7 Foolproof Tips for a Perfect Summer Picnic ...

Eating warmed up food that should be served cold is never fun and not only that, it can be risky. I know it’s boring to think of things like food safety but some tips for a summer picnic are to be heeded because you don’t want your salmon quiche served up with a side helping of salmonella. Food to be transported should be packed in insulated cool bags or boxes, preferably packed with extra ice packs. If you’re laying food out, leave it in the sun for the minimal time and keep it covered. Some people swear by wrapping food in a double layer of foil to help with the keeping cool process.

A picnic isn’t a picnic without cold drinks, whether you’re quaffing champers, sipping sangria, lapping up juice or even just glugging water. There are various ways to keep beverages cold. Vacuum flasks are just as good at keeping liquids cold as they are at keeping liquids hot. The best choice is a wide necked one so you can stick ice cubes in as well as the drink. Freeze soft drinks and water the day before and they’ll start thawing on your way to the picnic and be cold for ages. If you’re picnicking by the river or seashore, tie strings to your bottles and let them bob in the water – they’ll stay cooler.

I live in the UK, so very often a sunny day follows a wet day. When this is the case, you can’t rely on the ground being completely dry. If you want to make the most of dining outdoors, one of the tips for summer picnics I followed years ago, is to invest in a plastic-backed picnic rug. It stops the damp seeping through to your bottom.

Being in the sun is fabulous but no-one will have fond memories of a picnic when the day after they are suffering from sunburn or heatstroke. One of the most important things to pack for a picnic is sunscreen. Remember to reapply it regularly. Hats are a great idea too – especially for the kids. A couple of golfing umbrellas make great parasols/sunshades and are not too cumbersome to transport.

There are various ways to prevent your picnic from being insect infested. Insect repellent is always a good idea. One of the best tips I know is to bait a wasp trap, close enough to make it worthwhile but far enough to make a difference. If you picnic regularly, you can buy various types of wasp traps to hang in trees or you can make your own. Just search Google or Pinterest for loads of ideas. Burn citronella candles if you are eating towards dusk.

Even if you are only serving up finger food, if there’s one utensil/gadget/tool/piece of equipment every picnicker should remember to pack, it’s a sharp knife. Somehow, you just always need one. Oh and don’t forget the bottle opener!

The amount of consideration you give to this aspect really depends on whom you are picnicking with and where you are going. No-one wants to be uncomfortable in any way so things to think about are jumpers for when the chilly evening draws in, or the sun unexpectedly disappears, wet wipes for cleaning sticky fingers (and faces), a small first aid kit and even a roll of toilet paper!

A picnic should be all about the fun of being outdoors with people you love. You can get really caught up in organizing it and planning, but honestly the top of my tips for summer picnics is to relax! Don’t get stressed and don’t over-complicate things. You can throw a great picnic with a few sandwiches, a bottle of soda and a great spot if that’s all you want. Set your expectations for your picnic and plan accordingly. Do you love picnics?