Happy Independence Day!  If you choose to celebrate this summer holiday like most folks, then you're probably firing up the 'ol grill as we speak.  Cooking our food out on an open flame is one of my favorite summer traditions, but having a successful cookout takes time, preparation and of course, amazing food.

One of my least favorite steps in preparing for a summer grill session is having to battle the numerous folks down at the local grocery store.  Finding a choice piece of meat can sometimes seem impossible, especially near a holiday.  I typically get frustrated at trying to find delicious fare to throw on the pit when everything at the store is so picked through and unappealing.

That's why this 4th of July, I was happy that the folks at Schwan's Home Service came to my family's rescue.  Not only did we receive a wide variety of tantalizing food to serve straight from the grill, they even delivered it right to my door.  Now that's a service that puts the sparkle back in my 4th of July festivities.  Keep reading to learn more!

Beef Sirloin Tips

Quarter Pound Beef Burgers

Talk about tradition. For over 55 years, the Schwan's Route Sales Representatives have paid visits to households just like yours, delivering delicious, easy-to-prepare meals and friendly personalized service. Every two weeks, they'll stop by with your choice of over 350 restaurant-quality products, all of which naturally come with a 100% quality guarantee. Schwan's is constantly searching for new ways to help busy families enjoy mealtime together, and you're assured of always seeing this commitment reflected in the products they create and the service they provide.

I can still remember those summer days as a kid, living out in the middle of nowhere, Texas.  Without fail, the Schwan's man would come driving down our dirt road and every kid in the neighborhood would run to whoever's house was the lucky recipient of the frozen goodies.  We'd all feast on delicious ice cream until we were full and anxiously wait for the Schwan's delivery man to return again in a few weeks with more yummies.

This time, the Schwan's home delivery service brought my family an array of fare just right for a summer barbecue.  What's more, they offer a delicious variety of toppings and recipes for an at-home "burger bar" anyone would be proud of.  Why have the same old boring hamburger, when with Schwan's, you could try one of the following 60 burger recipe ideas, such as:

Farmhouse Bistro - Top your burger with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, onion and a fried egg,

Bacon Guacamole - Top your burger with a slice of American cheese, a slice of fully cooked crisp bacon and a generous scoop of cool guacamole.

Pizza - Top your burger with favorite pizza ingredients such as pepperoni, mozzarella, marinara sauce, black olives and a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Rio Bravo - Top your burger with bacon, cheese, and BBQ sauce.

Hawaiian Holiday - Top your burger with grilled ham, Swiss cheese and pineapple and drizzle with sweet & sour sauce.

Mean Green Supreme - Top your burger with crisp bacon, grilled green pepper rings and a generous scoop of cool guacamole.

Fully Cooked Bacon Slices	Grilled Asparagus Spears
Six Cheese Tortellini	Mini Super Sweet Corn on the Cob

We happened to celebrate the 4th a little early this year and have to say that Schwan's helped make our celebration spectacular!  There weren't any long lines at the grocery store to tolerate and all of the food delivered was super fresh and vacuumed sealed in small portion sizes.  For instance, each of the quarter pound beef burger patties we received were packaged together in pairs, perfect for even a small family to use.  We took out and defrosted what we needed and put the rest back in the deep freezer to use again at our convenience.

These days, when time always seems to be in short supply, I value convenience in the day-to-day tasks we all have to accomplish.  Schwan's helps a busy family immensely by bringing quality food directly to your door, allowing you to check one more thing off the ol' to-do list.

For me, Schwan's will always irrevocably be associated with lazy days and happy times.  Even now, when I see the Schwan's truck in my neighborhood, I smile to myself and know that some family's day will be made a little better than it was before, thanks to their special delivery.  If you want to guarantee some amazing food at your next family barbecue, be sure that Schwan's is first on the guest list!

Disclosure:  I received the food items mentioned above from Schwan's in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.