There is much to be said for the simple pleasure of a picnic. But it is the simplicity of the picnic where so many get it wrong.
Whether it’s a beach picnic, your fave al fresco dining location, the backyard, or even a rainy day picnic indoors – There are so many ways to enjoy a picnic, just don’t overcomplicate it.
These savvy tips will up your picnic game and help simplify any of your al fresco dining endeavors.
Essential Tips for a Picnic.
Keep it Simple
Streamline Your Kit
One of the biggest picnic mistakes is overpacking. While a large wicker picnic basket is romantic and charming, it is not always practical. There are times when a heavy picnic basket can be a pain in the bum to transport, especially if your location is a little remote or requires a walk.
If a traditional style basket is the right bag for the job, opt for an insulated picnic basket, so you can have all your food and gear in one bag.
Depending on the numbers, a compact picnic kit such as a picnic backpack is great. There are some practical and stylish picnic backpacks for two, as well as plenty of options if you prefer a 4 person picnic backpack.
Or, even an insulated tote works well. Depending on your location, a granny shopping trolley also makes a great picnic bag.
You Might Also Like: If you want a picnic basket that is both beautiful and practical, we’ve rounded up 6 classic wicker picnic baskets that are classic in style but also practical in design.
If you don’t have a complete picnic set with melamine plates, etc, pack your bag of choice with lightweight, eco-friendly picnic ware such as biodegradable or bamboo disposable plates & cutlery.
A decent picnic blanket with waterproof backing is always a worthwhile investment. I’ve reviewed the best waterproof picnic blankets here to help you choose the right blanket for your purpose. If you don’t have a sturdy blanket, a flat cushion inside a water-resistant tote makes a comfy and dry seating option.
Essential Picnic Gear
- Picnic hamper, backpack, or cool bag
- Picnic blanket
- Ice packs – Opt for soft, flexible ice packs, which are lighter and more adaptable to different bags.
- Small sharp knife – A small serrated knife is always an excellent all-round picnic knife.
- Plates & cups – Reusable melamine or eco-friendly disposable.
- Cutlery – Use eco-friendly bamboo over plastic if opting for disposable.
- Small chopping board
- Bottle opener
- A small tablecloth or scarf to lay food on and napkins.
Pack Your Food Properly
Ensure your food is packed so it won’t spoil or squash.
Keep Food Cold
If food needs to be kept cool but you want to cut down on bulk and weight, put some small water bottles in the freezer a few hours before leaving. They can double as chiller blocks and drinks when you arrive. Or use soft freezer packs for better flexibility and less weight.
I have loads of tips on how to keep food cold for a picnic, with some simple and lightweight picnic cooler accessories to simplify your picnic.
Keep Picnic Food Warm or Hot
The same goes for keeping food hot or warm. Not all hot picnic food is BBQ and a winter picnic on a sunny day is always a lovely idea.
Heat food as close to departure as possible. A thermos or other insulated cooler works equally well for hot as cold – Think picnic soups, stews, or even ramen.
Wrap hot food in aluminum foil and wrap it in a tea towel with a microwaveable heat pack. An insulated food and casserole carrier is also a very worthwhile picnic investment, especially for those who enjoy fresh hot food such as sausage rolls, quiches, or pies at a picnic.
See all my tips on how to keep food warm for a picnic, along with some very helpful picnic accessories up for the task.
Prevent Food From Being Squashed
A chopping board placed at the bottom of a cooler tote will give the bag structure.
Layer food items in a bag using a small, lightweight chopping board placed between layers of food. It will create a kind of shelf and prevent things from collapsing on each other. Sliding a chopping board vertically between items to keep them separated and the bag rigid also works well.
A chopping board is a handy, sturdy surface for serving food or resting glasses during your picnic.
Choose Your Picnic Spot Wisely
While we often have an “idea” of a perfect picnic spot, you may not always be able to throw your blanket under a weeping willow on the banks of a picturesque stream.
