What to Pack in Picnic Basket: 15 Things To Bring With You On Your Next Adventure

The key to a good picnic is your picnic basket ingredients. What you pack in that little hamper can have a huge impact on how your day goes. We’ve come up with an essential list of 15 items of what to pack in picnic basket so that you’re guaranteed the perfect picnic experience so far.

There’s nothing quite like the simple joy of having a picnic in nature and enjoying the sun and bird songs while you eat, but it’s something that not many of us get to do these days. Being outdoors isn’t all about camping or hiking, sometimes it can be great to get out into nature just for relaxation’s sake.

How to Pair Picnic Basket with Blanket

If you’re looking for some additions for your picnic basket, before considering what you need inside it, you need your preferred type of blanket to pair with it. Our best choice for choosing the right picnic basket with blanket is our KAMUI Outdoor Picnic blanket.

The KAMUI blanket is designed for picnics but offers benefits like waterproofness, large size, easy cleaning, and transport, all with outdoor-loving families in mind. So, before setting out on your next picnic, make sure you have the matching blanket in store.

What to Pack in Picnic Basket

Here is what’s on our list of the top things of what to pack in picnic basket, when heading out. 

#1: Food

The number one ingredient for a good picnic is the food you choose, but it’s not that simple. Think of all the things you are planning for the afternoon, and here are our ideas on what to bring with you:

• Salad and all the other types of salads like potato salads, or Fruit salad and Pasta salad
• Sandwiches and wraps
• Cream cheese and peanut butter
• Sweet treats
• Cheese and crackers
• Jerky

Try to avoid things that melt easily (like ice cream) or take up too much room in the picnic basket. Picnic food also doesn’t include perishable food like milk, seafood, or poultry.

#2: Drinks

To some, the beverages are just as important as the snacks on a picnic, so knowing which ones to pack in your perfect picnic basket will depend on your guests. First, you’ll need flavored drinks like juices and sodas, depending on your taste. Finally, for the adults, you might want to bring along a bottle of champagne. Here is our list of things to consider

• Wine or champagne
• Sparkling water
• Juices for the kids
• Soda drinks

#3: Cups

What is a picnic without a glass of wine for the parents? Don’t forget to bring some cups with you. If the kids are heading out on this picnic with you, and you’re afraid of broken glass, make sure to bring plastic cups.

#4: Condiments

If you want to spice up a barbecue or just want to season your salad, make sure you don’t forget our favorite additions to every meal: Condiments. Here comes a list of things you can pair with you food:

• Ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard 
• Pesto, soy sauce and wasabi
• Steak and barbecue sauce

Make sure your sauces are stored inside of unbreakable containers, or portable plastic cups. Make sure to bring your condiments with you, or you won’t have anything to round out your meal.

#5: Seating

If you’ve got some space to carry more with you, you could really spice up your picnic spot with comfortable seating options around the picnic table. This could be anything from a few cushions to sit on or deluxe camping chairs that will make it easy to sit around for hours and do nothing but relax. Just make sure you pack enough for everyone there, otherwise, they might feel left out.

#6: Entertainment

Getting out into nature can be fun when you’ve got some games to play. Pack in your picnic basket a few easy and lightweight things that might be enjoyable. You could include a Frisbee for throwing or a ball so you could play catch with it. Simplicity is best here, as you don’t want to be taking up much space in the basket, where more food could be.

#7: Personal items and First Aid Kit

Oh no, your phone battery ran out and you really wanted to take pictures of the sunset? Here is what you shouldn’t forget when heading out on a picnic: wallet, phone charger and power bank. If you need to take your medication or vitamins during a certain time of day, make sure you take them with you! 

In addition, bring your first aid kit with you in your picnic basket, because you can never be too sure. 

#8: Music

If you’re someone who gets bored sitting in absolute silence, music could be a great addition to your picnic date. Thankfully, these days it’s not hard to get your hands on a quality Bluetooth speaker that plays you some tunes. Bring along your smartphone, make sure it’s charged, and add some soothing music to your romantic picnic.

#9: Sunscreen + Bug Spray

The sun’s rays are always there, no matter what the weather, so pack along some extra sunscreen to be sure everyone is protected. Another handy addition to the basket would be bug spray, especially during summertime when the insects re out. These two small additions could save everyone a lot of annoyance during the day.

#10: Paper Towels and Wet Wipes

Picnic baskets are usually full of tasty treats, but unlike a restaurant, you’ll have nowhere to wipe sticky BBQ sauce or juicy watermelon on when you’re out in nature. Pack a roll of paper towels and make sure there’s enough for everyone to keep those faces and hands clean.

Just like paper towels, wet wipes can come in handy for cleaning both hands and stains. Imagine you get your favorite outdoor clothes dirty with some sauce, and paper towels can’t remove all of it. Don’t panic! You still have wet wipes to take care of the stain. In addition, you can use wet wipes for cleaning the picnic table, children’s faces, and your hands.

#11: Cooling System

Packing a picnic basket usually means you’re getting ready to eat at a faraway location. In this case, there’s a chance your food could go bad if you don’t have adequate cooling. Some simple solutions are ice blocks or filling up a water bottle and freezing it the night before you leave. It’ll melt eventually and be another source of water for the journey home.

#12: Tupperware

If you’re planning on bringing some homemade food with you on your picnic adventure, make sure you bring your Tupperware and zip lock bags with you. Not just can you put your leftovers in them, you can bring your food to the picnic with you too. We love these because they are multi-purpose and good for the environment! 

#13: Utensils

Imagine getting all the way out to your intended picnic space and finding that you don’t have any knives or forks, or no spoon to scoop the potato salad with? Pack one set for each person going, and throw in a couple of extras, as well as any serving utensils you’ll require for the food you have. You might think plastic is easier but it’s less friendly to the environment and people will be less inclined to litter when using the real deal. Add your utensils to a bag, which you can later use as a trash bag, and don’t forget the bottle opener!

#14: Folding knife

To make your picnic safer, bring your trusted folding knife with you, instead of a normal kitchen knife. We recommend this type of knife not just because it won’t cut into your picnic basket and other things you brought with you, but because it saves space too.

#15: Cutting boards

Last but not least is the item of our what to pack in picnic basket list, to wrap it all up -The cutting board. Not just to make everything look fancier, but to make your life easier. Imagine you want to cut a fruit salad or jerky into pieces, a cutting board is something to consider if you’re bringing extra blankets or food with you on your picnic.

Conclusion on What to Pack in Picnic Basket

Heading out into nature, for a relaxing picnic at your local park brings with it a whole range of potential problems that could occur. Everything from annoying insects to bad weather can quickly change the outcome of your day out. Being prepared for the worst is the best way to get organized. That’s why we offer solutions.

Picnics are a lot of fun but they’re even better when you are ready and prepared for everything, which is why it’s so handy to have a checklist like the one we prepared for you. We hope our What to pack in picnic basket checklist helped you decide what to prepare for your next picnic.

Resources

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