Every year, people celebrate different occasions which then calls for a celebration. There are birthday parties, the holidays and the weekends that calls for the gathering of family and friends, and since it happens every yearthere are instances that even the senior citizens get involved.

A cookout is something that everyone enjoys, regardless of age, but because of the smoke that it ensues and because of the nature of grilling , it may not be for everyone, especially the old ones.

The fire that comes from the grill is dangerous if not handled properly, in a recent poll almost 8,900 homes catch fire every year, and they are all caused by outdoor grilling. Even gas grills can be dangerous as it causes home fires far more than charcoal grilling, 61 percent of houses that owns a gas grill are prone to fire and in the recent poll there are only 41 percent of people who own their own charcoal grill and there are just 10 percent of people who own an electric grill.

Whatever type of grill you use, there are safety tips that you need to follow especially if you are a senior citizen who needs to be extra careful and who needs to pay more attention.

  • Grill outside and make sure that you are away from any structure

There are a lot of people that uses charcoal and gas grills, but people often forget that these kinds of grillers are used for outdoors, and they should stay outdoors. Using them indoors are very dangerous as it could start a fire and it could also release harmful chemicals that could be fatal when exhaled. This is something that senior citizens should be very cautious about since their respiratory system are very fragile. More than 27 percent or one-quarter of household fires are started by grills and they are often located in a patio, a terrace or a courtyard. Almost 29 percent of these fires are started on an exterior part of the house like the balcony or an open porch. You will need to pay attention to details, like a hanging tree branch, before you set you your grill.

  • Check for leaks on your grill

This is one of the most common mistake of those who like to grill, and this is the most important thing to remember, before you even turn your grill on you need to check the gas tank and the tank hose for any leaks, you also need to check for any cuts or holes. You can do so by applying just a tad light soap and a bit of water solution to the tank hose and then turn the gas on. If there is a leak and propane come out of it, you will see the solution applied to the hose bubble. The other signs of leak that you should look out for are the smell of gas or propane gas in the air, especially near the barbecue and if you keep on turning it on but the flame won’t light.

  • You must be careful with charcoal starter fluid

If you wish to use a charcoal grill, you need to only use a charcoal starter fluid instead of other fluids. If the fire in your grill starts to die out, do not add any starter fluid or any other liquids that are flammable to the dying fire. You can use a charcoal chimney starter, it uses a newspaper to start the fire in your grill instead of using a starter fluid. You should also never leave your grill unattended, do not allow any pets or kids to play or be near the grill. You should never move a hot grill or lit, and you should remember that the grill will stay flammable and hot for at least an hour or two after use.

  • Be ready to put out the fire in your grill

Just to be safe, you need to have a baking soda with you when you grill in case you must control and put out a grease fire and you also need to have a fire extinguisher ready for other fire that will ensue when you grill. If you do not have any fire extinguisher in your house or nearby, then you need to have at least a bucket of sand next to your grill. You should never use water to put out grease fire because it will not die it out.

  • Wear the right clothing

When you use your grill, you need to wear the appropriate clothing as clothing is the first one to catch fire, you need to make sure that your shirt tails do not dangle over your grill, as well as your sleeves or your apron. If possible do not wear any shirt or clothes with sleeves or shirt with any tails on them. If while you are using your grill the flame suddenly goes out, do not re-light it immediately, you must wait at least five minutes before you re-light the grill.

For senior citizens, socializing with your family and friends and playing with your grandchildren may be the ideal weekend for you, and it adds to the fun of having a barbecue. But aside from the safety tips above, senior citizens should not disregard the nutritional value of their meals and should still think about the food that they are going to eat in the barbecue party. It is best to always get the best and the freshest food from the grocery store or the local farmers market. You will still need to think about your physical and mental wellness.

Aside from grilling your meat, you will also need to at least pair it up with a fruit or a vegetable in the grill. You can toss some pineapples, tomatoes, or even a corn on the grill. These fruits and vegetables will taste a lot better when paired with your meat as the grill can help enhance their flavors, you just need to make sure that you will not overcook them.

You also need to pick the right kind of meat for you, it is best to go with the lean proteins as they are easier to grill, and they are also a lot better for you. The meats that are high in fat are unhealthy and they can also lead to flare ups when the fat of the meat drips on the flames of the grill. It is also best to skewer your meat, you can make a kebab to cut down on your grilling time and you can also control the serving size of the meat, it can also make your grandchildren try vegetables if the meat is skewer. You can also use marinade to kick up the flavor of your meat, especially if you do not like the smoky taste of the grilled meat then you can add some wine, vinegar, lime juice, lemon, soy sauce, garlic, honey, onions and other herbs and spices.