No matter if you plan a picnic in the picturesque countryside or an urban alfresco retreat. Unless you have a predetermined location and have packed accordingly (picnic backpack for hiking picnic, hamper for the park, or foldable chairs for the beach, etc.) Don’t waste time looking for it.
Nothing dampens a picnic more than people who became grumpy lugging gear around looking for the “perfect spot”. A picnic should be a relaxing affair, not an aggravated cardio activity.
Unless it is an impromptu picnic, try to think about where you will enjoy your alfresco feast before you head off.
- Do you need facilities such as BBQ grills, taps, toilets, or even shops?
- Will you have to hike to your spot?
- Do you need shade?
- Do you need picnic tables?
- Or is the simplicity of a nice bit of grass under a tree or a blanket on the beach picnic-perfect enough?
- Do you need solutions to keep flies and bugs away outdoors?
Keep it Clean and Eco Friendly
While you want to pack as light as possible, it doesn’t mean you have to leave a pile of disposable trash behind. You can still pack lightly and responsibly even if your picnic set lacks food storage containers.
Where possible, pack your food into reusable containers and wrappings. Think reusable beeswax wrappings, silicone ziplock bags, reusable bamboo cutlery sets, and recyclable wine glasses and cups. We have some wonderful picnic DIY tips here for reusable food wraps you can make at home.
Sustainable and Lightweight Picnic Accessories
Opt for minimal or eco-friendly packaging if you grab a picnic to-go from your favorite food outlet. Nothing is worse than seeing a bin full of plastic takeaway containers at your fave picnic spot.
Take garbage bags with you to remove rubbish or to wrap dirty plates and cutlery. Pack some wet wipes to wipe down cutting boards and clean up spills and dirty fingers.
Simple Picnic Food Tips
Picnic food should be a joy, not a burden. Unless you are planning a long, relaxed picnic in your own garden, don’t overdo it on the food—Pack smart to limit waste, spoilage, and unnecessary bulk in your picnic hamper of choice.
Remember, picnicking can be as simple as sandwiches and a thermos of tea lakeside, a cheese and wine beach date at sunset, or even a pizza in the park.
Sauces and Dressings
The first rule of picnic food (other than keeping it from spoiling or spilling) is to keep sauces, dressings, and condiments separate until serving whenever possible.
You can get sets of mini sauce and condiment bottles, but I find a good set of travel toiletry bottles is often just as good, if not better.
Travel bottle sets come with an array of bottles, tubes, spray bottles (I love this for a spritz of balsamic on a salad), and pots perfect for chutneys and butter. You’re guaranteed they won’t leak as they are designed for travel.
Travel Bottles Set – Carry All Kinds of Picnic Condiments, Dressings, & Sauces Without Leaking
Keep Food Fresh and Crisp
Sandwiches can be a picnic hit-and-miss. No one likes a soggy sandwich or that cling wrap sweaty stodge, but a well-thought-out sandwich can make a picnic.
The same goes for salads. These simple tips will ensure sandwiches and salads are fresh, crisp, and, most of all, easy to transport.
DIY Sandwiches
For sandwiches, you can take the compact DIY option and construct them in situ.
Pick up a fresh loaf of quality sliced bread, baguette, or even individual rolls.
Load some reusable silicon zip loc bags for easy transport with ingredients such as cheese and charcuterie–cured meats like salami and prosciutto, along with hard-aged cheeses. Ingredients made to handle room temperature that actually becomes more flavourful with a little time out of the fridge.
These ingredients, with some key condiments (relishes, mustards, quince paste, etc.), can be laid out on a board and made into sandwiches or eaten as an antipasto.
Pre Made Sandwiches
If you must make sandwiches in advance, choose robust bread like a quality crunchy baguette sandwich. Ciabattas, or bagels, can also withstand a little time in transit without becoming soggy. I’ve got loads more tips on how to prevent soggy sandwiches here. You may even want to try creative breadless sandwich ideas to combat soggy sandwich issues.
Wrap sandwiches in reusable beeswax paper or standard brown or baking paper tied with a string (or even an elastic band) to prevent that awful cling wrap sweat. Bread will stay fresher and crusts crustier.
