12 frozen appetizers you didn’t know you can grill 

When you can’t possibly think of yet another idea for dinner, frozen appetizers swoop in as the convenient solution to your weeknight meal prep woes. Our mind-blowing idea for making this savvy dinner hack even more summer-friendly: Make your apps-for-dinner on the grill, and enjoy them while dining al fresco. There’s nothing quite like digging into your favourite finger foods for dinner, especially when they’ve been cooked on the barbecue to give them that extra crispy texture.

For grilling instructions, just look on the side of the box. Use a when working with smaller items; the thin, flexible, reusable sheet will prevent food from falling through the grates or sticking. 

Here are three creative meal ideas that bring the and party-style finger foods together for dinners your family will love. 

Appetizers are a great way to introduce your family to new foods without making a big fuss. If your tablemates are reluctant to eat their veggies or turn up their noses at seafood, a combination of crispy coatings and savoury dipping sauces will change the game. 

 will keep your hungry kids at bay while the rest of dinner is doing its thing on the grill. Made with a delicately crisp wrapper surrounding a tasty medley of seasoned veggies, they’re best served with a tangy plum sauce. It’s pretty convenient that we’ve supplied some in the box.

Meanwhile, cook up some meaty, tail-on . They’re tender and subtly sweet, coated in a crisp breading for a satisfying crunch. Plate the shrimp alongside  — the sweet corn, zesty lime and cilantro complement the shrimp just so — to make up your main course. Slide a few grilled mini potatoes on your plate, and have a fresh kale salad tossed in a tahini dressing waiting in the wings. While the barbecue is still hot, grill up a few halved summer peaches for dessert. 

Hands up if you miss going to the pub and grazing on your favourite finger foods. (Our hands are way, way up!) Bring that energy to your backyard with an easy summertime menu that will delight everyone at the table. Grill up some for an easy starter. Cheesy beef wrapped in a crispy tortilla is a tasty one-bite riff on everyone’s favourite shareable appetizer. These are sure to go fast, so you may want to pop two boxes on the grill.

Next, bring out a mix of saucy and breaded wings.  are everything you want in a wing: sweet, sticky and a little bit spicy. Grill, then toss in the accompanying yuzu honey sauce for a burst of citrus flavour. Make sure  also have a spot on the table. They’re lightly breaded and deliciously crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. They come with a smoky-sweet maple barbecue sauce for dipping. 

And don’t forget a contemporary classic:  are a great addition to the menu, especially if there are any vegetarians dining in. Tender, battered cauliflower turns into crispy perfection once grilled, with a zesty Butter Buffalo-style sauce for dipping. Pile these on your plate before they disappear! 

Be sure to have a few baskets of fries on the table, for the full Friday night pub dinner experience: A mix of crinkle cut, spicy and sweet potato fries should do the trick. In terms of vegetables, you can’t go wrong with a traditional mix of carrot, celery and cucumber sticks for refreshing crunch. Ranch or blue cheese dip is a must.

Appetizers are a great way to make barbecues vegetarian-friendly. Put together a spread of appetizers so diners can pick and choose what goes on their plate. Include a few salads on the side to round things out: A hefty, protein-packed bean or grain salad will work nicely here, and a lighter green salad will be a nice palate cleanser before you break out the  for dessert.  

Some apps to include: 

are tasty morsels made from a mix of potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and leeks, along with cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. They’re savoury bite-sized rounds that will pack your meal with vegetables. Those who don’t do cheese will love , which are delicious tidbits filled with sweet corn, carrots, kale, roasted chickpeas and peas, tossed in a crunchy quinoa coating.

Crunchy, gooey  will be a guaranteed hit –they’re the perfect combination of textures. A bowl of marinara sauce on the table for dipping is pretty much mandatory. Any vegans at the table? We’ve got you.  are a great dairy-free alternative, and will disappear as soon as you set them out. 

Deep-fried  also have that balanced crunchy, creamy texture. They’d go well wrapped in a soft flour tortilla with mango salsa, crispy chickpeas and a drizzle of  – but there’s no shame in going right for it with your hands.