It’s summer, which means it is time to clean out the grill and fire it up for a good old-fashioned backyard barbecue.

I love to grill and smoke meats — in fact, I’m an award winner for my cooking — and when I need to restock on supplies, I find most of them at my local union supermarket. Most of our members already work at these stores, so it’s especially convenient for them to shop where they work.

Here are a few ideas for your list of union-made picnic items:

  • Weber Q series grill
  • Igloo and Rubbermaid coolers
  • Red Solo cups
  • Hot dogs, sausages and other grill meats from these brands: Ball Park, Boar’s Head, Calumet, Dearborn Sausage Co., Fischer Meats,
  • Hebrew National, Hofmann,
  • Johnsonville and Oscar Meyer.
  • Condiments by brands such as French’s Mustard, Gulden’s Mustard, Heinz Ketchup, Hidden Valley Ranch, Lucky Whip and Vlasic.
  • Sodas and bottled water from Bart’s, Coke, Diet Sprite, Pepsi, Sprite, American Springs, Pocono Northern Fall’s and Poland Spring.
  • Snacks and dessert from Breyer’s Ice Cream, Flipz Pretzels, Frito-Lay chips, Mission tortillas, Mission
  • tortilla chips and Good Humor ice cream.
  • …and don’t forget the sunscreen by Coppertone and Bain de Soleil brands.
  • Keep in mind that when you buy a union-made product, you are protecting the jobs of the union workers who made it. You are also supporting a company that offers its employees a good job and fair representation.

Be aware of what you’re buying, who made it and where you’re buying it. It is a big mistake to go down the street to the monster non-union store in order to save a buck. Instead, use your hard-earned dollars to protect the jobs of your friends and neighbors. Make sure you buy your meats at UNIONSTORES!

All it takes is a little effort on our part and we can improve the lives of millions of brothers and sisters. And you’ll feel good about what you’re buying.

So, who’s up for a burger?