Leave condiments such as mustard or mayonnaise to be added once unwrapped, or spread them in the middle between meats and cheeses. The same goes for tomatoes; place them in the middle to avoid leeching into the bread.
Choose Fillings Wisely
If you want greens and veg added to your sandwich, opt for robust greens such as baby spinach and arugula. Veggies like grated carrot, fennel, radish, and onion hold well even for a few hours.
Pickled, slow-roasted, and grilled vegetables are also a great addition to a DIY sandwich platter or antipasto plates such as slow-roasted tomatoes and roasted peppers.
Follow the French Lead
The ultimate picnic sandwich takes an entirely different approach and comes from none other than the originators of the word pique-nique – the French.
A Pan Bagnat is a French picnic sandwich made for sharing. It is made with either a hollowed-out crusty boule or baguette, layered with gorgeous ingredients such as cheeses, meats, herbs, and veg. It is wrapped in paper and pressed under something heavy overnight in the fridge. It is then cut into slices or wedges to share.
Picnic Tip: For sandwiches and salads, whether you decide on DIY or preprepared, store in watertight containers or zip-lock bags.
There is no greater picnic disappointment than discovering melted ice or condensation from ice packs has leached into your crusty or crisp picnic spoils.
Picnic Salad Tips
Picnic salads, much like sandwiches, can end up a soggy mess.
Picnic Salad Jars
Individual salad containers are a great way to serve salad at a picnic. If you want to be hip and have suitable carrying arrangements, mason jars are great for picnic salads.
However, I recommend investing in some plastic Mason Jars as the traditional glass jar is heavy and tends to shatter. Plastic food storage containers are also fine for this purpose.
Layer veggies, herbs, proteins, and grains in the jar or container, putting the most robust and chunky ingredients to the bottom – Proteins and grains first – chicken, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), quinoa, etc., followed by things like carrots, peppers, and tomatoes, and layering up to salad leaves.
Some people like to put the dressing at the bottom, which should, in theory, stay at the bottom, separated by the grains, proteins, and chunkier veg. But as we know, things don’t always stay upright with a moveable feast, so I like to add the dressings when you are ready to serve.
Salad jars, like the non-breakable salad jar above, come with an inbuilt dressing container which solves the problem of transporting salad dressings.
Pre Made & DIY Salads
Salads can also be prepared and stored in advance in either one large container with lettuce leaves kept separate until the last or in individual bags such as the silicon zip loc bags. Use bags over containers to save space and keep vegetables crisp and fresh.
Remember, pre-made salads such as Asian-style coleslaw, broccoli and roast potato salad, beetroot salads, or any pasta salad recipe idea are also very forgiving picnic companions. We have loads of great tips on make-ahead salads that travel well here.
Please do yourself a favor and either make the salads yourself (these can all be prepared the night before) or splurge on a quality salad to-go. Last-minute panic-buying pre-made salads at a run-of-the-mill supermarket or service station never did any picnic a service.
Vegetable Platters
Instead of a traditional salad, try a chunky veggie cruditès platter with some gorgeous dips like hummus, guacamole, or baba ganoush—partner with some slow-roasted and pickled veg and crumbled fetta for a perfect picnic salad feast.
Compact Quiches and Tarts
A simple picnic quiche, frittata, or savory tart are some of the best foods for a picnic as they serve well cold, travel well, and are quick and easy to make. They are also delicious and have endless variations.
Team with fresh bread and a salad or cut into small squares for picnic finger food or an addition to an antipasto platter.
Picnic Finger Food
Finger food is another excellent picnic menu idea. Think mini classic Scotch Eggs, fig and prosciutto rolls, mini quiches, Asian style rice paper rolls, small cold chicken kebabs with dipping sauces, goats cheese tarts, savory scones with relish, or mini Caprese skewers.
The list is endless, and finger food makes for a very tidy and portable picnic. I’ve got loads of great finger food recipes perfect for a picnic.
