There’s something really lovely about al fresco dining on holiday and a picnic is the perfect way to make the most of your surroundings. Our top tips will help your picnic go with a bang!
Pick the perfect picnic spot
Where you set your picnic up can influence its success, so try to find a scenic spot with plenty of shade that you can set up under if it’s hot. If you have children at the picnic, try to find a spot with plenty of surrounding space for them to run around.
Picnic food
So many people put themselves under pressure to turn into the next Nigella or Jamie when planning a picnic. Of course, there are lots of great recipe ideas out there but if your family enjoys sandwiches and sausage rolls from the local supermarket, that’s fine. The key is in not taking too much food that you will have to carry a lot back with you and, if you are cooking and baking, preparing fewer things, but preparing them well!
How to keep your picnic food cool
Cool boxes and bags are the best way to keep food cool and much more practical than a wicker picnic hamper for perishable dishes. Use freezer blocks or small bottles of water that have been in the freezer beforehand, to ensure everything remains cool until it’s time to eat. Place heaviest items at the bottom, with the most perishable food at the top, above the freezer blocks. Put food from the fridge into the cooler as it will be more efficient than placing room temperature items in the box. As with a domestic freezer, a cool box or bag will keep contents cooler for longer if it is full. The Coleman Cooler Combo is the perfect picnic accessory, comprising a 45L cool box, a 4L cool box and a 1.8L cool jug. For smaller picnics, the Navigate Coast Insulated Tote is an insulated tote bag that features an integral cool bag.
Being comfortable on a picnic
The whole point of a picnic is to lay a large blanket on the ground and spread all the food out, sit down and tuck in. On a practical level though this may not be possible and your food and crockery will need a flat surface! Our range of camping tables has a choice of picnic table to suit every occasion. The Kampa Mini Plastic Table is the perfect size for plates and, for those less able to sit on the ground, the Kampa Happy Table has built-in seating for four and folds neatly away for easy transportation. Picnic chairs are handy too and the Kampa Chairman Chair is fully portable. When it comes to picnic rugs, a waterproof picnic blanket is essential. The Navigate Coast Picnic Blanket has a waterproof PEVA backing and simply rolls up to be carried by its adjustable shoulder strap/carry handle.
Perfect picnic food ideas
You really can’t beat a sandwich on a picnic – plates not required and, depending on the filling, hearty enough to fill you up and keep you going till dinner! Switch it up a little with alternatives to butter or spread by using cream cheese, houmous or pesto on the bread and experiment with your fillings. Ham and tomato are perfect but anything will go into a sandwich, including leftovers from the night before.
Finger foods work well on a picnic. Individual savoury muffins** can be batch cooked and transported in a plastic, lidded container or why not cut larger dishes, such as quiche, into bite-size portions? For little ones you may want to encourage with vegetables, try crudités – chop some crunchy veg into strips (celery, carrots, peppers, cucumber) and pop in some dips such as peanut butter or yoghurt.
For the sweet-toothed in the group, fresh fruit is a good picnic staple, but for those wanting a more substantial dessert, the recipes from How to make the perfect BBQ feast can be made in advance and taken with you.
Our outdoor leisure department has lots of great items to make your picnic a success, including travel games to help while away the time and kites for the more energetic members of the group. If you need any help with anything picnic-related, we can be contacted by telephone or email, or in person at one of our shops; all details can be found here.
**Savoury Muffin Recipe (12 servings)
INGREDIENTS
12 large eggs
80 ml milk
12 slices of ham
60g cheddar cheese plus extra if you want for topping
Salt & pepper to taste
TOPPINGS
Fresh tomatoes sliced
Chopped chives
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 12-muffin cup pan with cooking spray and line each hole with a slice of ham.
Beat together the eggs, milk, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a large spoon or small ladle, divide the mixture evenly between the muffin pan. Top with slices of tomato and chopped chives or extra cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the egg is fully cooked. Allow to cool thoroughly before packing in airtight containers.
