There’s something special about the first warm weekend of May. For us, it’s the unofficial start of grilling season — the smell of smoke in the air, cold drinks in hand, and the sound of kids running barefoot on the grass. This year, we kicked things off with a full-day backyard barbecue, and it couldn’t have been better.

If you’re wondering what to grill, I’ve got you covered with a roundup of our favorite grilled dishes from the day — including some fun options for kids. Plus, I’ll walk you through the pros and cons of using a charcoal grill, briquettes, or gas.