How to pack the perfect picnic

Sun’s out, picnic blanket’s out. Whether I’m by myself, with friends or family, at the beach, at a park or simply in my backyard, having a picnic is always a fab idea. Fresh air, good food, good company – what else do you need? Roll out your picnic blanket, have a seat and enjoy.

If you don’t have much experience with picnics or perhaps have never had one, I’m here to give you a helping hand. I want you to have a lovely picnic experience. For that reason, I thought of creating a little guide on how to pack the perfect picnic. For some extra picnic tips, I’ve partnered up with Pantry House, online fine food shop.

Go for a cooler rather than a basket.

Yes, a basket looks lovely but is it truly practical? Not really. Keeping your food fresh and cool is more important than having an Instagrammable picnic basket. At least, that’s what I think. Don’t forget to pack everything in resealable containers to avoid spills or crushing.

This article on BBC Good Food also recommends taking plastic cups or bottles for the littles ones to avoid breakages, and for grown-ups who do like a glass of wine, “consider a lightweight tray to perch them on during pouring and between sips.”

Go for easy foods that won’t leave crumbs everywhere.

I’m not a fan of crumbs, never been and never will. If there is one thing I can’t stand is crumbs, and that is something I do not want all over my picnic blanket. So, if you share the same hatred with crumbs, choose picnic foods that won’t crumble everywhere.

The team at Pantry House recently shared on their blog a list of essential picnic food, which is a great start! This includes a variety of spreads, such as chutneys, hummus and other delicious spreads that can be enjoyed on top of your favourite crackers. Those are great appetisers for any picnic.

Then, have some more filling foods, such as salads and sandwiches. Yummly recommends skipping “mayo-heavy salads such as potato salad, which can spoil more quickly in the sun. Go with hardy bean, grain, or pasta salads with vinegar-based dressings.” I’d have to agree with them! Even though I love potato salad, there is no need to risk a funny stomach.

Don’t forget to bring the tools and utensils. As Real Simple mentions, “It’s a major picnic fail if you have a gorgeous bottle of wine or flavored sodas and you forget the opener.” So, make sure you pack any utensils and tools you might need, including bottle openers, serving utensils and plenty of napkins.

Go for picnic activities.

Always plan for boredom. As this article on Chowhound says, “Even scintillating conversation can lag after a while.” So, pack some games and activities for everyone, including board games, card games, colouring books or any other activities that you might like!