Getting your kitchen ready for a summer of sport

With England about the head into the semi-finals of the Euros, the Tokyo Olympics just weeks away and Wimbledon in full swing, the heart of the home can be a great place for family and friends to gather together to support your team in your sport of choice.

From preparing pre and post-match snacks, entertaining a crowd, to dare we say it, even creating a space where  you can get away from all the sporting events and simply relax, there are plenty of things you can do to make sure that your kitchen is match fit!

Whether you have a large kitchen where you will be glued to a super sized screen, or a smaller kitchen space where you’ll be dipping in and out to prepare a pizza or two, there are plenty of things you can do to get your kitchen ready for a summer of sport.

Get an affordable new look for your kitchen

If you are planning on doing a lot of entertaining in your kitchen over the summer, the chances are that you want to make sure it’s looking its best. While buying a new kitchen may be cost prohibitive, there are plenty of ways that you can spruce up your look without breaking the bank.

For a super quick and easy way to update the look and feel of your kitchen, consider simply replacing your kitchen cabinet handles. It’s amazing how big a difference this can make to how your kitchen units look and bring a fresh feel to a tired or out of date space.

If your kitchen is feeling a little tired looking but you aren’t quite ready for a fully new one, consider replacing your kitchen doors. This is a great option for those who have a solid base, but want to get an updated look without the costs of an entirely new kitchen.

At Kitchen Warehouse we have a huge range of replacement kitchen doors in a wealth of styles, colours, and finishes, so you are sure to find ones that suit your taste, budget and existing kitchen scheme.

Ways to watch sport in the kitchen

Hoping to keep the sporting events contained in one room? If you have the space, the kitchen can be an ideal spot for the family to watch the footy, rugby or tennis. It’s a room that easily handles the odd spilt drink from an over-excited goal celebration, and let’s be honest – has easy access to all the food and beverages you might want throughout a long set of tennis!

But depending on your space, choosing to install a TV just for your summer of sport may be overkill, but a kitchen TV can have plenty of other uses – including watching along to your favourite cooking shows, streaming YouTube recipes and more.

Want to avoid a TV? How about setting up a projector in the garden so you still have easy access but without the permanence of a TV screen. Or you can even consider using a large PC monitor and mirror from your computer or mobile phone.

Get your snacks ready

Very few of us want to sit down to a three course meal while trying to watch our favourite sport, so getting creative with snacks helps to stave off hunger during a long game. Here are some snacking ideas.

Euros:

While some may find their appetite disappears at the spectre of a penalty shoot-out, food that can be eaten with your hands is the name of the game when it comes to watching football. So think buffet style – mini sausages, slices of pizza, and good old fashioned pork pies.

If the weather is good, try this bacon wrapped sweet potato wedges, cooked straight on the BBQ for something a little different:

Ingredients

4 large sweet potatoes

12 rashers of streaky bacon

BBQ seasoning

Method:

1. Cut the sweet potatoes into wedge shapes
2. Pop in the microwave for 8 minutes
3. Allow to cool slightly, then shake on the BBQ seasoning.
4. Wrap each of the wedges with a slice of the streaky bacon.
5. Pop directly onto the BBQ for around 15 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Keep turning as you go.

Wimbledon:

What’s the first thing you think of when it comes to Wimbledon? That’s right, strawberries and cream washed down with a good glug of Pimm’s and lemonade.

Want to try something a little different? Why not try these Pimm’s and Lemonade iced lollies instead? Great for keeping you cool.

Ingredients

100ml Pimms

200 ml lemonade

12 cucumber slices

1 x orange sliced

100g strawberries – cut into slices

Sprig of mint

Method

1. Mix together all of the ingredients except the mint in a mixing bowl or measuring jug
2. Ladle into ice lolly moulds, leaving around a quarter of space at the top.
3. Add a couple of mint leaves to each iced lolly.
4. Put the lids on the lolly moulds and leave to solidify in the freezer overnight
5. Enjoy!

Olympics:

When it comes to watching certain parts of the Olympics – it’s definitely a marathon and not a sprint! Why not get creative when it comes to your sport watching snacks, and choose flavours from around the world to match those of the teams you are supporting.

This year the Olympics are being held in Tokyo so get inventive with some great Japanese snacks. Think gyoza, edamame beans and pickled flavours.

For an easy but healthy Japanese style snack, why not make up your own “sushi bowls”?

Ingredients

150g sushi rice

1 tbs rice vinegar (use white wine vinegar as a substitute if you don’t have rice vinegar)

1 x pack of hot smoked salmon

1 large carrot cut into ribbons

2 tbsp pickled red cabbage

5 x radishes, thinly sliced

Thumb sized piece of ginger – grated

½ cucumber, sliced into ribbons

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame seeds

Pinch of sugar

Method

Cook the sushi rice following the pack instructions. Once cooked cool a little and sprinkles over the sugar and vinegar

Divide the rice between two bowls and arrange the remaining ingredients on top, then drizzle across the soy sauce and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Accessorising your kitchen

Really get into the spirit of the sport you’re watching by getting some fun accessories. From bunting to themed crockery, it’s little touches that can make all the difference.

Whether you want to go with full on England flags for the football, or buy that special jug for your Wimbledon Pimm’s, having fun with adding little accessories can add an extra dimension to your enjoyment of the games you are watching.

Remember, while it may seem a while away- you can always get your accessories back out in a year or two – even if your team crashes out!

Make it fun

Whatever sport you plan to watch – and whether it’s in your kitchen, or outside of it -the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy yourself.