Saving Money Using Your Grill

Spring has sprung which means many of us will be pulling the grill out of winter storage. This time of year, you will start seeing displays with grill cleaners, non-stick sprays, starter fluid and scrapers to help maintain your grill for the upcoming season. Here's some tips you can use instead of buying any of those items and your grill will still be maintained and in prime cooking condition!

• As mentioned in a previous post ~ use empty toilet paper rolls filled with dryer lint to start your charcoal instead of starter fluid. The lint is highly flammable and will get that charcoal going in no time!
• Remove grease and grime from the outside of your grill by rubbing it with a vinegar-soaked soft cloth.
• Cut an onion in half and use a barbeque fork (long-handled) to dip the onion half into vegetable oil. Spread the onion apart a bit and rub it over the grates before grilling to keep food from sticking. The onion will also add some flavor to the food!
• After you're done cooking and the grill is still hot, crumple a piece of aluminum foil and hold it between a pair of grilling tongs (long-handled). Scrape the grill with the foil to remove bits of food from the grates.
• When transporting your propane tanks, make sure you use something like an empty milk crate to hold the tank upright and prevent it from bumping against anything. This will help keep you safe from unforeseen accidents.

We all know that grilling our food not only saves money by not using electricity from indoor appliances, but it also reduces our cooling bills by keeping the temperature inside lower and our food tastes so good. Now that we know how to keep our grills in great shape with little to no money, let's go....ready, set......grill!