Picnic Tips help produce a Picnic Success

These helpful Picnic Tips have done the job. Gathering family and/or friends has now become an enjoyable past time and part of your great family getaway tradition. You have become the best at planning a picnic because you have learnt to...

"Be Prepared"

Here, with the help of Picnic Tips, you have put together all the necessities.

These you have stored in a handy carry basket or perhaps in one of those great portable trolley packs. (These are on wheels and are easy to move from car to picnic area...no fuss). Your local hardware store is a great place to find your "Carry All".

Keep this in the pantry, cupboard or in the car boot, ready to grab as you head out the door.

Picnic Tips - "Item" Essentials

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• Picnic carry all (basket or trolley)

  There are some amazing picnic baskets with all the latest color co-ordinated whiz-bang gadgets and bits and pieces.

  These can range from under $50 to ? hundreds depending on what you are after.

  My Picnic Tips suggestion is that I have found putting your own together, perhaps getting the kids involved in the process, is so much more fun.

  The Cheap $2 shops, The Reject Shop, supermarket and the local hardware are great places to pick up bits and pieces.





• A picnic rug/blanket or two...preferably one that has a waterproof backing. Failing that, a blanket or rug with a small tarp that you can put underneath.(see your hardware store for sizes).

  Consider the possibility of making your own picnic quilt. Let your imagination soar, there are plenty of fabric remnants that you can use.

  Create a food theme, flower theme, color theme....let your imagination take over. Make sure you waterproof the back and voila, you now have a possible heirloom to hand down.





• A folding picnic table


• Folding chairs



• A shelter




Hardware stores have many different sizes, styles and prices....have a look at them and make sure that they are easy to erect and easy to store.

An excellent shelter that I find easy to use is a fully enclosed mosquito canopy....The advantage of this is that you can decorate it if you are celebrating a special occasion. Tie Balloons onto the poles etc.



If you don't want to use a shelter then invest in a piece of light weight clear plastic sheeting

This you can then throw over your picnic goodies should the skies begin to dribble. Clear because you can still see to find the much needed tomato sauce!



• Cooking utensils....These can consist of tongs, egg flipper, fork and sharp knife


• A bread board


• An esky or cooler...pre-freeze containers of water a couple of days before the picnic and use these to keep your drinks and food fresh.

  Clean, recycled milk/fruit juice cartons are very useful as icepacks, just fill them with water and freeze. Throw them away once they thaw.











• A thermos, 2 or more. There is nothing worse than running out of hot water if you are a tea or coffee drinker.

  In winter you might like to fill one with your favorite homemade soup.

  Summertime fill one with ice/water and lemon juice for a very refreshing pick-me-up.




• Plates. May I suggest a square shape as these are easy to pack. Avoid breakages with either disposable plates or preferably melamine. I use basic white and that way I am able to have fun with color using napkins, tablecloth etc.


• Napkins. I love big, strong and sturdy ones. Picking off bits of napkin from your yummy steak is not really recommended. For a little extra fun why not produce a theme.

  Examples....

# Seasons

# Easter

# Christmas

# Birthday



• Plastic or melamine cups and glasses


• Knives, forks and spoons, sturdy metal utensils are best as I have never been able to master the art of cutting my steak with a plastic knife.


• Cork screw/bottle opener


• Table cloth. Whether fabric/plastic or throw-away, avoid having to struggle with the wind. You could use alligator clips and clamp the cloth to the picnic table.



Or make up little rice/bead/sand bags tied with coloured cord, attach a bulldog clip to each corner of the tablecloth and tie the bags onto the clips...looks pretty too!





• A basic first aid kit



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• Insect repellent


• Sunscreen


• Paper towel


• Hand/face wash cloths


• Disposable camera. Just in case all the others don't work or someone forgot to recharge the battery on the digital.





• Games....'Cant have a picnic without a few games....



# Football

# Cricket

# Frisbee

# Cards

# Chess




Just to name a few. These you can pick up pretty reasonably at toy stores, Target, Kmart, even at your local Hardware Store. Whatever the family is into plus a few more for variety.










Picnic Tips - "Food" Essentials

Keep all these in air-tight containers in the "Carry-all"

# Salt and Pepper

# Teabags and Coffee

# Sugar and or Sweeteners

# Herbs and Spices

# Garlic

Any Sauces, Pickles, Chutneys etc, store these in the refrigerator. Better still purchase fresh for your picnic several days before, small sizes will be fine, whatever you don't use throw away. Better to be safe than sorry.

And talking about throwing away, make sure that you have packed in a few recycled plastic shopping bags for all the rubbish.





No "Doh!" moments for you as my Picnic Tips and Picnic suggestions have helped you totally prepare.

So put it all together...it might look a lot but everything is there for you to now concentrate on planning your next Family Getaway



My picnic tips on what to eat?





My tips on Where to go on Your Next Picnic



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