Sweet Picnic Treats
Small tarts, cookies, slices, fudge, brownie recipes, and pumpkin muffins are portable picnic desserts as they travel well and are easy to pack.
Unless the occasion calls for it, or you are having a high tea picnic, I would steer away from large or delicate cakes or cream-filled pastries.
If you want a healthy picnic dessert, opt for fruit. Whole fruits travel better than pre-cut fruit. Slice some fruits, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with crushed nuts for a post-picnic sweet treat. I have some wonderfully unique ways to jazz up fresh fruit in my summer picnic dessert ideas.
Your little travel tubes and pots will be perfect for these delicious fruit condiments.
BBQ Picnic Tips
If you plan a BBQ picnic, try to scout a location with electric BBQs for ease of application. Organized grill pits are also great, but you must usually bring coals.
If you want to go off the grid for a BBQ picnic, do so responsibly and always clean up after yourself. Don’t leave scorch marks in the grass or hot coals behind.
Portable Picnic Grills
There are some pretty fantastic eco-friendly disposable grills on the market these days with 1 – 2 hours of optimum cooking time, such as the CASUSGRILL Eco Disposable Grill, as well as very portable charcoal tabletop picnic BBQ and lightweight, no mess portable gas grills perfect for picnics.
BBQ Picnic Menu Tips
When planning a BBQ picnic menu, choose thinner or smaller cuts of meat for faster cooking times and ease of eating.
Marinated meat on skewers, sausages, minute steaks, and butterflied chicken breasts are all BBQ picnic-friendly. Just keep the meat cold and in the shade so it doesn’t spoil.
Picnic Drinks
The thought of lugging a big cooler box loaded with ice on a picnic is exhausting.
Sure, there will be times when that has its place. However, for the everyday picnic, there are many ways to enjoy a cold drink, whether a crisp white or Rosé, a chilled punch, or an icy cold beer, without breaking your back.
Keep Drinks Cool
Any civilized wine-drinking picnicker will have a selection of wine sleeves ready to go in their freezer, such as Vacu Vin’s Rapid Ice Wine Cooler. Consider one of the very stylish and practical picnic wine cooler bags and wine totes on the market. Many even come with a full wine and cheese service set for added versatility.
It also helps to pop a bottle of white into the freezer just before leaving – just don’t leave it long enough to freeze or, worse, shatter.
Don’t want the faff of keeping whites perfectly chilled? Opt for lightly chilled reds instead. Think light and breezy Beaujolais, Pinotage, Grenache, or Pinot Noir (often served too warm anyway). I like to think of these varieties as great lunch reds.
Store ice cubes in a thermos flask for popping into drinks – even your wine at a pinch. Some people like to pop frozen grapes into their wine, not to dilute or change the flavors. I’m not sure I’m entirely on board with this trick.
If you prefer to take beer on your picnic, there are plenty of insulated rucksack style coolers capable of carrying up to 30 cans. Opt for top loading over front zip style for better stability and access, especially if you pack your food in along with the beer.
TOURIT Cooler Backpack with 32 Can Capacity
Wrapping beer in sheets of newspaper and into a backpack or tote will also keep them cold. Especially if you wrap them with the small frozen bottles of water I mentioned earlier.
For beach picnics, wrap beer in a few carrier bags and dig a beer hole in the sand to keep them cold – again, I would include the frozen water bottles, but I like icy beer.
Picnic Glasses
Wine snobs will argue that glass is the only option for picnic glasses. However, we now have the luxury of some exceptional plastic wine glasses made from recyclable plastics that are about as good as the real thing.
We have even come across celebrated wineries that use these disposable “glasses” at garden picnics at the winery.
Choose a tumbler style to avoid spilling, but if you must have a stem – Champagne, maybe? Throw in some handy wine spikes to prevent spills.
Simple Picnic Tips for Beautiful Picnics
Well-planned and elaborate picnics with family and friends are always wonderful events. However, it shows that picnics don’t have to be a chore. Keep it simple and you might be inclined to indulge in a little alfresco dining more often.
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