One of the beautiful things about the nice weather is the ability to get outside and eat in the manner that the Italians call al fresco, which means to eat outside. Around these parts, though, we usually refer to it as a picnic. How should one go about having a successful picnic? Here are four important subjects to consider.
1. Where to Have the Picnic?
When I think about having a picnic, the first location that pops into my mind is under a shady tree, but there are so many other options. Parks, beaches, even a rooftop can be the perfect setting for your picnic. Perhaps the easiest way of choosing a location is considering how far you wish to travel and/or the distance from your home. Try using online maps (I use Google maps) that display everything within a given perimeter and you can choose from there.
2. Who to Invite?
Well, if this is a romantic picnic for two, the answer should be obvious. If however, this is a family picnic, then there are other dimensions to consider. Who doesn’t get along with whom? Who has pets that do not get along? Who suffers from allergies to pollen, food, and so forth? This is not to say that a particular aunt or cousin should be permanently excluded; rather, it may be preferable to invite them out on a different occasion. A little diplomacy may save a lot of headaches.
3. What to Serve?
Given that you are outdoors in the first place, it makes sense to embrace nature’s goodness by having a selection of salads and fruits along with the traditional fried chicken and sandwiches. Or maybe that’s just my tradition, but I never have a picnic without fried chicken & a selection of sandwiches. Anyhow, in many ways, the selection of location will have a lot to say about the menu. If the idea is to cook anything hot on a camp stove or small barbecue, think about how far the picnic location is from the parking lot? A little exercise is a lovely thing, but being burdened down another. Plus there aren’t likely to be any elephants available to haul all that extra equipment.
4. How to Pack?
Consider everything that is going to be served or any games that might be played and think it all through. There’s no point in planning on having a great game of frisbee if nobody packs the frisbee. Beyond that, make sure you remember that the food will be going some distance in the car (unless, of course, this is a backyard picnic) and not eaten immediately. Therefore, be sure to pack any perishables such as any egg or mayonnaise based sandwiches nearest to cold packs in a cooler. Pack any liquids, in sealable containers and place those within tightly tied bags. You don’t want the entire meal tasting like spilled Balsamic Italian Dressing, right?
And lastly, when leaving, make sure you clean up your entire mess. No one likes a litterbug.
Do you have anything to add?
I always pack hand sanitizer and mosquito spray
Great tips and will say we did a smoothie picnic about 2 weekends ago when the dog was getting groomed in our local park. Need to do more while the weather is still nice now 🙂
My best picnics places were found by canoe/kayak. All goes back to childhood but canoe, hidden beach spot. Partially Frozen orange juice, soft bagels, hard cheese, pepperoni, fresh pineapple for dessert …….om nom nom
That sounds….awesome. I could go for a picnic like that.
good tips – I would pack sandwiches and salads and lemonade or similar
I remember a few times when they had some picnics at my kids schools – people were so lazy and just brought McDonalds and Subway. – ha-ha
We have a lot of picnics right in our back yard. It makes set up and clean up easy that way.
That is such a fun idea! I should definitely try that more often 😉
A fried chicken picnic with my sister, calls. July 6th is F.C. Day too! Thanks for the great list.
Good picnic tips…we love to eat at waysides while traveling. Great way to relax and for the kids a perfect way to unwind. I always have a picnic bag in the Jeep – tablecloth, hand wipes, cutting board, knife, plates…..While running errands at home sometimes we will stop and pick up lunch and find a perfect park to enjoy the summer weather.
Ha,I laughed at the not packing the frisbee when you want to play Frisbee. We recently did that with boomerangs. 🙂
Good tips! I took my dog once & we realized she didn’t know how to swim as we had our picnic by a lake. It turned out to be adventures of a Picnic.
I say have the picnic where there is not 1 single bug! Indoors! just kidding. My favorite is the beach, laying in the sun makes me so hungry!
Mitch
I love picnics! We have had several at the state park near our house, as well as a camp ground that isn’t too far away from us. We invite as many of our family members as we can get together at one time and it’s always a blast! We avoid any and all foods with mayo for picnics that aren’t held in our backyard because I’m a little compulsive when it comes to food and keeping proper temperatures. I could not agree with you more about putting your food in sealable containers and then putting those in tightly sealed bags. So important to double-seal/bag everything in case something leaks!
Great tips,I have not been on a picnic for a while oh well apart from in the garden with the kids.We needed lots of bug spray and we had a fly zapper as they would not go away lol.
Great ideas! I am careful about not serving perishable items that will go bad if they sit out for too long. We try to consume those first. Fruits and veggies are always great to have on hand!
We have a beautiful park very close to our house where we picnic. Usually we have sandwiches, fruit and chips- we’re happy to just be outside and together!
