The sun is shining and everyone wants to head outdoors. Alfresco eating becomes an obsession when the weather warms up and what better way to indulge than with a picnic. You need a blanket, drinks, and most of all food which is safe to eat.
Use these top ten tips to make your picnic not only safe but a real success. Once sorted, all you need is for the sun to shine.
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Make Your Picnic Simple
Sean Malyon / Getty Images Ensure all picnic foods are simple to transport and not too heavy to carry. Some picnic spots are isolated with a long walk to reach them. Opt for paper or plastic plates and cutlery: also easier to carry.
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Make Your Picnic Interesting
Getty Make picnic food interesting and easy to eat – think finger food. Salad in boxes takes up much room, instead stuff pitta bread with goat’s cheese and handfuls of salad – two in one.
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Things to Avoid on a Picnic
William Shaw / Getty Images Avoid ice cream, sticky puddings, and cakes – they are fragile to transport and wasps and other insects love them.
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Make It Few, Make It Well
Diana Miller - Getty Prepare just a few things and do them well. To ease up on the cooking visit your local deli or farm shop and top up a few homemade goodies like mini sausage rolls.
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Forget About Courses
John Carey / Getty Images The fun of a picnic is to spread all the food on the blanket and let everyone laze around, helping themselves. Multiple courses not necessary!
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Plan Carefully
Sean Malyon / Getty Images Plan carefully how much food you may eat. Take too much and you have to carry it all back.
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Keep it Cool
Greg Elms / Getty Images Use cool bags or an icebox -picnic hampers look lovely but often are heavy to carry whereas a coolbox/bags will keep food at the correct temperature to help avoid any risk of food poisoning.
Put small bottles of water, juice in the freezer for a few hours before the picnic if you have time. These can then double-up as chiller-blocks to keep food cold and when you reach your picnic spot, the drinks will still be cold.
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What You Must and Must Not Take
i-stock What You MUST Take
- The sun may shine so take sunglasses and sunblock.
- Napkins or hand wipes, bugs love sticky fingers.
- A good, reliable bug spray, just in case.
- Bags to take all your rubbish home. Make sure the perfect picnic spot remains a perfect picnic spot.
What You Must NOT Take
- A radio or music system of any kind.
- An unruly dog (or kids).
- Unless allowed, candles, portable barbecues or any other fire risk.