Everyone has their favorite food dish throughout the year, such as turkey on Thanksgiving or mashed potatoes on Christmas morning. But when it comes to the summer, most have signature grilled foods they crave.

Sophomore Kylen Traylor is in this category of people who enjoys cookouts in the summer, with his favorite food item being grilled chicken.

“My favorite grilled food is grilled chicken without a question. It is a classic grilled food, and you can go to any cookout or restaurant and they will serve grilled chicken. Not to mention, it’s not super chewy, and it’s easy to eat. It tastes delicious and is a great source of protein during the summer that is great to eat after workouts. The chicken itself just looks delicious and is best topped with barbecue sauce,” Traylor said.

Others like sophomore Zak Ahmed enjoy shish kebabs.

“Shish kebabs are one of my favorite grilled foods because they have such a delicious combination of grilled meat and vegetables all on a stick. The best part about them is that they hold a smoky flavor that comes from the heat of the fire,” Ahmed said.

He holds memories from when he was a kid and first had his delicious shish kebabs.

“My mom was a master at making them, and I remember a barbecue from when I was little when she made lamb kebabs that were marinated in spices, and they were so tender and flavorful. That meal was a memory that I shared with my family, and it remains as one of my fondest memories of my family and food,” Ahmed said.

Senior Rhyan Pierce has similar experiences with her favorite grilled item as well. 

“My favorite food from cookouts is a smash burger because my mom has made them ever since I was little, and I love the melted cheese on the cheeseburger. I also love to top the burger with onions, tomatoes, and small buns for the patty. I add some ketchup with it as well, and sometimes my mom makes fries when we grill out to go with the smashed burger,” Pierce said.

Teachers also have their favorite foods to grill, including brothers Mr. Rick Guipe, social studies teacher, and Mr. Pete Guipe. 

“I’ve got two favorite things to grill, which are BBQ chicken breasts and turkey burgers. Both are easy to throw on the grill, and the breasts are easy. We put three barbecue sauces on the meat after. The turkey burgers are fool-proof and are already easily seasoned,” Rick Guipe said. 

Pete Guipe loves to smoke meats during the summer as well.

“My favorite thing to smoke in the summer is pork ribs. The smoker I have cooks them faster than normal. I love ribs, and I do a dry rub on them. About halfway through, I spritz the meat with apple cider vinegar. At the end, I add Carolina gold BBQ sauce,” Pete Guipe said.