Most people spend a significant amount of time in the kitchen, and that makes sense because that’s where the food is located. However, indoor kitchens tend to be small and cramped with limited counter space for preparing meals when there are more people involved.
The lack of space is why some people get an outdoor kitchen. When it’s warm outside, it’s easier to host family gatherings, parties, and holiday meals in an open space. It also feels good to cook and eat outside, and it gives kids the chance to run around.
If you’ve ever wanted to have a real kitchen in your backyard and not just a basic barbecue grill, here are some great reasons to get one.
- Almost everyone loves eating outdoors
Most people would agree that eating outside is more fun than being stuck indoors. There’s something refreshing and inspiring about eating outside in nature, even if all you have to look at are a few trees, some shrubs, and grass.
When you add an outdoor kitchen to your backyard, the people you invite over for gatherings with food will thoroughly enjoy their time. If you don’t know what options are available, here are some outdoor kitchen design ideas to get you started. For instance, you can get anything from a pizza oven and a flat top grill to a gas grill and an ice maker.
- You can teach your kids to grill
If you have children, having an outdoor kitchen is a great opportunity to teach your kids how to grill. Grilling is probably one of the most important life skills they could possibly learn since almost everyone wants to grill their food at some point. They may even end up at a party where someone throws them the tongs and asks them to man the grill. Prepare them for these situations by teaching them how to cook.
You can teach your kids how to cook steak rare or medium rare, and show them some of your best family recipes for rubs and marinades. Grilling is truly an art that is often underappreciated, so when you teach your kids to grill at a young age, they’ll be a grill master in no time.
- Food tastes better outside
Most of the time, if you ask, people will say food just tastes better when eaten outside. It’s mostly psychological, but it’s also chemical. When you’re outside, you’re breathing fresh air, which has a positive impact on your mood by raising oxygen levels in the brain, which then increases serotonin.
When you add tasty food to that rush of serotonin, you get an elevated experience that wouldn’t be as intense in an indoor setting. If you want your guests to truly enjoy their meal, an outdoor kitchen is a must.
- Eating outdoors makes shy people more social
People who aren’t normally social often come out of their shell when there’s food involved. Being outside with a group of people who are focused on food lessens the anxiety of not knowing what to say, where to go, or who to talk to for people who usually stay quiet.
Compared to pure networking events where everyone is expected to talk about serious matters, it’s much easier to make small talk with other people about food. For those who are shy, the presence of food can be a deal breaker for them to attend in the first place.
- You’ll have more space for holidays
How many times have you hosted a holiday gathering and wished you had more space? If you’ve ever had to rearrange your counters or pull out extra folding tables just to accommodate extra plates or self-serve dishes, you need an outdoor kitchen.
Imagine being able to line up a bunch of self-serve dishes with taco or burger toppings outside, away from the main kitchen. People could go outside and walk around to socialize, or sit down at the patio table. With an outdoor kitchen, you’d have more space and more options.
- You’ll get more fresh air
Most people spend 90% of their time indoors and don’t spend enough time outside in the fresh air. When you have an outdoor kitchen, they’ll have a reason to be outside long enough to start feeling good. Most people report feeling better when they spend time outside, and sometimes it takes food to make that happen.
An outdoor kitchen is a great addition to any backyard
If you’re ready to get an outdoor kitchen, you don’t have to get too fancy. If all you need is a grill and an ice machine, as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.
