Picnics are a perfect combination of gorgeous views, delicious food, and lovely quality time with your loved ones. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to make memories with your family, you can plan a picnic day at a picturesque location where everyone can relax, play, or simply chat until the sun starts to set.
But first, it’s important to consider everyone’s safety and comfort while planning a family picnic. Here are a few tips to help you plan the perfect picnic that’s both stress-free and memorable for everyone.
1. Prepare Your Picnic Essentials
The first few things you should prepare for a picnic are your picnic basket and blanket or mat. You can also bring a cooler in addition to a basket to keep food and drinks cool.
Speaking of keeping drinks cool, you can make the day extra special by getting custom Koozies. You can personalize them with everyone’s names or other designs like custom-made icons or something related to their interests and hobbies in mind. Not only are Koozies practical, they’ll also serve as a great reminder of the family day that you will go on.
For non-food items, it’s important to bring sunscreen and insect repellent to keep you and your family safe and comfortable throughout the picnic. You can also fit in a mini first aid kit, in case one of the kids accidentally scrapes a knee while playing or encounters any other minor injury.
2. Choose a Safe Location
There are a lot of things to consider when looking for a family picnic location. An important factor is the distance from your home, as well as how difficult it is to get there. A picnic on the mountainside, for example, would be a beautiful way to spend the day with your loved ones. That said, you also have to consider the safety of the trek and how capable your family members are to make the trip, especially the kids and seniors.
There are plenty of locations that are beautiful yet still accessible, such as parks and nature reserves that allow picnics. You can also turn the day into a beach trip and have your family picnic by the sea shore. Even your backyard can be an amazing picnic location, if you’d rather not go too far.
3. Check The Weather
When planning your family picnic day, check the weather forecast first. The perfect picnic day should have no chance of rain for the whole day. After all, the last thing you want is for your picnic to get cut short by a sudden downfall.
Also, make sure the temperature is comfortable for everyone coming along. Sunny days are beautiful, but too much heat can increase the risk of dehydration or heat stroke. You can schedule your family picnic on a pleasantly cloudy day to make it more comfortable and safe for the whole family.
4. Prepare the Right Picnic Food
There are two factors to consider when preparing picnic food. First, how practical would it be to eat? While you can use utensils in a picnic, it may be harder to do without a table. It’s better to keep it easy and simple by sticking to finger foods.
Second, how fast does the food spoil? Some foods go bad quickly if left in room temperature or out in the sun for too long. It would be disappointing to spend a few hours hiking to your dream picnic location, only to find that the food had gone bad along the way.
The best food options for a fun afternoon picnic would be finger foods such as sliced fruits, sandwiches, chicken fingers, or corn on the cob. Alternatively, you can take inspiration from charcuterie boards and bring a selection of cold cut meats, crackers, bread, nuts, and spreads. These options are all easy to assemble and won’t spoil easily, so you and your family can have a fun and worry-free picnic.
5. Be Ready With Clean Up Materials
Proper clean up is a must after a picnic to keep the environment neat and beautiful; it also shows consideration for other visitors. It’s a good idea to bring trash bags, wet wipes, paper towels, dishtowels, and extra plastic containers to safely dispose of food waste and pack up any dirty utensils. Before you leave the picnic location, check the area one last time for any missed trash or litter.
Enjoy Your Family Picnic Experience
By finding a good location, choosing the perfect conditions, and packing the right supplies and food, you will be able to create a fun and worry-free picnic for you and the whole family. Make sure to bring some fun activities as well, such as games or books, to keep the fun and laughter going. Once you’ve ironed out all the details, remember to fully enjoy the food, the company, and the views—you’ve earned it!
