Creating the Perfect Family Picnic
July is National Picnic Month, and with the weather having been so perfect (up until this weekend at least) – we have been enjoying our fair share of family picnics. There is something immensely satisfying about packing up a lovely hearty lunch and sitting out in the sunshine with your loved ones; sharing, stuffing your faces and chatting away in the sunshine. Done right, picnics can be a hugely enjoyable family experience, but done wrong, you might be left wishing you’d stuck to serving dinner at home! If you’re thinking of taking your family out to enjoy the sunshine, here’s my checklist of must have items to help you create the perfect family picnic.
Location
Firstly, pick your location wisely. In order to be comfortable, your picnic spot should ideally have lots of flat open expanses of grass, ideally with a small amount of shade if possible; such as near a large tree close by to create some shelter from the warmer midday sun. If the venue allows, it is preferable to be near to some public toilets; as you can guarantee the minute you sit down and start tucking in someone will have a sudden desperation for a wee. Having made this mistake in the past, watch out for ducks or other wildlife that may be attracted to your food (a stolen snack a jack will always end in tears!) and avoid sitting too close to rubbish bins, as they tend to attract the kryptonite of picnics – wasps! The last thing you want to do is spend the entire picnic shooing away critters from your crumpets.
Consider Comfort
A large comfortable picnic blanket is an absolute must – ideally one with a plastic lining so that your bottoms don’t get wet if the grass is covered in dew or if we’ve had some rainfall the night before. Whilst a full picnic hamper isn’t essential, there is something very quaint about having everything you need in one easy to carry container. We have fallen in love with the Von Shef 4 Person Picnic Backpack, which contains everything you might need for an alfresco feast in one easy to carry package (much easier for commuting to your destination than with a traditional style picnic hamper!). The Von Shef Picnic backpack comes with plates and cutlery, a chopping board, wine glasses, salt and pepper shakers and even a corkscrew and bottle opener – (ideal for opening a bottle of your favourite bubbles if you want to make your family picnic a little more upmarket), and comes with a matching waterproof lined picnic blanket with ample space for the family to sit.
Keep it Cool
In order to avoid bacteria and germs, it’s absolutely crucial to be able to keep food cool, and something like the Von Shef is ideal, with a insulated cooler compartment inside – just add cool packs straight from your freezer and your food will stay chilled until you’re ready to tuck in.
Protect from the Sun
Even on days where the sun isn’t completely exposed, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. If you are out in the middle of the day, suntan lotion and sunhats are a must, particularly for little ones, and the mini bottles from the holiday range at supermarkets are ideal if you are limited on space.
Suitable Seating
Feeding little ones without a high chair in tow can be tricky – this fold out mini seat from Aramo is ideal. The Aramo Flippa Dining Booster comes with its very own tray and folds up small and compact, making it easy to carry to and from your picnic location, but also ideal for festivals and other outdoor dining experiences. It can also be attached to a normal height chair, making eating out with little people a doddle in places which may not otherwise cater for younger bottoms! For adults, if getting up and down from the floor is likely to be a struggle, fishermen’s chairs are lightweight alternatives, and most come with a little slot for your drink too! 🙂
Cleaning Up
Don’t forget the baby wipes – every mucky faces friend! From mopping up spills to cleaning sticky fingers, no picnic is complete without a pack of wipes on hand! It’s also recommended to take a bin bag or carrier bag packed in with your food so that any left overs can be quickly and easily gathered up ready to take to the nearest bin when you leave, without needing multiple journeys to clear up your mess.
Picnic Savy Spending
Before you know it, the cost of catering for a family picnic can really add up, especially if you get lured into buying lots of prepacked picnic foods from your local supermarket. Make up food the night before instead, which is a far cheaper alternative – pasta bake is easy to make in advance and lovely to eat cold the following day. These ProCook Tupperware style glass airtight storage containers are ideal for keeping your dishes fresh and air tight ready for consumption.
Spice up your snacks
Snacks don’t have to be boring. Yoghurts are fun picnic snacks but can be a bit dull – make them more fun with these Munchy Seeds toppers.
If you are bored of fighting a losing battle trying to find snacks that are good for you over snacks that are traditionally yummy, then check out the range from Indie Bay Snacks – which offer the best of both worlds! These low calorie snacking pretzels are ideal for sharing and with a range of flavours to suit every taste buds they are sure to go down a storm. We love the rock salt flavour!
Fill up on Fluids
Remember to take lots of water to ensure everyone stays hydrated. The Shaken Udder milkshakes are also perfect for picnics as they are low sugar (school approved) and don’t have to be kept in the fridge (although best served cold!). Erin is obsessed with choco milk so has really enjoyed these – a good source of calcium too!Â
Whereever you chose to have your picnics this Summer, we hope you have a fantastic time. Lets make the most of the heatwave whilst we have it, before you know it, it’ll be Christmas! 🙂
Lucy x
