This picnic is starting to be fun. Make sure you check out Part 1.
According to a recent survey that I conducted in a very illogical manner, there are three unique picnic menus. The first is a cold fried chicken and potato salad variant, comfort food. The wine and cheese picnic comes in second. Sandwiches rank third. My preference was undoubtedly influenced by my early obsession with Aunt Bea’s fried chicken served to Sheriff Andy in a wicker basket on the Andy Griffin Show. However, I would never say no to wine, cheese, and small plates.
At home, I tend to serve entirely too much food, but that’s okay because leftovers are simple to pack and preserve. No matter how cold your meal was when you arrived, it will likely be warming up if it has been taken out of the serving basket. That’s not always the case at a picnic. It’s not a good idea to take some foods home and try to store them in the fridge for later use. Yes, some things are good, but I doubt the potato salad and meat should be reused.
Packing Styles
A larger container works great for the chicken, and a separate container prevents the vegetables and olives from becoming too acquainted.
Although it’s acceptable to purchase olives, hummus, and pickled veggies from the olive bar at the supermarket, resist the urge to pack your picnic in those containers. I’ve had one of those fragile plastic containers fall into my grocery bag, and dealing with that at a picnic is not something you want to do.
Furthermore, rather than a vat of hummus and a quart of pickles, you’ll likely want a small quantity of many different items if you’re packing snacks for your wine and cheese basket. And imagine how much fun it will be to unpack and enjoy a wide variety of tiny dishes while you slice cheese and drink wine.
Keeping and Dispensing Drinks
Do you still have the ice water in the sports bottle? I advise bringing additional water or non-wine beverages. You could want to swallow a ton of ice-cold beverages on a hot, bright day. You can bring your own flavored or unflavored carbonated water using a soda maker. Maybe some extra glasses?
You may fill the two wine glasses supplied in most picnic baskets with anything from wine, lemonade or iced tea. So definitely consider bringing a few extra glasses. If the fruit salad you brought is too messy to serve on flat plates, look for cups that are sturdy enough to use while traveling. Lightweight wine glasses may be a touch unstable on uneven terrain if you’re sitting on the ground rather than at a picnic table, whereas tumblers are less prone to fall over.
Sandwiches
There are several ways to pack sandwiches. You could use foil to wrap the pressed sandwich and store it in a plastic bag to avoid leaks, you could try one of the new mylar pressed bags that are touted to be leak-proof or use storage containers from your kitchen. You could even use recycled food containers from restaurant your deliveries.
To prevent the dreaded soggy sandwich problem, meats, cheeses, and sauces can be stored separately in durable plastic sandwich containers that hold bread well for one sandwich at a time.
Lastly, there are condiments. You may want mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, spicy sauce, ranch dressing, or oil and vinegar dressing, but you’ll only use a small amount of each, depending on your serving. Consider repacking instead of bringing the entire bottle, and then think about a simple serving.
The 3-ounce travel bottles, similar to those used to pass through TSA, are perfect for ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise on a picnic. You might search for something bigger with a pour spout for dressings and sauces that are easier to pour—time to take out the recycled containers you’ve been saving for takeout.
Coffee
Forget packing hot coffee in your picnic basket if you want it with your lunch. Use a travel mug or insulated bottle and transport it separately. The hot German potato salad and baked beans you want to offer with your sandwiches can be kept separately in insulated bowl-shaped containers, and you can say the same about them.
Don’t forget something to lounge on.
Don’t forget a blanket if you choose to sit on the ground. In stores and online you can find the traditional red or blue checked blanket. Look for one that folds and zips to form a pillow with a carrying handle. If you forget anything, you may tuck it inside the zipped blanket for convenient carrying.
Any blanket will do, but be aware that the ground may be wet. Bring a thick blanket, one with a waterproof underside or a mix of your festive blanket and a waterproof ground cover (a plastic tablecloth or drop cloth is okay).
Gotta bring snacks.
Cheese, salsa, and dips require chips and crackers. They are big but lightweight. Although it would be perfect if you could cram everything into the basket, why worry? It differs from luggage. No additional fees will apply if you carry more bags. As insulation is not a concern, any robust tote bag will do.
Even if chips come in a convenient storage container for the picnic, consider how you’ll get them home without spilling. A set of bag clips Along with sealing your bags, they also prevent your napkin from blowing away in the wind by allowing you to attach one to the corner.
Speaking of snacks, if you’re bringing a little child or a four-legged buddy who will be participating in the main event, bring them something special.
Clean Up Time
If things become very dirty, a roll of paper towels would be useful now that you’ve promised to bring a tote bag for the chips. And they’re not exactly hefty to carry. If you get messy, throw a pack of hand wipes in your bag or basket..
One or two trash bags should be brought along for quick cleanup after the picnic. Do you still recall the rushing water that might not be nearby? You have a collection of soiled dishes, used utensils, and maybe some empty storage containers after the picnic. Do you want them to drip into your basket? To keep your basket tidy and avoid contaminating the storage containers that will be returning to your refrigerator after the picnic, gather them and place them in a garbage bag (or another sufficiently sized bag).
Do you recall the cheese cubes that were packaged when you purchased them? It made sense to slice and serve at the picnic, but how will you transport them now that the wrapping is torn? Bring some zip-top plastic bags. They are easy to transport and have additional functions, such as carrying away the chicken bones when you realize there isn’t a trash can nearby.
One more item you might bring if you drove to the picnic but left it in the car: a plastic gallon water jug. Although there may be running water available in many picnic spots, what if there isn’t any? You can use the jug to rinse muddy feet or wash sticky hands if necessary.
You can now load up the car and drive home.
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