15 Picnic Hacks For A Perfect Outdoor Eating Experience
As sunny days approach and the rain moves along, it's the ideal time to start thinking of outdoor activities. Picnics are an inexpensive way to spend time in the fresh air in a way that's fit for the family, a get-together with the gals, or a romantic date. But picnics take planning and packing. If you've ever gone unprepared, forgetting the essentials, you get it. Picnics can survive a few mishaps — being adaptable is part of the fun — but it helps to have a properly-packed bag. You can keep it simple, with small snacks and drinks, or you can go for a full spread. However you make it your own, it's bound to be a good time.
Yet with the planning that goes into a day out, it can be easy to forget something. Plus, we don't always think of all the ways picnicking can be even more effortless. Between packing the food, the blanket, and the drinks, there are a lot of extra tips and tricks to keep everything organized and enjoyable. Here, we've gathered some hacks to make your next picnic even better.
1. Freeze grapes for ice cubes
It doesn't seem especially savvy to pack ice cubes or trays for your picnic. The water will likely melt quickly, leaving just a puddle and nothing to keep your drinks cold. Plus, if you're drinking something like wine or sangria, ice cubes will just water it down. To keep those kinds of beverages chilly, try bringing along frozen grapes to act as ice cubes. Frozen grapes will also work in non-alcoholic beverages, like lemonade or sparkling juice, or even plain water. No matter what drink you pack, frozen grapes are a quick hack for improvised ice cubes.
Not only will frozen grapes keep your wine cold, but they are a refreshing snack. Because grapes are primarily made of water (about 80-89%), they'll freeze easily and when in an insulated picnic bag or cooler, will stay frozen. And even if they do thaw, there won't be a puddle of water — just a tasty grape!
2. Use muffin tins for snacks and condiments
On your next picnic, bring a muffin tin for holding snacks like pretzels, fruit or nuts, or dips and condiments. You can fill each hole with something different so you can spread out everything you need without making a big mess. That way, you don't have to worry about squirting ketchup onto plates or opening a full bowl of dip. Instead, you can divvy out a little of what you want to snack on. To fit it in a smaller basket, go for a six-muffin tin. If you have a large picnic bag with a lot of food, you can definitely use a dozen-muffin tin.
With this convenient hack, you can dip veggie sticks in a pinch, keep berries or nuts from rolling around, and save space on your picnic spread. The kinds of things that can go into a muffin tin are really endless — it can hold just about any snack or sauce you bring along. As far as cleaning, rinse the muffin tin out with spare water bottles, or wrap it with plastic wrap before packing it back up.
3. Keep bugs out of your drink with cupcake liners
Tired of bugs flying into your soda can? We get it. There are few picnic experiences as bad as taking a sip and sucking down a fly. (When did it even get in there?) With this trick, you can avoid spitting bugs altogether. Just cover your drink with a cupcake liner — foil or paper liners work for this — and pop a straw through the center. Voila! It's a makeshift lid, perfect for keeping out unwanted pests. It won't prevent spills, but it'll deter dirt, grass, and other things from blowing or flying into your cup or can.
Because cupcake liners are so versatile in size, they are adaptable to many different types of cups and drink containers. They are also portable and easily accessible, making this trick both practical and relatively cheap. While disposable cupcake liners are ideal here, you can reduce waste by using a silicone liner. Keep in mind that you can't poke a straw through silicone — it would just serve as a really handy lid.
4. Convert a cardboard drink carrier into storage
Tired of napkins blowing away? Annoyed with digging around in the bag for plastic forks and spoons? Try using a six-pack drink carrier to store picnic essentials — plastic cutlery, napkins, and even sanitizer or wet wipes. Just pack along the cardboard carrier, and stuff each compartment with all your plastic and paper products. This way, everything is within reach and organized. By keeping wipes or sanitizer nearby, you are also minimizing mess and the spread of germs. You can use a drink carrier as both a sticky hands station and a DIY caddy.
It can be helpful to reinforce the drink carrier. Since cardboard isn't a very durable material, you can use duct tape or extra strips of cardboard to make the holder sturdier. You can also use strips of cardboard to create dividers and alter the space for other items. If you end up loving this innovative hack, you might consider taking the next step and decorating your carrier to give it some character. It'll be perfect for every picnic. And what's the best part? If it breaks or wears down, you can easily make another one.
5. Bring a fitted twin sheet to cover picnic tables
Not every picnic spread is on the ground — sometimes, you find a nice table to eat at. Yet outdoor picnic tables can be warped, have gaps or holes, or even be a home for ants and other bugs. If you're picnicking at a table, use a fitted twin sheet as a tablecloth to prevent dirt and bugs from invading your food, and to make cleanup easier. If something spills, it'll soak into the cloth before running off the table and onto your lap. This hack is less expensive than fitted tablecloths that you can purchase, while serving the same purpose.
