Happy Picnic Day, people! If you have plans to pack-up a picnic and enjoy in the wondrous outdoors soon, be sure to follow my essential steps before heading out to ensure you have a healthiest, happiest alfresco feast for all:
1) LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR YOUR OUTDOOR EXCURSION.
(Umm…How cute is this arrow throw blanket!?)
2) FIGURE OUT FOODSTUFFS.
What time of day are you picnic-ing?
How long do you have to prep?
How many people are you serving?No matter the meal you’re having (homemade or prepared), think about 3 main components for your meal:
#1) FRUITS + VEGGIES — 2 fists-worth for EACH person (don’t get cheap on them!)
#2) PROTEIN — 1 palm-sized portion per peep.
#3) GRAINS — 1 handful per human.I love the idea of packing a salad-in-a-jar + a wrap for a complete meal. (Extra picnic points for menu items that can be utensil-less!)
No time? How brilliant are these all-natural GoPicnic ready-to-eat meals?!
3) SORT OUT YOUR SIPS & SLURPS.
Consider how long you anticipate being out & about. Pack enough WATER (or other low-calorie or no-calorie drinks) given the time & temperature out!And it’s a great idea to freeze drinks ahead of time so they can help keep your cooler cool.
4) PACK YOUR PICNIC TO PERFECTION.
Perhaps the most important thing about being able to enjoy your picnic is keeping your food cool. Nobody wants to get sick because food storage was a fail!Store refrigerated items in a thermal tote to keep goods below 40°F. I’ve had one like this for years!
<photo cred>
And it’s a good rule of thumb NOT to leave anything out for >2 hours (1 hour is it’s >90°F out).
5) ADD ON ESSENTIAL EXTRAS.
Complete your perfect picnic with these must-have items:
— hand sanitizer
— plates, bowls, cups
— utensils and serving utensils (the cutting knife always gets overlooked!)
— napkins, paper towels, moist towelettes
— trash bag
— sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray
— entertainment & activity (ex./ music, magazine, board game, frisbee)
And if you’re feeling a little grown-up, you gots to check out Stack Wines!
<photo cred>
Happy picnic-ing, friends!
—lj
