How to plan the perfect summer picnic
Summer is here, and while Royal Ascot and National Picnic Week 2020 might look a little different to last year, it’s still a good chance to plan the perfect picnic. Whether you’re heading out for a socially distanced meeting with friends, or having a simple back garden picnic with your family, here is our ultimate picnic guide...
Easy picnic snack ideas
Packing up a picnic doesn’t just have to be about limp sandwiches and beige snacks from the supermarket. Put in a bit of effort and your fellow picnickers will be impressed. Homemade sausage rolls are a sure way to people’s hearts, and if you use pre-made pastry (highly recommended!), they couldn’t be simpler. We love this straightforward recipe from Spectator Life that comes with an optional twist of mango chutney. For vegetarians, Jamie Oliver’s Spanish tortilla is a cheap, easy-to-make and certain-to-please option.
Don’t forget to browse our tableware: the Eco-Friendly Palm Leaf reusable range, including these bowls and large plates, is popular, and adds a classy edge to your picnic. Combine it with these traditional red gingham paper napkins for a picture-perfect picnic spread.
Picnic sandwiches to make ahead
Sandwiches are a must, and we suggest going for something more adventurous than the standard egg mayonnaise or cheese and pickle. A classic BLT is always much better made from scratch than from a packet, and take it up a notch with the addition of avocado and some sundried tomato paste. Homemade Coronation Chicken (see here for a lovely recipe) is a bit of a faff, but will be the jewel in the crown. For something different: bacon, brie and rocket with a touch of sweet chilli sauce is a winner, and, for a taste of Italy, try mozzarella and tomato with some pesto spread on the bread. Go for these blue gingham picnic boxes for packaging that’s prettier than Tupperware.
Sweet treats for your picnic
To round things off with a sweet treat, channel the Bake Off spirit and have a crack at these scrumptious Nutella biscuits, recipe courtesy of the great Genarro Contaldo. We also love these summery ice cream cone cupcakes by The Baking Explorer. Read our blog on seven hacks for baking cupcakes before you start! If you want to go full Royal Ascot, why not take this Best of British cake stand on which to lay them?
Picnic drinks ideas
Your picnic cool bag will almost certainly be packed with a bottle wine for the adults and soft drinks for the kids. But you could also whip up a refreshing mocktail for everyone to enjoy. Try this watermelon lemonade from BBC Good Food. Our gold champagne flutes are made from picnic-friendly plastic but pass for the real thing!
Picnic games ideas
After all of that food and drink, you’ll need to burn off some energy. If you’ve got a decent sized garden or are heading to a spacious park, Party Pieces has plenty of games for adults and kids to get stuck into together. Try playing Garden Quoits - it will fire up the competitive spirit in anyone who plays it! Our 2 in 1 Pop Up Goals are easy to transport, set up and pack away, and are ideal for the football mad members of your family. Otherwise, go for something more sedate: our wooden boule and junior croquet sets are great fun and easy to pick up. We’ve put together an edit of our favourite outdoor games and sports sets – go here for the full list.
Go out and enjoy your summer picnic! And if you buy any Party Pieces items, don’t forget to tag us in on social media @partypieces