There’s nothing better than a backyard fire pit, but they’re made for more than just s’mores. They’re designed to be a gathering place where family members and friends alike can enjoy themselves over and around one of man’s greatest accomplishments: flickering flame. If you’re getting sick of just eating s’mores and heading inside, check out our fun ideas for backyard fire pits below to amp up your outdoor gatherings.
Ditch the Grill, Cook Dinner in the Flame!
Backyard Fire Pit Idea #1 puts everyone to work, with less lounging and more fun involved at every turn. Instead of just tossing sticks into the bowl and leaning back, get the whole family involved and make a meal using your fiery heat source instead of the grill. If you’ve ever camped before, you should turn to some of your old favorites for inspiration, like campfire nachos or loaded potatoes wrapped in foil. The best part? The foil serves as both the way to cook and serve the food. For an even smokier taste, skewer foods like seasoned chicken, classic weiners and other proteins and veggies. Everyone can make their own foods, or you can pass around different dishes for a “potluck” of smoky bites you’ll love digging into. Serve alongside chilled beverages for a perfect evening. This blog writer recommends campfire nachos with pre-cooked ground beef and extra cheese, then topped with fixings like sour cream and jalepenos once they’re finished. When pulling foil packets from the pit, remember to use safe equipment like heat-protected tongs.
Make Sweeter Treats
While chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker have reigned supreme as dessert for decades, getting creative with your sweets is one of the best ways to find new ideas for backyard fire pits. It’s all about staying safe while getting sweet. That means turning back to your old friend, aluminum foil. It’s easy to make fire-kissed cakes in here, like pineapple upside-down cake or strawberry shortcake. Make your cakes from scratch or assemble them with ingredients you have on hand; the idea is to get as creative as possible. For more customizable, healthy sweets, banana boats are a favorite: peel one side from a banana and add your favorite toppings, like chocolate chips, peanut butter or blueberries. Wrap in foil and add these to low-burning embers at the end of the evening until they’re soft. That’s how you know they’re ready to eat!
Get Creative with Games
Idea for backyard fire pits #3: Do more than just lounge. For adults and teens, it sometimes doesn’t progress beyond lounging in comfortable chairs on the patio. Make things more exciting with games and stories you can play together. If you’re somewhere you can see the stars, look up. Do you see any constellations? Tell their stories from different mythologies, and explore different histories and where they intersect in the sky. No matter where you are, you can play games. If there are kids around, let them tell the stories instead. Have them build their own constellation and its accompanying “history”, or start with “Once Upon a Time”. Everyone can create their own story, or you can build one together, passing off each sentence from one person to the next. You’ll be surprised how much fun and creativity you might find around the fire.
At the end of the night, don’t forget that for humans, innovation started with flame. Take advantage of your fire pit or table with new and creative ideas, and remember that it’s all about gathering together with those you’re close to. If you’re interested in finding your own fire table, give the experts at Abt a call to find the one that’s right for you at 847-954-4100.
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