What Do You Need for the Perfect Picnic?

A picnic is an excellent way to take some time out to connect with friends and family. Share and create memories that will last a lifetime, over a delicious meal.

You want your picnic to be relaxing and stress free. So keep it simple. Look up some simple recipes so the it doesn't require a lot of preparation. Finger foods are always simple and easy to manage. A suggestion might be to have an assortment of meats, cheeses, rolls and condiments, packing your bread separately so it doesn't get soggy - part of the fun is making your sandwich on the picnic. Prepare some pasta salads and other dishes marinated the day before.

Make a list on the fridge of items you will need as you prepare for your picnic a few days in advance that you can keep for some more spontaneous get a ways. Think about how you can pack your picnic basket so it's easy to get items out - like foods that you might eat last on the bottom.

A sample list of items you might want to keep on hand for a great picnic might be:

* A quality picnic blanket
* Ice or frozen blue 'cold packs' to keep your food & beverages at just the right temperature
* Paper towels and/or moist towelettes
* Plastic bag and plastic wrap for any leftovers that are not packed in their own container
* A plastic bag for trash
* Condiments: salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, sugar, etc.
* Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, and other sun protection
* Insect repellent
* Basic first-aid kit
* A camera, so you can capture the memories of this perfect picnic!
* A fully loaded picnic basket from the Basket Mart

Are you ready now to go have a great relaxing time outdoors, stress free. Oh, and don't forget to have fun.


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