What’s so cool about a meal set and served in a different place? What makes us spend our precious time as parents thinking about picnic ideas to spend time with our family and the people we love? Well, answers can vary!
But we can agree that it’s a great way to enjoy time with your family while doing something that is not part of your daily routine. Picnics allow you to go to different places, plan some time away from the inside of your house, possibly interact with other people…
So stretch out your body, get ready to enjoy your time outside, and get inspired with some picnic ideas!
Where to go for a family picnic
When it comes to a picnic, you can choose from a friend’s backyard up until a public place!
To decide where to go for a picnic, consider:
- How much time do you have available? This defines if the picnic will happen in a domestic backyard or in a more public space, like a park.
- How is the weather? Make sure to check the temperatures and the possibilities of rain before heading off.
- What kind of convenience do you need? Maybe a place to change diapers, or with a restroom open to the public. If you’re going to a park, square or another public place for a picnic, check the available structure for people visiting.
What kind of food should you bring to a picnic
It’s really up to your personal preference. However, popular picnic meals will be even more appreciated if some points are considered.
Make sure to bring something that is easy to serve and eat. Keep in mind that the people joining the picnic will most likely be seated on the ground, so they have to be comfortable holding their plate (or wherever the food is served) without a table support. Don’t offer anything that is hard to serve from a pot to a plate or a napkin.
Also, if the food needs to be kept at a certain temperature, make sure to bring it to the picnic in an appropriate bag – like one that helps to keep the ideal temperature of food or beverages.
Some of the most popular foods in picnics consist of sandwiches or sliders, fruit or vegetable cold salads, dips, sweet pies and cakes. Charcuterie cuts are also a great idea, since they are more likely to be easily served and shared.
Extras you should add to your picnic list
Keeping you guests’ comfort in mind, see some extras to bring along with your food and beverages:
Blanket: clothes will be protected from the dirt and small insects like ants.
Napkins and hand sanitizer: how uncomfortable to not have a place to wipe your fingers! Make sure to offer napkins to avoid having people cleaning their hands on their clothes.
Serving tools: cutboard, cups, straws and cutlery. The environment will be grateful if you have the chance to utilize utensils that can be used again instead of discarded in nature.
Corkscrew: better safe than sorry (and left with a closed bottle of wine!)!
Temperature hacks: to keep food warm or cool, you can use an insulated bag. An additional idea is using a pack of ice to keep beverages cold.
If you want to go the extra mile, here’s another idea for your family picnic: offering cushions if there are people sitting on the ground! A great way to literally have people comfortable around you!
Fun activities during a family picnic
We know that time flies when you’re having fun, and it’s no different when you’re at a family picnic! Here are some ideas to make the best of your time together.
Scavenger hunt: Divide the people you’re at the picnic with in two teams. create a list of items that can be found at the place you’re at. The first that explores the picnic area and find all the objects wins!
Potato sack race: one of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors and spend some energy! Who wins the potato sack race to the finish line?
Tag: run as fast as you can as the person assigned as “It” tries to tag other players! The new person tagged should now try to tag someone else and so on!
By now, you’re already inspired with plenty of picnic ideas for the family! Continue to explore the topic and read about the importance of encouraging your child to enjoy their time in the outdoors!
