Eating outdoors has a long history and was already trendy in ancient times: the Greeks met for an eranos, the Romans called it prandium. Final name givers are – as very often with culinary experiences – the French. They created the universally known word picnic from the words piquer (to pick) and nique (little thing).
Packing my picnic basket – the essentials
To avoid any nasty surprises, the following items are essential to enjoy the “treats 2 go”:
- Picnic blanket: It is the basis for a cozy picnic in the meadow and provides cushioning for a wonderful sitting feeling. Folded, it takes up little space and can be carried over the shoulder like a bag with a handle.
- Storage boxes: In the spirit of sustainability and environmental protection, it’s best to reach for the Tupperware box. Lightweight, washable, and guaranteed leak-proof – so the food ends up in your mouth and not in your backpack or basket.
- Plates: There is a wide range of dining sets made of ECO-friendly plates that are reusable. Colorful plates are also available in wheat straw or melamine, all lightweight materials that don’t add up weight-wise.
- Glasses: Chic glasses also look good on the picnic blanket. Products made of shatterproof acrylic glass are suitable – from simple drinking cups to wine glasses and gin glasses, you can drink in style without shattering.
- Cutlery: It doesn’t have to be silverware, but if you want to dine adequately while sitting on the floor, you should pack cutlery from home. An alternative is cutlery sets made of bamboo, which also look chic.
- Napkins: Cloth napkins at the picnic are a must. There is no waste and they can be washed so any food or meadow stains disappear.
- Bottle opener: The most important picnic utensil! Without a bottle opener, the nicest bottle of wine will remain sealed. With the well-known “Swiss knife” you are on the absolutely safe side: bottle opener, corkscrew, and a small knife guarantee that you are prepared for closures of any kind and unforeseen problems. And it gives a MacGyver feeling at the same time.
- Cooler bag: In any case, so that drinks and food do not get a heat shock, they should be cooled and for this purpose, as is well known, nothing is better than the good old cooler bag. Casual cooler bags or picnic bags come in many varieties and perform well over many picnic years.
What else?
Equipped with these essentials is still missing the perfect picnic food. There are endless possibilities to fill the picnic basket with culinary delights. Quickly prepared at home and ideal to take along are, for example, vegetable sticks, sandwiches, wraps, salads, small desserts in a jar, fruit skewers, filled puff pastry pockets but also spreads should not be missing.
In addition to use accessories such as a parasol, wet wipes, and garbage bags, a little decoration is also allowed for outdoor dining: paper lanterns or strings of solar lights that can be hung on trees or bushes, and a few cushions add even more charm and coziness.
A small, portable loudspeaker provides the background music and perhaps even encourages a dance or two outdoors. If you like it sporty, it’s best to pack a Frisbee disc, a soccer ball, or a badminton set.
Enjoy the summer and the warm temperatures at a secluded spot – alone, as a couple, or with friends. With a well-filled picnic basket, nothing stands in the way.