These are great tips! Perfect for all of the picnics and BBQs in the summer.
Great tips, I love taking the kids on picnics but like it to be smooth sailing!
Same! There is nothing worse than realizing you have forgotten something important for your picnic.
I want to go on a picnic now. 🙂 Some great tips. I try and make sure we go where there is a play area for the kids to run off to.
Thanks for all the great tips! We are actually through a huge picnic for the Chamber of Commerce soon so I will keep these in mind!
remembering to pack bug spray is so very important… and toys and fun stuff for the kids after the meal.
These are such great tips. I am always on the Blue Ridge Parkway picnicking. Seems they have better breezes then my home haha. I still use Avon Skin so soft and bring books since I get lazy after I eat haha 🙂
Great tips! Make sure to pack a blanket or chairs if no picnics tables are available. Also, bug spray is a must!
Very good tips. Depending on the time of day, you will want to bring bug spray, sunscreen, umbrellas etc!
Great tips! I agree with Amy about the sunscreen and bug spray. We like to picnic at our state park, which is full of bugs. I always keep a can of sunscreen and bug spray in the car just in case we forget on our way out the door.
Something to repel bugs would definitely be on my list (if I could remember everything.) Otherwise, this is an excellent list to get me started!
Great tips as usual. I very rarely have picnics but now that I’m going to be unemployed and have a lot of time on my hands I may have to start having some with the kids. 🙂
I would bring something that would get rid of the bugs, I hate having bugs near my food.
I absolutely love picnics but always forget to carry bug spray or some other necessity that would come in handy. Thanks for the tips! 🙂
Wet wipes. Clean hands and face before and after eating!
I love putting together and attending a good picnic. I’m planning one for tomorrow actually. Now I just have to start preparing everything so I don’t have to do much tomorrow. Great tips!
I love the *idea* of a picnic but when I actually go on one, I don’t love it. I wish I loved them! I like putting everything together for one though!
Such Awesome Tips We All Can Use Definately Need The Bug Spray Thank You For Sharing!
You have impeccable timing! we are picnicking tonight!
Homemade bug spray is a must! We took picnics as a family growing up and my favorite was always my mother’s fried chicken, fruit salad and yeast rolls. Great memories!
Sounds like you’ve covered almost everything! I think picnics are fun too!! 🙂
I’m throwing a picnic tomorrow for the 4th. Great tips! Picnics are so much fun.
I haven’t been on a picnic in years. I would love to pack a basket and go soon. Thanks for sharing such great tips.
I’d love to go for a picnic with my husband. We’ll have to go on one soon.
We have so many areas around us that these tips would be great for.. we just need to get off our butts and have a picnic!
We’ve been remiss in our picnicking this year. There are some great parks around here, we need to get to it!
Great tips! The location of the picnic definitely determines what kind of foods we will pack.
Those are all nice, simple tips for an enjoyable outing.
wonderful tips. My only other big tip would be bug spray. Specifically – mosquito repellent. For some reason these little bugger love me and I am mauled by them whenever I step outdoors. no seriously. It is bad! I love picnics, love them, but mosquito repellent might be slightly more important to me than the actual food itself {i am fried chicken kinda girl too :)}
I usually avoid taking food anywhere but once we’re at the beach, we don’t like to leave so I guess you could say we picnic there. Usually pb&j and fruit/snacks.
great tips. Another is to pack bug spray and sunscreen, especially here in Florida it’s necessary all the time
My only tip would be to make sure there are rest rooms nearby especially if young children will be invited.
I enjoy going on a picnic and pack a lunch whenever we travel. That way, I don’t have to eat fast food and we stop and eat along the way.
I’d try to choose a location with an accessible toilet. Must-have with young kids and the older folks! 🙂
Ai @ Sakura Haruka
great tips! i wonder if people stop going on picnics like they did when i was a kid. thanks for the tips
These details are so important to remember when going for a picnic!
Those are all great tips! I love going on picnics!
I love picnics during the summer. These would be great tips to remember to do.
We love to picnic! My favorite picnic memories are usually in my own backyard!
I wish I could do picnics but I hate all the uninvited guests
I I had no idea alfresco meant eat outside you learn something new everyday. I haven’t been on a picnic in ages I definitely need to plan one soon!
Thank you for the picnic pointers. I am glad that you mentioned to pick up your mess. Always bring a trash bag with you:)
Wish we could picnic more, but it’s just too hot!
Great tips! We used to have the boys parties as a picnic at local parks – so much to think about when planning. Coolers, snacks, utensils, napkins, garbage bags, etc…These are perfect!
These are awesome tips! Thank your for sharing.
I always try to find a shaded trip. Nothing like ruining a great picnic with a sunburn.
