Easy To Pack Picnic Ideas
Put your hand up if you have fallen into the rut of the same food, same occasion? I know I have.
Sometimes I become so fixated on a dish; I make it over and over again that I forget the joys of creating new meals to taste and enjoy. I know recipes back to front, inside out and I can make them so quickly it's often easier just to keep making them. But I think it’s time to try something new, break out a little and put a little excitement back into the family menu.
Picnic food has always been something I have loved making, mainly because of the containers they go in! I am a little storage obsessed so anything that goes into a funky container - I’m all over it. Picnics are perfect ways for me to feed this obsession and scratch that tiny packaging itch!
Some of my favourite picnic food ...
A delicious homemade vegetable and goats cheese tart can be eaten at room temperature so is perfect! Pack this with a variety of great salads displayed in glass canisters so you can see what you are eating, and they look great.
I can never go past a classic chicken and mayonnaise sandwich followed by freshly cut fruit, so simple and delicious. And if you want to go super indulgent, how about a big chocolate cake with thick icing. All by itself, yum!
Styling it up is the fun part...
Be as organised as you can before you leave home. Know that when you put the blanket down the food will look great and appetising. Everything needs to package up well at home so that there are no accidents in the car and so that it looks delicious and appealing on the table.
Find a great blanket to put on the ground and then a fantastic tablecloth to go over. With an armload of cushions to laze back on, you are all set. I love music, so make up a picnic playlist and set up some speakers. A stack of magazines is great to bring so you can have a read and chat. If you have kids, you can read whilst they are having a good run around. In fact, why sit there? Get everyone involved - Bring a ball, bat, kite to get you up and moving.
Make life easier for yourself and bring disposable plates, serviettes, and cutlery - there are some very cool ones around. Bring a bag of extras like scissors, wet wipes, mosquito repellant, band aids, suntan cream, plastic bag for garbage and a bottle opener should cover it!
Get out there whilst the sun is shining!