As great as air conditioning is, there’s just something classic about grabbing a few blankets, some tasty food, and cold drinks and heading out to a grassy spot for a picnic.
The term “picnic” dates back to 17th century France, but in the early part of the 20th century, picnics started to catch on in popularity.
Here are some helpful tips to help you plan the perfect summer picnic.
Don’t Forget the Cooler
With Texas temps firmly planted in the 90s during the summer, keeping cool and staying hydrated is a must. You’ll want to bring a sizable cooler to hold both your drinks and any cheeses, dips, deli meats, or other foods that need to be kept cool.
While some premium coolers can keep foods cold for an entire day, others may only keep them cool for a few hours. It doesn’t hurt to toss a few ice packs in there to help make sure everything stays cool and fresh.
Get Comfy
A sizable blanket is a must for a good picnic. It keeps you and your food off the grass, gives you an extra barrier against bugs, and, well, it’s just going to make your overall picnic experience that much more comfy.
If you prefer not to sit on the ground, then be sure to bring along a few folding chairs. It also isn’t a bad idea to throw an umbrella in the car if you know you’ll be picnicking somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of trees to provide shade.
Pack Your Basket Right
It’s easy to get carried away with packing all the delicious dips, sandwiches, salads, and other picnic foods and forget the other picnic essentials – utensils. The last thing you want is to get your blanket spread out in that perfect spot and open up your basket to find that you forgot to pack plates and utensils to eat with.
A few other essentials to consider packing:
- Napkins
- Condiment packets
- A trash bag
- A small cutting board and knife
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- A bottle opener
Picnic Fun for the Kids
The food is the highlight of every picnic, but you might as well enjoy the great outdoors to their fullest, right? Consider bringing along a frisbee or ball to toss, and if you have kiddos in tow with you, it doesn’t hurt to bring along bubbles, a kite, or a paddle ball set.
This can provide a nice break to burn off some calories before heading home – or going back for seconds!
Bring the Right Foods
Some foods just aren’t ideal for a picnic. Foods like chocolate and fried chicken aren’t great because they can quickly get incredibly messy. Instead, opt for foods that travel well and can be easily packed up and taken home if you don’t finish them.
A few classic picnic foods include:
- Pasta salad
- Fruit salad
- Sandwiches
- Empanadas
- Oatmeal cookies
- Chicken salad
- Cheddar cheese straws
Now that you know the dos and don’ts of picnic planning, all that’s left to do is find that perfect spot, and there are a number of parks near Kyle that are ideal for an afternoon picnic.
If you’d like to learn more about all Kyle has to offer and find the perfect home here, contact the Crosswinds team today.