These are great tips. I haven’t been on a picnic in a longtime! I always like to pack fresh fruit for a refreshing treat.
We like switching up the where. Finding new places and hidden playgrounds are always fun!
I love having a picnic on the flat rocks of a beach. It’s easy to set everything out, and tends to give you a better view of the beach – and hardly anyone comes up and bothers you. (Plus you stay out of the sand.)
Great tips! I just took my kids for their first picnic.
I usually take finger foods during picnic because it’s easier for my kids to eat without spoon or plates. Also wipes or hand sanitizer is a must.
These are great tips. Maybe once we stop getting rain on the weekends the boys and I can plan for a picnic.
Right now picnics are something the husband and I plan for a date night. Since we have 2 acres, we tend to play here with kiddo. We have a lot of outside games, we grill, and just have a good time of it. With her and 2 dogs, things are never boring.
Location is key for me when it comes to picnics!
These are awesome tips. I love going for picnics.
Definitely pack bug spray and sunblock! I like to picnic often with my son, so I actually bought a diaper bag that has a built-in cooler in the bottom. We usually stick to things like PB&J and those shelf-safe fruit pouches, because they do well for travel and don’t need to be chilled for long (if at all). I also like buying those little shelf-safe milks for my son. They don’t have to be refrigerated until after they’re opened, and he doesn’t mind drinking them warm.
It is so important that you remember to pack everything. We went to a family reunion one time and the only thing we had was Grippo’s BBQ Chips (the best by the way) and cottage cheese because everyone forgot to pack food lol.
Love your tips! Thinking about hosting one!
Wonderful tips Robin! A lot of folks will be out picnicking in the summer. Another biggie is to look out for the ants and other bugs
Great tips! Who doesn’t like a good picnic? I always make sure to bring sun screen, bug spray, and my own seat.
I love having picnics. But what we normally do is just throw everything in to a bag and go down the park near our house
Geez, I can’t tell you the last time I went on a picnic!
Great tips! It can definitely be stressful planning a picnic. You should add: RELAX!
Those are great tips. We haven’t had a true picnic in a while. The last one, it was just me and the girls…we just packed up some box lunches.
It’s important to plan carefully for picnics, especially when there are kids involved. These are some great tips.
Packing is so important — dont want to overpack and have to lug it all… dont want to underpack and miss stuff!
Great tips for going on a picnic. I know I always forget at least 2 things when doing this– a checklist is always helpful.
These are awesome tips, gotta love a good picnic.
What to pack and serve are the two challenges for me. Definitely great tips here!
You’re right about location. I need to know if there are tables and benches/chairs.
Sounds like a really good plan. Ummm I forgot the badmitton set once.
Great tips! It seems like forever since I last went on a picnic I really fancy one now 🙂 x
Sunblock and bug spray – never leave home without them!
I love a picnic! Those are great tips, especially the ice packs. As hot as it is, it won’t take long for something to spoil.
Picnics are so much fun and the kids love them. I should plan a picnic soon as we haven’t been on one in years.
Wet wipes are good to have with on a picnic for sure!
These are all great ideas. I love to picnic with my boys and its such a wonderful experience
sunblock, repellent and some tunes. you have agreat list going here, can’t wait for the temperatures to simmer down for us to do this!
Great tips!!! Location is definitely key, it can make or break your picnic
Yes, packing and serving are two of my biggest challenges. Especially getting the leftovers in order. I came home with nothing after the fireworks.
Fabulous tips!! I love a good family picnic in the summer!!
We haven’t had a picnic in FOREVER! I need to plan one!
I haven’t had a picnic yet this year. We have a playground that is off the main roads, so it’s usually relatively quiet. They have picnic tables there under a pavilion. It’s the perfect spot.
Well, living in Florida, I always include something to fight off the bugs, in case we run into any. I also like to have something along to clean up hands and faces afterwards 🙂
I would just add suggestions for fun activities or things to take to occupy kids while getting food set up or afterwards … this is perfect picnic weather though before super hot summer weather gets here for good!
This is such a good checklist for when you want to have a picnic. I always forget something..
Be sure cold food stays cold so you don’t have to worry a out tummy issues!
We’ve been having quite a few picnics lately and your tips are perfect. We’ve chosen a spot with shade, near a playground, near garbage cans and near out-houses. Other than that, your planning tips are exactly how we plan.
Yes, CLEAN UP after, I hate people that leave their garbage behind.
Once upon a time, I we had a picnic. I think we need to have another one because they had a great time. 🙂
I havent done a picnic in a long while…thanks for the tips!
Great tips! We love going on picnics this time of year.
Great tips. I would add don’t stress and just have fun
Thanks for all the tips! I really love them:)
It has been awhile since I have been on a picnic. I hope to have one or two before the summer ends.
~ HilLesha