Top tips for the perfect picnic!

Whatever the British weather throws at us, nothing beats a great picnic! If you’re gathering with friends and family, in your garden, the park, at the beach, or in the leafy countryside, here are some easy picnic ideas to make your picnic one to remember!

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How to take your picnic from ordinary to extraordinary!

An ideal picnic all starts with the people and ends with the food. Make sure you cater for your guest list, season, location, and the occasion!

So where should you start? Organisation and planning is key to any successful event and if you’re serious about your picnics you should create a checklist to ensure nothing is forgotten! Think about the occasion and guests you are inviting and pick a theme!

Here are some of our favourite Picnic Themes

For the Adults

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party- Create an unforgettable display of tea cups and saucers surrounded by a delicious afternoon tea spread! Think mini sandwiches, scones, desserts, and quiches. All with little signs that say ‘Drink Me’ and ‘Eat Me’. Don’t forget everyone has to wear a hat, the crazier the better!
Quiz time – gather friends together and each of you bring a different quiz round (you can get lots of ideas online for those) and some different food or drinks! Decide between you first so you don’t double up but small snacks and finger food are good like falafel bites and chicken wings plus veggies, crisps and of course refreshing drinks!
Scavenger Hunt- A fun game for small or large picnic groups. This will take some extra planning but will be sure to create an unforgettable event. Pizza, dips and salads are good options for this and lots of chilled drinks in dual walled stainless steel bottles.
Brunch picnic with your besties – create a huge grazing board of fab pastries, breads, quiches, and fresh fruit! Create a low table display and set up cushions around it.
Choose food from a country you love – recreate that Greek holiday with hummus, flatbreads, feta or halloumi, tomatoes and olives of course!
Champagne and canapés might be just the ticket if you’re picnicking at an outdoor classical concert or cinema in the park. Strawberries are a must too.

For the Kids

Circus! This one is all about the food. Candy Floss, Pop Corn, chilled Hot Dogs and Sausage Rolls. Think bright coloured decorations, clown face painting, juggling balls, and maybe even a little circus tent! If you have anything sticky like candy floss, keep that in an insulated bag (and remember the face wipes!)
Teddy Bears Picnic – Everyone brings their favourite Teddy! You could make bear shaped sandwiches, biscuits and shaped fruits. Decorations are easy – teddy bear theme napkins, tea sets for kids and bears, and of course teddy bears galore. Don’t forget to sing the song and make teddy bear headbands for the kids!

Make sure you have the right kit!

Now it’s time to make sure you have the right kit! Reusable is the name of the game for sure – cutlery, insulated water bottles, insulated bags, plates, bowls, lunch boxes, Bento boxes, food flasks and travel coffee cups. Definitely no single use plastic water bottles!

Depending on where you’re going, and again who’s joining you, you will need foldable chairs, a picnic basket, cooler bags, and picnic rugs (there are some great cost-effective options out there now, with waterproof backings and bright vibrant designs).

Get the kids involved on picnic day by packing their own picnic lunch bag!

Smash® has the widest range of lunch bag designs – from football and camo to butterflies and diamonds! Each insulated bag features our exclusive Blue IQ antibacterial lining, protecting from harmful bacteria which builds up in lunch bags and makes them super easy to clean.

Keep food and drinks ICE cold!

When served you want to ensure your picnic food is equal parts tasty, fresh, cool – and food- safe! No one wants a warm sandwich or salad! Make sure you have sufficient Ice Bricks or gel ice packs. To keep your drinks cool you can use a dual wall stainless steel travel cup or water bottle. Take our Smash® Stainless Steel Bottle, which keeps drinks cold for an amazing 24 hours!

Ditch the disposables – and choose reusable!

A traditional downside to a picnic has been the mess generated – from foil or cling-film, biscuit wrappers or crisp packets. But if you think ahead you can easily plan a rubbish-free picnic! Opt for sustainability, buy foods in bulk and use reusable lunch boxes and lunch bags to store and transport foods. There’s no need for wraps, foil or cling-film with the Smash® Stainless Steel boxes with airtight lids.

Don’t forget the beverages!

Maybe a smoothie for the kids, tea or coffee for the grown-ups and water for everyone. Smash® has lots of sustainable options like glass and stainless steel water bottles, and some super-stylish reusable coffee cups that work brilliantly for a much-need cup of tea at the end of a busy family get together!