When the sun’s out, there’s really only one bottle of wine you need to put on ice – Mateus Rosé, a refreshing pink wine with a light sparkle and hints of strawberries. It’s been world-famous for more than 80 years, and for good reason – it is versatile and works well with all manner of alfresco summer cuisines, from spicy barbecued food and griddled seafood to sweet strawberries and cream. And it doesn’t hurt that its pretty pink colour looks absolutely incredible, too!

If you ask us, summer eating is all about food that can be sorted in advance, so no time is spent wasted in the kitchen. It’s also about food that makes sense eaten outside, balanced on laps in the park or garden. The delicious new ready-made dips and colourful salads on offer from the Sainsbury’s Summer Edition range are ideal. Start things off by passing around a feta dip swirled with mint oil, then tuck into a Middle Eastern-inspired chickpea salad – an exciting combination of chickpeas, apricots, black turtle beans and cherries in a yogurt, beetroot and sumac dressing.

Sorting out the drinks for a summer barbecue can be a tricky business. There are lots of different foods on offer, and lots of varied preferences. With this trio of drinks you’ll find a drink to go with any plate and to suit any palate. Kick things off with an ice-filled jug of sangria – made with an approachable and elegant wine such as Campo Viejo Winemakers’ Blend – that is great with nibbles. Next, you’ll want a cocktail that’s refreshing and has wide appeal – like a margarita. Make it a talking point with the award-winning, super-smooth Altos Plata 100% Agave Tequila, made from 100% blue agave. And finally, pour a sundowner that’s bursting with sunset colours – try a zesty spritz made with Malfy Gin Con Arancia.

Whether you’re hosting a barbecue, or are a guest who’s been asked to bring along a plate of something to share, you can’t go wrong with the new Mediterranean-influenced offerings in the Sainsbury’s Summer Edition range of dips and salads. Try extra-smooth houmous, topped with whole chickpeas and a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, spooned into burger buns and pittas. On the side, pop some patatas bravas potato salad – cooked potatoes in a tomato and smoked paprika dressing with alioli and a tomato, red pepper and chilli topping – or a Greek-inspired whipped barrel-aged feta salad. It couldn’t be easier.

Bring the pizzeria to your garden with The Northern Dough Co’s easy-to-use pizza dough. Whether you’re catering for a crowd who likes something a little different, or want a family meal everyone can create together, pizza is the answer. Dough, of course, is the foundation of all great pizza – when it’s chewy and puffy, charred and blistered in places, it’s rarely refused. But making the kind of slow-risen dough you need for perfect pizza can be labour intensive. With The Northern Dough Co Pizza Dough, all the hard work has been done for you. Just stretch it, top it, bake it and eat it

Catering for vegetarians or vegans? You don’t have to go out of your way and produce something complicated. What The Cluck Vegan Chicken Chunks from The Vegetarian Butcher can be used in any of your preferred dishes, from any cuisine – try them in curries, salads, one-pots and stir-fries, or simply paired with rice, pasta or grains. In any recipe where you’d ordinarily use chicken, simply switch it out for juicy, succulent vegan chicken chunks. Made from soy, they are high in plant-based protein and fibre, and are a source of vitamin B12.

Grabbing a quick sandwich doesn’t have to be a disappointment. A gourmet deli-style ‘glamwich’ is easy to replicate at home when you use high-quality ingredients – and Taste The Difference sliced deli meats are a cut above. Wafer-thin slices of ham are made from outdoor-bred pork that’s hand cured with Cornish sea salt then hung to air dry before being cooked and sliced. Tender British beef, meanwhile, is made from dry-aged topside, which is lightly seasoned before being slowly roasted and sliced to reveal characteristic marbling.

We all know that a burger is nothing without a bun – and the same can be said of that other barbecue classic, the hot dog. Ditch bland, doughy rolls for light, deliciously soft and golden brioche from St Pierre. Baked in France to authentic recipes, St Pierre’s brioche buns, hot dog rolls and baguettes are the result of six centuries of baking savoir-faire. With a gently sweet flavour and a golden finish, they pair brilliantly with sweet and savoury dishes and come pre-sliced for convenience. They will raise all your favourite dishes to new heights – which is exactly what’s needed to turn a barbecue into something that’s truly magnifique.

Casual eating calls for some casual wine pairing. So forget all about trying to decipher complicated tasting notes and instead stock up on a collection of affordable, easygoing crowd-pleasers that will pair well with everything from barbecued burgers or steaks, griddled vegetarian kebabs and lighter alfresco meals. This trio of wines will do all that – 19 Crimes Red Wine and Revolutionary Rosé are great with barbecued meals, while a chilled glass of Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc is excellent with lighter alfresco dinners where chicken, pork and fish are the hero ingredients, as well as picnic food.