The recent sunny spell has provided plenty of perfect opportunities for barbecues - and the supermarket with the best deals for your next BBQ has now been revealed.

According to personal finance experts money.co.uk, the average UK BBQ now costs UK consumers around £51 in food.

The site's best value BBQ report determined that - perhaps unsurprisingly - Aldi was the cheapest overall supermarket for a meat, vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian cook-out.

A basket filled with meat products from Aldi will cost just £38.52. Sainsbury’s (£42.26) takes second place, with Morrisons (£50.10) following behind in third. Tesco (£52.27) and Asda (£52.84) are neck- and-neck in fourth and fifth place.

A plant-based budget BBQ will set you back an average of £15.37 for 6 guests. Hosting a party of 4 will set you back £12.14 at Aldi - that’s £9.86 less than if shopping at supermarket giant Tesco, and £10.71 less than a BBQ basket at Waitrose.

The report also reveals that a whopping £258.3m will be spent on BBQ food during summer 2021. It analyses the offerings of 22 popular barbecue foods across six UK supermarkets, calculating the average basket price. The report also looks into the average cost of a traditional, vegan/vegetarian and pescatarian BBQ for adults and children.

Salman Haqqi, money.co.uk’s personal finance expert offers his top tips on how to save money on your summer barbecues.

He said: “One of the best things about summer is inviting all of your friends and family round for an impromptu alfresco BBQ, to enjoy delicious food and great company while the sun sets.

“Hosting a BBQ can be quite expensive, but thankfully there are ways to stretch your budget as you welcome others back into your gardens this summer.

“It’s certainly worth bearing in mind that the fewer people you invite, the fewer you will ultimately have to feed. However, if you’re looking to host a larger celebration, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask invitees to bring drinks, meat or side dishes with them.

“This not only means that guests will bring food with them they know they will enjoy, it will also ensure there is plenty to go around and a good selection of options for all.

“Try to look for more inexpensive cuts and types of meats while browsing the supermarket - replace the pricier options of steak and salmon with pork, turkey, cod or haddock.

“Finally, use your freezer space to avoid any food waste! Take advantage of any reduced food and special offers at supermarkets, and stock up on essentials for future BBQ’s.”