We absolutely love picnics in our house– there is a great park down the street that is quiet and shady with a large grassy area perfect for picnicking. We actually just went last week and took advantage of a bit of a breeze to have a picnic and fly a kite and the kids had so much fun!
I also love picnics for events that we go to and day trips. It is an easy way to save a bit of money and still eat really well. I pack them all the time and try to make them fun. I feel so much better packing my own food than spending a small fortune on the unhealthy and very overpriced options at the snack bar.
So here are a few menu ideas and packing tips for having an awesome picnic! I would love to hear your suggestions at the bottom of the post! We really do pack picnics all the time so I love hearing your fun ideas!
1. How to Cut Watermelon Sticks – so much easier for small fingers to grab!
2. Veggies and Dip- individual servings in cups, top with ranch, guacamole or hummus. Sliced apples and celery topped with a PB would be great as well.
3. S’Mores Bites Cupcakes– fun way to have S’Mores in a portable mess free form
4. Easy Picnic Utensil Holders – get the kids to assemble these while you pack the food
5. DIY Mason Jar Cups – these are cheap and easy to make and a great no spill option for drinks. I pack drinks in regular mason jars and switch out the lid for drinking later.
6. Jam Jar Salt and Pepper Shakers– so cute and easy! Add any seasoning you like and I bet the kids love these!
7. Chopped Salad in a Cup – perfect for any salad, pasta salad or just crunchy veggies.
8. Watermelon Cake in Mason Jars– such a cute idea for summer.
9. DIY Picnic Basket – want to make your own cute picnic basket? Here is a tutorial- bonus the basket serves as a little table once you unpack.
10. Individual Picnic Basket Idea – love this idea if you have kids especially. Pack it all up in individual baskets for grab n go eating. We did this for a pool party in sand buckets and the kids loved it.
11. How to Keep Flies Away– obviously most of us won’t have wine glasses but any clear cup works- maybe your empty mason jars?
12. Clip Utensils on Lunch Bags with a Clothespin – super smart! Plus a cute idea to print right on a plain paper bag- I do this sometimes when I am soccer snack Mom.
13. Rainbow Fruit Cups – beautiful way to present fruit in a convenient snack cup.
14. Watermelon Krispie Treats– again a fun watermelon themed dessert- the kids will love this.
15. Movie Night Picnic Idea- Fun idea for outdoor movie night picnics.
16. Strawberry Hand Pies – such a classic and comforting dessert in a portable form. Use cherries, blackberry, apples- whatever fruit that is in season. Yum!
17. Summertime Sun Tea – again with the mason jar drinks- sun tea is a perfect summertime drink
18. Adult Ice Pops – these are boozy and look fun for warm nights
19. Maple Baked Beans – cute to go packing for baked beans
20. How to Perfectly Wrap a Sandwich – struggle to get the perfect parchment paper wrap on sammies? Here are step by step directions.
21. Travel Backgammon Game – how cute is this? You could also make this into a checkerboard or chessboard.
Here are a few other ideas you might like for your next picnic:
I mentioned this idea in my How to Make Family Movie Night More Fun post-– these little hot dog trays are super cheap and and make it much easier to balance food.
I love this strawberry lemonade recipe for an alternative to sodas. Perfect if you have hit Farmer’s Markets recently for fresh berries!
Thanks for the shout out Charlene! Mwahh!