ll need
Start with your favourite protein. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are versatile, delicious and easy to cook, but anything goes. Take out enough of this protein to feed your family twice (for example, eight chicken breasts for a family of four). Or, pick two different proteins if you’re willing to keep an eye on the different cook times involved. Try making some chicken breasts as well as some Italian sausage or steak. Because these are guidelines and not recipes, just about anything will work!
How to do it
Season your meat and put it on the BBQ to do its magic. Once all of your meat has been cooked to perfection, take it off the grill and separate it into two groups: what you’ll be serving tonight and what you’re saving for a quick and easy dinner tomorrow. What this hack comes down to is preparing a second family-sized serving of meat in order to cut down on meal prep time tomorrow. The specifics are up to you, but we’ve added some examples below.
Meal #1
Start with the protein that you want to eat immediately. If steak is involved, you’ll probably want to eat that on day one. Things like chicken or sausage can be enjoyed right away or saved for day two (just put it in a glass storage container in your fridge overnight).
While all of your meat is cooking, put together a couple of side dishes for dinner #1. Consider making grilled zucchini or asparagus — these only take a few minutes and can be quickly prepared on the same grill while your meat is resting. Fresh buns are always great, especially when they’re from a local bakery or your own oven. You could also take the time to make mashed potatoes or another family favourite, if you’re not in a hurry. Serve and enjoy — meal #1 is complete.
Meal #2
Meal #2 is all about using that delicious meat you grilled yesterday to make a fresh, hearty second meal. We’re not talking about simply eating leftovers (though we LOVE leftovers, to be honest). We’re talking about making a new, fresh meal with already prepared chicken, sausage or another protein. This really speeds things up on a busy weeknight!
Consider making a pasta dish with sliced chicken or sausage tossed in. Or, make a hearty chicken Caesar salad. You can also use sliced chicken breasts in wraps or club sandwiches. Or, shred the chicken and heat it up with BBQ sauce to create pulled chicken sandwiches. The possibilities are endless! The secret is to cut down on cook time while still enjoying a delicious, homemade meal.
Turn a delicious Sunday meal into easy Monday leftovers
We love this make-ahead method for Sundays because it makes your Mondays as easy as possible. To shop for your VG Meats favourites, please visit us in Simcoe or Stoney Creek. Or, shop online at VGFarmToCity.ca and get free delivery on qualifying orders! No matter how you shop, thanks for supporting our family business. Enjoy your meals!