Don’t be a picnic-panic-er.
I was deeply intimidated by other picnic-era when I was preparing our picnic for sports day, planning it out and rising early to produce the proverbial, “feast“. I learnt from the veterans how simple and effective hot dogs are at keeping hungry children happy. (One Mum, ‘just-throw-money-at-it (JTMAI), brought take-away from Wagamama.)
“Let’s start at the very beginning a very good place to start.
When you read you begin with ABC…”
When you picnic you begin with bread and spread.
I had to make a nod, to the “Sound of Music” with the iconic picnic and sing-song up in the mountains.
Suggestions for Picnic
Picture: Fruit, baps for ‘sandwiches’, (marmite and cream cheese, peanut butter and jam, cheese, tuna and sweetcorn) sausages, flapjacks. What are your favourites?
Sandwiches/Wraps/Burritos/Baps
All with or without salad – depends if you children are going to meticulously pick out the lettuce or tomato. I find cucumber and avocado is deemed, acceptable.
- Bacon (BLT, Brie and cranberry)
- Cheese
- Cheese – cheddar/edam/gouda/hallumi/brie (!?)
- Chicken – plain/coronation/
- Eggs – omelette/mayonnaise/sliced
- Peanut butter and jam (strawberry/black cherry)
- Tuna and sweetcorn
Bringing cup cakes or brownies to share is always a winner.
Be simple, be elegant, be flash be posh but be contained.
From bitter experience, make sure your containers are tight, that last thing you want is humous or yoghurt goop-ing up your picnic, slime-ing all over the silver foiled sandwiches.
I learnt early in sailing don’t eat yoghurt into the wind – it flies back in your face – as does anything done into the wind ….
Yoghurt-aster!
Packing Picnics
One sunny summer day, my world was ready to be enchanted … I was so proud of my sandwiches. I carefully packed them at the top, in foil. …
When I unpacked the rucksack I was dismayed, (little rain storm above my head). ‘Someone’ had thrown the carefully packed sandwiches into the bottom when frozen brownies were thrown in at the last minute. The sandwiches were flattened, and crushed. Completely unappetising. Of course they were all gobbled down, but again, even if a little bit bulkier, a container saves the squish-able feast.
Wet weather cover – literally
If the weather is looking iffy, take a tarp with pegs, something to make it into a shelter. Something waterproof and wind proof – and easily packed away.
Have picnic basket, will walk.
Do you remember “The Greatest Showman“? Well, sometimes, it seems we want to “rewrite the stars” when we ask the family to go for a walk. You may want to hang a walk on a picnic.
I am hoping to grow this website and am keen for readers to contribute their favourite picnic tips. We shall be adding in the Comments in due course however, for now please send your thoughts to Contact.