‘Hold a hard minute, then!’ Said the Rat. He looped the painter through a ring in his landing-stage, climbed up into his hole above, and after a short interval reappeared staggering under a fat, wicker luncheon-basket.

‘What’s inside it?’ asked the Mole, wriggling with curiosity. 

‘There’s cold chicken inside it,’ replied the Rat briefly; ‘coldtounguecoldhamcoldbeefpickledgherkinssaladfrenchrollscresssandwhichespottedmeat-gingerbeerlemonadesodawater-‘ 

‘O stop, stop,’ cried the Mole in ecstasies: ‘This is too much!’

-Kenneth Graham (The Wind in the Willows) 

Picnics are a regular occurrence in our family. We’re always on the lookout for an excuse to gather our gear and head for the great outdoors. We usually head to a local park or field. And we sometimes have picnics in our own backyard, or even on the living room floor on rainy days. 

If we’re heading somewhere off the beaten path, we take our wagon along to carry supplies. A small cooler is also nice for perishables, while a picnic basket can carry nonperishable items. And, of course, you need a picnic blanket to have a proper picnic. We make a game of searching for the best flat spot to spread our blue quilt. Folding chairs are also nice if you’ll be spending several hours outdoors.

While we usually have picnics at lunch time, summer can be hot and humid. As the days get warmer,  we turn to breakfast picnics! Picnic fare is already simple, with breakfast food being even more so. Here are a few things we like to included on a breakfast picnic.

Food:

(No cooking required!) 

-bagels, muffins (blueberry), and croissants: (The boys love Nutella, so I pack a jar for serving with the bagels and croissants. And we bring bagels from our favorite local bagel shop.)

-fruit and nut mix: (I prefer a mixture of almonds, cashews, and cranberries.)

-cherries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches: (These are also delectable with the Nutella, but isn’t everything!)

-green tea: (I pack a thermos of hot water to prepare our tea on-site. Bring coffee if that’s your breakfast beverage of choice.)

-orange juice (A glass carafe is nice for serving.)

Extras:

-a vase/flowers: (I usually bring chamomile from the farmer’s market, but if you have the ability to bring wildflowers, those are the best.)

-serving board/cutting board: (I use these to set out food.)

-a serving tray: (I keep our tea set, cups, glass carafe, flower vase, and anything else breakable on a tray for safety.)

-plates, cups/mugs, utensils, and CLOTH napkins: (The cloth napkins are not only softer and more beautiful in my opinion, they’re reusable too!)

We also have a bag that’s always ready to go for picnics and park days. It includes a kite, balls, and a frisbee. I like to bring easy games we can play on our blanket, such as chess and Banana-grams too. And I always bring a book for myself to enjoy while the boys play.

Thanks for stopping by! What are your picnic favorites?

We hope you get a chance to head outside with your picnic hamper soon. It’s an easy way to make some wonderful memories with your family.