It is a wonderful idea if deciding to go to a water or theme park for the day to pack
some food together to take with you. This will not only save you a lot of money but it
is great for the children especially considering there may be some long queues for
different rides or water slides, so to have food and a drink available is very handy.
Taking a picnic basket to the beach for the day or an outing in the countryside is also a
great way to have fun for the day with the children, letting them run around for the day
with lots of fresh air will certainly give them a good appetite, and because it's a
picnic they usually eat a lot more food. There are a few things to keep in mind when
planning a picnic basket for the day.
It is probably a good idea to make a list, the whole idea is to take a picnic and have
some fun not to take half of the kitchen with you, so only take what you need. Try and
choose a proper firm basket or cooler bag, there should be no carrier bags unless one is
taken to collect all the rubbish together at the end of the day.
There is no need to take a huge bag if there is only going to be two people for example,
if it is a family of four or more then obviously a decent sized basket or tote bag will
be necessary. If there is any need for ice on the picnic then remember to do this the
day before.
Once the decision about the basket and food has been decided for the picnic then thought
has to be taken about what to place on the ground for all the food, containers, and work
space and lastly a place to sit. Some choose to take blankets or a good idea is to use a
plastic coated table cloth, then if there is any spillage it is not a problem because at
the end of the day it can go in the wash.
If there are any small children in the group then a soft blanket are a good idea, this is
ideal if they want to crawl or they may have a little sleep in the day. It is a good
idea to take washable plastic cutlery and perhaps plastic or disposable plates. It is
wise to leave all the priceless china and silver at home after all this is a picnic
outing. If you are taking wine or bottles of beer then do not forget a corkscrew and
bottle opener.
When packing food try and choose containers that will all fit into the basket or tote bag
comfortably, a good idea is to do a pre-pack this way you will have a good idea as to how
the containers all fit together. Some food may have to be wrapped in foil, plastic film
or paper napkins.
Do not forget all the favorite condiments that everybody likes, salt, pepper, mustard,
lemon, and any sauces for meat. These can always be put into small portions in
containers and keep them altogether in one separate bag.
There are other things you may want to consider for a picnic for example do you want to
take folding chairs and a table, and a folding umbrella if the weather is going to be
hot. Depending on where you are going or what time of year it is you may need insect
repellent, sunscreen a cover in case of rain and a flashlight is always handy if you stay
late in the day.
The children even though they will probably be running around and playing may want to
take a ball, couple of toys, sketch pad, book and lastly not to forget the camera for
those important family photos.
Christian Abad operates
Picnic Supply World, a leading provider of Picnic Supplies and Specialist in
Picnic
Baskets and Picnic Totes.