10 picnic ideas for the summer season
WHAT better way to celebrate the sunshine season than to fill a picnic basket or backpack and head out of doors.
Here are our top foodie bites to collect and go.
A little planning goes a long way towards a feast al fresco, so think ahead and make the best of a great day out.
Fussy children (and adults) will eat healthier food when they are hungry, so follow my lead to a vitamin-packed, easy-to-serve menu.
1. Pitta bread filled with tuna, tomato and chopped olives mixed with mayonnaise is delicious. Butter the pitta as far down as you can to stop it from going soggy from the filling. Line with shredded lettuce and fill with the mixture. Wrap each one in clingfilm to keep tightly closed.
2. If you can plan ahead, roast a shoulder of lamb or boil a joint of ham or bacon. It will be much more economical than buying ready-sliced. Make a delicious sourdough bread sandwich topped with mayo with a little fresh lemon added for extra zing.
3. Don’t bring dairy produce if it’s a warm day. Use olive oil for drizzling on bread. Nuts are a good alternative source of protein, but to avoid dehydration keep away from over salted and dry roasted which can cause a thirst.
4. Chicken is terrific and much better value roasted whole. Brush with a little sweet chilli sauce for extra flavour before cooking. Do this the night before, or early in the morning and wrap immediately in foil to keep warm. Tear into pieces when you get to the picnic to serve on baguette. You can also slice the breast first and make sandwiches, adding some toasted almonds for extra flavour. Mayo sprinkled with fresh thyme will provide extra taste.
5. Hardboiled eggs. Kids love to dip in mayo and bite into them.
6. A tub of hummus is useful to serve with sticks of celery, carrot and cucumber. Seal in a bag and keep in a coolbox. There are recipes on line for delicious beetroot hummus or buy ready made.
7. Jars of gherkins and roasted red peppers are good on the side for stylish picnics. Decant them into sealed bags, without their oils, to reduce weight.
8. Whole cherry tomatoes make great snacks. Lightly salted crackers are good with them.
9. For a more substantial salad, cook quinoa or penne pasta and add lots of chopped fresh herbs such as mint, coriander and parsley. Some chopped and cooked chorizo is good for meat eaters. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice.
10. Smoked mackerel makes an easy paté and also in chunks is good on bread. Top with horseradish sauce mixed with mayonnaise and chopped parsley for extra flavour.
Slices of a hearty fruit loaf are ideal for when energy runs low after all the excitement. Make a few days ahead — there are plenty of recipes on line.
The most sustaining biscuits are porridge-based, so make or buy some flapjacks. The aim is to keep energy up all day and avoid crankiness in the car on the way home.
Plain cupcakes are a good idea. Add seasonal blueberries, raspberries and strawberries to home-made cakes.
Seasonal fruit is ideal so pack strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and slices of melon in cool boxes if the weather is hot.
Avoid sweet drinks as they will cause a thirst. Stick to water and add a slice of lemon or lime for flavour.
Adults can enjoy real iced tea by making tea and pouring into a flask. Add crushed ice, sugar to taste and a slice or two of lemon or some mint.
For less than perfect weather, small tents make a great dining room and double up as somewhere for kids to play hide and seek.
Bring a rug and ideally a plastic sheet to go under it if your picnic follows poor weather.
Bring a skipping rope, a scarf for blind-man’s buff, swing ball for energetic moments and a few board games for rest times.
Look up local maps and research some history of the area on the internet. Kids enjoy the thrill of discovery. Create a treasure hunt to find treats or small balls to play with later.
Take the kids foraging. There are edible leaves and plants everywhere, including by the sea, but check the internet or bring a book to check first to be sure. Or forage to bring home and check then. It’s the fun of finding that matters.
Bring cutlery, paper/plastic cups and glasses, plates, corkscrew, bottle opener, a few tea-towels and a roll of paper towel. Have small bags for usable leftovers.
Make picnic day a ‘no-phone or games devices day’ for both children and adults. Leave them at home or at least in the car for checking later.
Bring a change of clothes, shoes and towels for everyone.
Bring string and a pair of scissors for helping to make rafts and various contraptions with the children. A strong knife is useful for cutting bits of branches.
Don’t leave anything behind and respect nature while you are there. Bring a bag for rubbish and get the children involved in cleaning up. Bring the rubbish bag home and make sure it goes into your own bin.
