Summer, is that you? After some turbulent weather here in London it seems that summer is finally here. That means it’s picnic season so grab a basket, call your friends and head out into the sunshine. I’ve teamed up with Kleenex® to show you how to plan the perfect picnic!
This post is sponsored by Kleenex®. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own.
First things first, you’re going to want to pick a nice location for your picnic. If you want privacy, peace and quiet then maybe don’t pick Hyde Park on a sunny weekend.
You can do something low-key in your own back garden or go all out and plan a day trip to somewhere out of the city. Is there an open meadow anywhere near you, or even a lake? These could be great summer picnic locations.
Once you’ve reached your destination, think about where you want to set up your picnic. A good spot is near a tree so those of you that want shade can hide from the sun’s rays but those who want to work on their tan can catch the sun.
Don’t forget to think about the time you want to have your picnic, too. The usual time would be in the afternoon at around lunch time, but if you’re looking for romantic picnic ideas, why not plan a sunset picnic? You could be chinking glasses as the sun sets above you.
Now here are the picnic items you need to make sure you’re ready for all the fun ahead:
The Essentials
A large picnic blanket
The bigger the picnic blanket, the better. You want one big enough to lie down on and for a group of people to sit comfortably on.
If there are a lot of you, consider bringing a few blankets and layering them on top of each other.
You could opt for a traditional checked picnic blanket or just go for a simple cream blanket. The latter will look lovely but might end up looking a little worse for wear after some spillages!
Make sure you buy a waterproof picnic blanket so that if the grass is slightly damp it won’t soak through.
Cooler bags & ice packs
Wicker picnic baskets are cute and all, but you’ll want to make sure that there’s room in there for some ice packs or cooler bags to keep your food fresh.
If you’re out for the whole day and keeping your picnic in the boot for later, you don’t want the food to get too warm!
You’ll also want to keep your drinks cool – there’s nothing worse than a tepid carton of apple juice or a warm glass of white wine on a hot day.
It’s best to bring two separate bags for your picnic: one cooler bag for items that should be kept chilled and another basket for everything else.
A drinks box is also an option if you want to bring lots of cans with you for a large group.
Hand wipes
It’s essential that you pack some Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes for your outdoor picnic – as there are bound to be sticky fingers, spilt juice and unexpected moments!
The purpose of these is two-fold. If you’ve been exploring all morning, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got clean hands before digging into your picnic goodies.
However, there may not be anywhere to wash your hands if you’re in a public space, so it’s always helpful to have some anti-bacterial hand wipes nearby.
Secondly, you’ll need these after you’ve finished your munching on yummy food to clean your hands and avoid getting sticky fingers all over your phone and handbag.
Picnics are a great excuse for finger food, so there’s a good chance it’ll get a little messy, embrace it!
Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes are super strong, quick-drying and get the job done.
They come in two different sizes; a larger pack (40 sheets), perfect for picnics, and a pocket pack (12 sheets), handy for slipping into your handbag (or dress pockets – how great are those!)
What’s great is that you can use these to cleanse your face or to wipe up sticky messes – they do both!
Check out the range of Kleenex® wipes here now
Sunscreen & sun hats
Sunscreen probably isn’t the first thing on your mind when packing a picnic basket – obviously as your mind is focused on the food! However, it’s really important to make sure you’re protected from the sun if you’re going to be sitting outside for several hours.
Lather on some factor 30 (or 50!) before you head out and throw the sunscreen bottle in your basket so you can top up later. It’s a good idea for you to bring a sunhat, too, to keep the sun off the top of your head.
Umbrella
I don’t mean to rain on your parade, but sometimes the sun still shines brightly as rain pours down on you mid-picnic.
You never know these days what the weather is going to throw at you, so you should always be ready to get out there and do things by packing an umbrella. Plus, if it’s super sunny, it could double up as a parasol!
Cups
Don’t forget reusable cups, otherwise, you and your friends will be all be sat in a circle drinking from the same bottle – not very hygienic! There are plenty of pretty cups and wine glasses that are perfect for picnics and these will be reusable year on year.
