10 Essentials For The Trendiest Summer Cookout

Why are we always the first to offer ourselves up to host summer cookouts? Because playing the role of entertainer lets us set the scene, while our friends handle all the heavy lifting on the grill. We've hacked how to eat an epic outside meal inside, perfected our seasonal playlist, and now we're covering how to accessorize your cookouts (or cook-ins!) to trendy new heights.

With just a few creative cookout essentials, flexing your hostess prowess and impressing guests is simple. Ahead we have the ten staples you need to accent your summer spread — use chic paper plates as the canvas, cool artisanal condiments for a final flourish, and then leave the actual menu planning to your pals.