7 Tips for a Beach Picnic That Goes with a Bang ...

This is one of the best tips for a beach picnic because the whole day can be spoilt if there’s too little shade and / or somebody gets sunburned. Sun protection means enough shade from a large umbrella, a portable gazebo and/or hats. And don't forget the bottle of highest factor sun screen lotion to slather on everyone throughout the day.

Fresh air, sea, sun and physical activity always increases the appetite so pack lots of food. And make sure there’s plenty of variety to suit all tastes, remembering to cater for picky eaters or special dietary needs. You can go the whole hog and have a gourmet picnic sat at portable tables and chairs which is great for a special occasion, but it’s not one of the easier ways to have a beach picnic. Remember – someone‘s got to cart all that stuff. Better to have a pile of stuff to pick at and nibble on, like
• Brie & crackers - a favorite because the softer brie is the better and the hot sun helps.
• Tortilla chips and salsa - easy to snack on
• Fruit like berries, grapes and apples – delicious and light
• Veggies like carrots, broccoli florets and baby corn to dip in humus or tsatsiki
• Sandwiches - as long as they don’t have mayonnaise to act as a magnet for beach sand – wrap them in waxed paper to prevent drying out
• Boiled eggs
• Wraps - the modern alternative to sandwiches works really well at the beach
All you need for this kind of food is your fingers and paper napkins.

To kids, a day at the beach is very exciting and you can make their food memorable with a beach/marine theme. Keep things just the right size for little hands and mouths. Cut sandwiches small – starfish and shark shapes are groovy – and make sure fillings are ones that don’t easily fall out. Fruit kebobs are fun too. Avoid salty foods that mean they get extra thirsty.

It’s always great to have beer, wine and fruit juice in your cooler box, but it’s even more important to have plenty of water. Being in the hot sun means everybody must drink enough water to keep hydrated and cool. Pack bottles of frozen and partly-frozen water in your cooler box and it’ll stay ice cold even when it melts.

Something to put the food on is essential. Even if you’ve carefully packed it in your best Tupperware, you need a picnic cloth rather than just putting containers on the sand. I know a blanket is traditional and that’s cool, but a tablecloth is just as good as long as you weigh down the corners and edges. Plus a cloth is much easier to wash and dry than a blanket.

No matter how many tips for a beach picnic you have, one of the best is remembering clean hands. Don’t think you can rinse your hands in the sea because salty water makes hands sticky. Pack in loads of hand wipes to keep hands fresh and comfortable.

Swimming and paddling is great fun at the beach but both adults and kids also enjoy games and one of the clever ways to have the best beach picnic is to pack in Twister, beach balls, and Frisbees to give everyone a variety.

I hope these tips help you have a summer full of great beach picnics. Are you lucky enough to live close to the sea so beach picnics are a major feature of your summer?