Food & Drink
Choosing the perfect picnic food requires a little bit of planning. You’ll want to pack lots of finger food that is easy for people to grab and eat without cutlery.
Personally, I think cutlery at a summer picnic is just far too fiddly and not worth the hassle. You’ll 100% lose at least 2 forks and you won’t be seeing those again.
You’ll also want to pack food that is easy to transport and is unlikely to go bad after a few hours out of the fridge. It’s best to pack some cooler packs to keep your food fresh anyway but items that don’t need refrigeration are the best.
Obviously that means ice cream would normally be out of the question. But thanks to Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes, you can rest assured that you can clean up any drips or sticky fingers.
Deli Food
Cheese, cheese, all the cheese. Is it even a picnic if you don’t have different types of cheese and ham to nibble on? Deli food is ready to eat which makes it perfect for picnics and requires minimal effort.
Grab a couple of baguette sticks and some deli classics such as cheese, ham and olives and you’ll be good to go. Choose things like scotch eggs and sausage rolls too which are filling but easy to transport and eat.
Dips
Dips are super easy to transport in their little pots which makes this a great picnic food.
Buy a couple of boxes of breadsticks, nachos or some baguette and a couple of different types of dip and everyone will be a happy camper. Sharing is caring.
Fruit
Fruit is a crucial addition to any picnic basket so you can convince yourself that your lunch has some nutritional value. No, wine does not count as one of your 5-a-day unfortunately!
Bunches of grapes, punnets of raspberries and apples are perfect for nibbling on throughout the afternoon and are a refreshing accompaniment to a deli cheese board.
Just make sure you’ve washed it all before you set off.
Sweet treats
No picnic would be complete without some sweet pastries and cakes to finish off.
My personal fave is the pecan plait but if you’re feeling particularly British and fancy you could pack scones, jam and clotted cream. You’ll definitely need Kleenex® Wipes to clean up after though!
Steer clear of things like chocolate as it will only melt in the summer sun and you’ll be drinking your chocolate out of the wrapper – not that that sounds awful, actually.
Instead, opt for things like popcorn and crisps which are very easy to share, don’t make much mess apart from crumbs and, crucially, don’t melt!
Prosecco
Bubbles are the perfect way to start any summer picnic. Bring a bottle to share for the group and get the party started! Prosecco out of cups is totes the same as champers in champagne flutes, right?
Water
This is probably the most important item to bring for a picnic on a sunny day. Make sure you’ve got plenty of water for everyone, especially if you’re planning on running around or going for long walks.
You need to stay hydrated and, sadly, fruit juice doesn’t count as much as water does.
Entertainment
A pack of playing cards
If you’re packing light, a pack of playing cards can be a great item to bring along as it takes up very little space but can produce hours of fun.
An even more fun option would be Cards Against Humanity! Just don’t shout your obscene word combinations too loudly if you’re in a public space.
Board games
If you’re setting up shop in your back garden or driving to your picnic destination, grab your favourite board game for a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Make sure it’s a fairly wind-proof board game though as you don’t want paper notes flying all over the park! It may be wise to use some of your other picnic items as paperweights.
Board games are traditionally a great activity for when it’s raining outside but why not bring the board games outside and enjoy a good ol’ game of Monopoly with the sun beating down on your back?
A good book
If you’re spending the whole day chilling outside, bring a good book along so you can do a spot of reading in the sun.
This one really depends on the vibe of your group though as you don’t want to be rude or antisocial!
Check out this post for reasons to always carry a book with you.
A Frisbee
For those of you that are more active or that have kids, bring a frisbee or a football to play with.
Make sure you’ve packed plenty of food and drink in this case as you’ll all be extra hungry and thirsty after an afternoon of running around the park!
So there are my top tips for how to plan the perfect picnic. What are your picnic essentials?
Pin now, read again later!
Laura
Editor of What’s Hot?