How To Pack For A Picnic
No matter what you plan to bring, there are some essentials you’ll need. Included in this list are:
Blanket
We always keep a picnic mat in the car. You don’t have to use a blanket. Any large cloth will do. You can use an old sheet or comforter or towels, especially if you are going to the beach. Or a special folding blanket like This one.
Napkins
It is always a good idea to have napkins available. cloth napkins for picnics may feel more refined, but paper or paper towel napkins will work just as well.
How to Drink
It’s the drinks for everyone that I tend to forget (doh!). To avoid this happening to you, let me remind you to pack either your favorite spill-proof water bottles OR a bigger bottle with cups. You can either use disposable cup, or you can get some reusable cups like this.
Utensils
Let’s discuss utensils. I like to bring some of our everyday metal utensils with us (less waste). You can also bring disposable options. You can bring disposable utensils or bring your metal utensils. Consider stocking up on compostable alternatives if plastic utensils don’t suit your tastes.
Corkscrew
We once went to a picnic and forgot the corkscrew. Do not let this happen to you. When you are packing wine, make sure that you also pack a corkscrew .
The bag to carry everything
Although a beautiful picnic basket may look nice, I’ve found that they are quite heavy to carry around. (Why is it that the straps/handles are always uncomfortable ?!).? Instead of thinking about beauty, I prefer to think about practicality when choosing a bag for our picnic. I can choose between two options depending on what we are bringing.
Keep your food cool
You can use a rolling bag, or if you’re serving food that needs to be kept cold in order to prevent spoilage. (I’ve used the one from Trader Joe’s I bought years ago. Don’t forget to bring ice packs.
No need for cooling
My default picnic bag, however, is a backpack if your dishes will not spoil quickly. Although it may not look as nice as a picnic hamper, a backpack is easy to carry, and can fit everything or almost everything at once.
Cleaning Supplies
To be a good steward to our environment and surroundings, I make it a point to pack everything out. It means that we must pack up all our trash. If we’re going on a picnic with a lot of people, I will bring a trash bag.
Bonus tip: If you forgot a bag, use any empty containers that you brought to pack your things out.
Tips For Packing The Food
It is a sad moment when you arrive at your picnic location only to find that your food has been ruined or leaking. Here are some tips that I’ve developed over the years to avoid this unpleasant moment.
Leak prevention
Pack anything liquid into a leakproof container. You can pack items like cold soups, fruit, salads and even watermelon. ).
Avoiding crushed food
Packing my picnic basket is similar to packing groceries. Heavy and sturdy items go at the bottom and light and delicate things are at the top. Items in leak-proof containers should be placed at the bottom. Fruit, sandwiches, and delicate desserts (because who wants to eat a sandwich …) that is squished?) would go towards the top.
How to package stone fruits and berries
Let’s now talk about stone fruits and berries, as they are very delicate and can be crushed. I wash berries right before packing them and store them in a container that has some paper towels to absorb any excess moisture and prevent them from being knocked about. For stone fruit, I wrap each piece in a paper towel to prevent it from being bruised. Then, these babies are placed at the top.
Picnic Food Ideas
Now that you know how to protect and pack your food, let’s discuss WHAT to bring. Any favorite dish you like that does not need to be eaten immediately is fine for a picnic. However, some dishes are better suited to being eaten al fresco. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for picnic foods:
Hummus deviled eggs
This fun twist on the classic deviled egg is sure to please. Plus, they’re great for picnics since they don’t contain mayonnaise.
Watermelon, feta, & Mint cubes
These are a picnic favorite because of the combination of sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy. They’re also easy to make and a lot of fun to eat.
Crunchy veggie wraps
Wraps are a great option for picnics because they’re so easy to consume. You can easily adapt these festive wraps to suit your tastes or the contents of your refrigerator. Add sliced beets or chickpeas, baby greens or romaine lettuce, red onions or sliced bell peppers.
Garlic lime shrimps with black beans and corn salad
Picnics are the perfect time to enjoy salads that get better as they marinate. This salad is elegant enough to serve at a special event, but simple enough to take on a last-minute trip.
Curried chicken salad
This fun twist on the picnic classic is sure to please. This can be served straight from the container, or as a sandwich or wrap.
Couscous salad with chickpeas, apricot vinaigrette and
The addition of a grain salad to a picnic is incredibly useful. They can be made at any temperature, and benefit from extra time, like this one, to let the flavors blend.
Italian caprese pasta salad
Pasta salads always make a great addition to a picnic. This one is a favorite because it highlights all of the summer flavors in the best way.
Crispy cornflake chicken
This is fantastic right out of your oven but it also makes a great finger-licking treat at picnics, without all the grease!
Classic gazpacho with diced avocado
Gazpacho has always been my favorite soup for summer. It’s delicious and fun to eat. We sometimes serve the food in mugs instead of spoons at picnics.
Chewy protein-packed peanut butter granola squares
This is the perfect treat to take on a picnic, as there is no risk of melting like with chocolate.
Fruit kabobs
It’s a sure-fire hit. You can even have your children assemble these while you prepare the rest of the picnic food!