The Art of the Picnic

THE ART OF THE PICNIC

 

My husband and I received two picnic baskets for wedding gifts.  I am sure they were given with the intended use for romantic, leisurely afternoon picnics.  One basket currently holds most of my knitting supplies and the other was given away.  So, what would I know about the art of a picnic?  I will admit that I am not an expert, but it's an evolving practice that I would like to share with you. 

Before the introduction of kids and kids with food allergies to our lives, our day of adventure never involved planning.   The most we ever packed was fruit, granola bars, and water.  If we were hungry, we just ate out at a restaurant.  Once we had our kids and we were dealing with food allergies, getting out didn't seem like much fun.  It was difficult to impossible to eat out, and I felt like packing food was a curse due to the allergies. 

It was not until a vacation to see our family in Washington State that I really started to embraced the art of the picnic.  I was forced to change my habits about meal planning and eating if we were to happily hang out with my sister in law, brother in law and their 5 kids.  I was trying to eat at home prior to meeting up with them for the day.  This required elaborate effort to eat and be ready; and it usually meant we were eating early and cutting short another activity.   Once we met up with them we would discover that they had a feast of food that they brought to the beach or the playground.  We sat around watching them eat.  It was the day they arrived at the beach with a bottle of champagne that I decided to change my ways! 

I had previously viewed packing food as a chore we did only because our family was coping with food allergies.  After seeing another family pack lunch and view meal time a bit more casually, I began to see packing as an outlet for more fun and adventure.  Below is my list of picnic items and pictures of the places we have enjoyed a picnic in 2013.

  So what else was in that basket beside champagne?

 

 

Sharp Top Summit, Peaks of Otter, Virginia

1. Vegetables:  Sliced, chopped, whole.  Pick from cauliflower, broccoli, celery, carrots, cucumbers, avocado, cherry tomatoes, etc. 

2. Fruit:  The possibilities are endless for this one!  Consider squeeze containers of applesauce to eliminate the need for utensils.



Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
Chaco Link

3. Dips:  Hummus and refried beans can easily add some protein to the menu while caramel and salsa dips help to satisfy a craving for the sweet and salty.



4. Grains: Bread, tortillas, chips are easy to bring.

Needles District Canyonlands, Utah
Canyonlands, Utah

5. Dairy:  If you can bring along dairy, add some cheese or cream cheese to your basket to go along with your bread and chips.  Frozen yogurt tubes are handy because they will be cold upon arrival and do not require an utensil.

 

Linville Falls, near Asheville, North Carolina



Monticello in Virginia
Monticello















Tinker Cliffs near Roanoke, Virginia

 

 

6. Sandwich: Keep it peanut free by packing a sandwich with sunnut butter, almond butter, or soynut butter.  Keep it stress free at home and bring your supplies along with a knife or spoon and make lunch at your destination.

7. Drinks:  Bring water and anything else is a bonus!

Soccer Games!

8.  Etc:  Pack some plastic or reusable utensils, napkins, and Wet Ones wipes for getting clean and cleaning up.  A plastic bag for your garbage and one for your recycling.  Use wax paper when wrapping sandwiches so you will have an instant plate or barrier between the earth and your food.