National Picnic Day

Today is National Picnic Day! What a fun day to celebrate! Grab a basket and a blanket and head outside for a meal out in the sunshine.

To make the most of your picnic, here are some helpful tips!

Unbreakable Dishes

The last thing you want to worry about on a carefree picnic is if something is going to get broken. Use melamine or enamel plates. They are practical, easy to pack, and washable. Disposable plates are also an option.

Bring Entertainment

Don’t rely on the picnic in and of itself to keep participants entertained. Plan for lags in conversation or battle boredom with board games,  activity books, coloring books, butterfly net, frisbee, sand castle kit, etc.

Pack Finger Foods

When choosing your menu, think of food that isn’t messy and easy to pick up on its own like chicken drumsticks, veggie sticks, fruit skewers or fruit slices. Premade sandwiches work well, too. You can even make a salad on a skewer with cucumber slices, cherry or grape tomatoes, mozzarella balls, spinach leaves, olives, and drizzle with dressing.

Bug Off

It’s a picnic. There will be bugs. Flies. Ants. Other creepy crawlies. Plan the attack. It might mean packing mesh covers for food, drinks with lids. Including a roll of plastic wrap. Don’t forget the bug spray, or citronella candles.

Set the Scene

Folding tables, chairs, a hammock, glorious tents with breezy gauze all look wonderful in pictures, but keep it real and really simple. You don’t need to pack all that stuff for a picnic.  Stick to the basics of a blanket. If you’re feeling decadent, toss in a few pillows for resting on after you are stuffed.

The Equipment

Although those nifty wicker picnic baskets look so vintage and chic, a good quality cooler will do a much better job of keeping your food cold. You can pack the plates and whatnot in the fancy basket if you wish, but be mindful on a hot day of keeping cold folds properly chilled.

Come Prepared

Pack more paper towels, wet wipes, and garbage bags than you think you’ll need. You might even want to toss in a first aid kit in case someone gets a scraped knee.

Discover more picnic ideas and summer entertaining tips in Savvy Summer Entertaining