Picnics have been the highlight of memories for us in the last 5 months, well besides chasing cows and horses. I thought I’d share some of our favorite and easiest picnic ideas as your family builds a few last-minute summer memories before its school time again.
From the beginning of our quarantine and social distancing time, we started having picnics all the time. So much so that if there wasn’t one by the middle of the week, my toddler started asking for it. And, it gave us a special way to make memories and predictable habit, even in a confusing and chaotic time. But, what I learned along the way is,
- My kid likes to spend one on one time with his mommy
- Anything I call a picnic can be a picnic
- Picnic food is not sacred – you can eat anything
- Picnics don’t have to be at a table in a park
Man, we love a picnic and right here before school gets back, whether virtual learning or in-person with a mask, its time to make a few end of summer memories with your family and a picnic is a perfect plan. And, if you are really brave, throw in a second day of fun with a Hometown Scavenger Hunt.
Cool places to have a picnic
Most of us think of a picnic as a bug infested meal in a hot park. And while that’s sometimes what a picnic look likes, it doesn’t have to be in the same place and as miserable as your first thoughts describe. Remember the whole point here is to have fun!
- City park or playground – take a blanket to cover the ground or a table
- State park or tourism destination you’ve been wanting to visit
- Front or back yard under a big tree
- Meet up with neighbors in a culdesac and socially distant
- If your driveway is near your neighbors, you can both eat outside at the same time
- Drive to an empty parking lot and eat in the back of your car
- Go to your church parking lot and talk, sing and pray together
- If you are starting a new school, find a place on the school grounds to sit and eat and talk about fears, concerns, and excitements
- If parents are working, or still working from home, go to the parking lot or grounds of their workplace and eat outside if it’s appropriate or the car and talk about their work or have the other parent come out and meet you.
- Does your community have a gazebo – take music and you can make a dance party while you are
- Sometimes a blanket in the living room floor or open section of your home can be a perfect destination
- Pull the chairs out from your table or set up a card table and picnic under the table
Perfect Picnic Menu items
When it comes to a picnic menu think about items that are simple, easy to make, and don’t melt. While I would always encourage carrying a cooler, it may not be available every time so think about food you can transport easily and that is something your family will always eat. A picnic is not the place for a food battle. For a Picnic, I like to include a protein, a salty, a treat, and a refreshing beverage.
- Sandwiches – meats or peanut butter and jelly
- Wraps
- Chicken Salad on Skinny Buns
- Apples or clementines
- Applesauce pouches
- Chips and individually packaged portions – Pringles transport well, but this is a great time to bring out something that your family would see as a treat. We love Zapps or Cheetos Paws
- Cookies, like Oreos, Nutter Butter, Fig Newtons, or Animal Crackers
- Water and water flavor pouches
- Gatorade or Powerade
Picnic Menu Alternatives
A picnic doesn’t always have to be a sandwich, although that’s a perfect plan, if your family likes other foods, it’s totally ok to mix it up!
- Drive-thru their favorite spot and take the food to go to a local park
- Order Sonic and eat in the back of the car – make sure you park in a safe location for cars driving by
- Doesn’t have to be a full meal – stop and get a snow cone or ice cream and just sit outside somewhere fun and enjoy you treat
- Order Subway and take your own chips
- Summer sausage, cheese slices, crackers, and apples (cut ahead or take a knife with you)
- Deli Section Feast – pre-made salads (chicken salad, pasta salad, pimento cheese), or charcuterie meats and cheeses
- Stop by a local taco truck and take your food with you
- Order a pizza and pick it up on the way
Toddler Picnic ideas
Getting your kids involved in making food helps it be something they want to eat and enjoy. Here are some fun ways to let your kids help – and remember its ok if its not perfect, they got to participate in making lunch.
- Let them write their name on their lunch sack or sandwich baggie
- Give them markers and stickers and let them decorate the bags
- Allow them to spread the sauces or peanut butter on their own sandwich and assemble it so they know what’s included
- Make Koolaid/ Crystal Light and let the kids stir it before you pour into individual cups
- Make cookies or a baked good the day before with the kids and then it’s ready to take with you.
- Take sidewalk chalk and decorate your eating area ahead of time
- Sneak in a secret treat they don’t know about or that you rarely let them have and make it something they really remember – lollipop, gummies, kiddie drinks, juice boxes, freeze-dried fruit, something you don’t let them have all the time
- Take their favorite book/book about food and read before you eat
- Theme your picnic – mickey mouse, animals, transportation, dinosaurs – whatever their favorite things – then make your menu and clothing match
Picnicking tips
- Make individual portions/sandwiches ahead of time and label baggies with a Sharpie
- Take everything in a cooler – put the drinks in the bottom and sandwiches on top
- A “picnic bag” can be anything – a grocery store recycle bag, a “boxed lunch” out of a diaper box in your recycle bin, a basket from around the house, or a cooler
- Bring along a blanket you can wash or a plastic tablecloth you can throw away to cover the public space where you may eat.
- Include a bottle of hand sanitizer in your picnic bag or wet wipes to clean hands and surfaces. You could even wet paper towels and put them in a plastic baggie to transport
- Throw in a roll of paper towels instead of napkins – you can use them for napkins and to clean up
- Use a recycled bottle with a screw top (2 liters, large PB, etc) to transport your liquids
- Take something to put trash in – a plastic store sack or trashbag
- Remember it’s about making a memory, it doesn’t have to be perfect and the food doesn’t have to be gourmet. Just have fun and chill with your kids – be a kid yourself and let them see you out of your element!
Picnic Safety
While anywhere is fair game for a picnic spot, everywhere may not be the right spot for you. Follow your gut and avoid places that make you uncomfortable with too many people, cars, rocks, or edges. You want to enjoy your picnic meal, too.
- Find a location with minimal car traffic
- If eating on the ground, check for bugs or animals before you set a location
- Cover a table with a blanket or tablecloth or wipe down with sanitizer first
- Check your surroundings and make sure you are in a place where you feel safe
- Chill foods that require it and don’t leave food out for hours before consuming
- Clean up your mess quickly after eating if you are going to play games nearby so it doesn’t draw insects or wildlife.
- Take all your food and trash with you when you leave – leave no trace!
- Use your immunity tactics and always be prepared with your Soy-based Summer Insect Repellent
Man, there are so many options to make picnics fun. We have made the best memories during Covid-19 because picnics are a great social distancing activity and there is freedom when you are in nature, making new memories in a fun or familiar place.
Bigpittstop Recipes that make great picnic items:
When my boys were little, they loved a picnic, yes, anything can be a picnic food. Now I am enjoying two littles and we had a picnic today…memories! loved your post!