Another great thing about fitted sheets is that they are similar to the size of a table, and they'll grip nicely because of the fitted pockets. While you could use a blanket, the corners are likely to blow up onto the table. All of a sudden, there's a blanket flapping in the wind, falling onto your food and knocking things over. Plus, because fitted sheets are thin, you can pack one up without it being too bulky.
6. Freeze bottles of water for ice packs
On a hot day, ice can melt quickly, even in a cooler. And it's really tricky to pack ice in a picnic bag. Water bottles, however, are portable and can easily fit in a basket or cooler. Try keeping frozen water bottles with drinks and food to ensure everything stays cold. You can save space with this hack, and avoid draining water out of a cooler. If you pack frozen water bottles, a cooler might not even be necessary, depending on how much food you are bringing along. Without an insulated picnic basket, bottles can fit around the sides and surround everything, acting as an ice pack.
As the bottles thaw, you can drink them or bring them back home to drink later. There's essentially no waste here! Besides, there's another use here — a frozen water bottle is a great way to cool off while sitting in the sun.
7. Keep sandwiches secure with string
A common problem when packing sandwiches is that they can easily separate or shift around, losing their contents or turning into a huge mess. Maybe that's not an issue with a sticky PBJ, but a loaded sub? Let's get real. You can stuff a sandwich to nearly overflowing, from anything like sriracha, avocado, and egg salad to classic fillings like a BLT — and nothing is actually holding it all together! Here's a tip: Tie a string around your sandwiches to prevent them from falling apart while traveling to your picnic spot. For even more support, you can wrap sandwiches with food wrapping paper before tying them up with string.
Luckily, if you don't have string, you can improvise. Pipe cleaners, yarn, and twine will all suffice to tie a sandwich and keep it secure. Both inexpensive and uncomplicated, this hack will save a lot of trouble for a small amount of effort.
8. Pack a wooden board for cheese, meats, and fruit
These days, charcuterie boards are all the rage. For a picnic, however, it can be a lot to pack. So think smaller! Bring along a smaller wooden board for all the fixins. Is a picnic even complete without staples like crackers, nuts, cheeses, cured meats, and assorted fruit? That's definitely what we love to pack! A mini charcuterie board takes significantly less space than multiple bowls and isn't as likely to topple over. By putting cheese, meats, and fruits on a wooden board, they won't roll all over the place and it'll look aesthetically pleasing — which doesn't hurt!
A wooden board for a miniature charcuterie spread can be fashioned out of just about anything. You could use a wooden cutting board or a spare piece of lumber from wood panels or shelves. Even a decorative, wooden centerpiece or tray could work. The whole point of this trick is to give your snacks a sturdy base.
9. Serve salads in mason jars
You can officially stop packing all the ingredients for a salad — instead, try prepping salads earlier and serving them in a mason jar. Of the many uses for a mason jar, this handy trick is one of our faves for picnic days. This will work with any kind of salad you want, be it potato salad or strawberry spinach salad. A mason jar is incredibly simple to fill and easy to transport, making it a mess-free and convenient way to eat.
Start by choosing a decent mason jar that'll hold everything, like a pint-sized one. Drizzle the dressing in the bottom of the mason jar. By putting the dressing first, you'll avoid the other ingredients getting soggy before you're ready to eat the salad. After the dressing, layer heavier ingredients first, like fruits and veggies. Then add the lettuce, nuts, or other lighter toppings. It helps to make sure each layer is packed tightly to avoid ingredients mixing together before you're ready to eat. After you're satisfied with your salad, seal the jar with a lid, and it's ready to pack. When it's time to eat, just shake it up to coat everything with the dressing, and dig in!
10. Sprinkle salt in a cooler of ice
When bringing a cooler along on a hot day, we expect the ice to melt. But sooner than not, drinks and foodstuff will be floating around in the water. Then you're stuck draining a cooler and tossing food that you can't keep cold on the way home. To avoid a puddle early on and to quickly get your drinks and food cold, add rock salt to the ice in your cooler. Science is at work with this trick — salt brings melted ice below its freezing point, decreasing its temperature.
Many of us have seen this in action every year when it snows. As the roads get icy, trucks drop salt to melt the ice. And it's true — salt does melt ice, but as it does so, it actually makes it a lot colder. When you add salt to ice in a cooler, it melts and still clumps together, but the colder temps will chill your drinks in no time. So instead of a lukewarm pool of water in your cooler, you end up with icy cold water and chunks of ice that stick around.
11. Never forget the picnic blanket
At any picnic, a blanket is a must-have. Aside from covering a table or providing a soft spot to sit, a blanket can also provide insulation and protection for glass bottles so they don't clink around and break while traveling. Likewise, it can keep things close so everything stays chilled. Depending on the size of your picnic basket, you'll want to choose a blanket that's not too big or thick. A thin sheet won't offer as much protection or padding, and a towel is a little too bulky and not as pliable as a blanket when fitting items around it.
There are also other innovative ways to use a blanket at a picnic. You can hang it up between trees to create a shady spot, or turn it into a playing space for card games. We're not beyond picnicking on breezy days, either, and a blanket is sure to keep you cozy. When you take into consideration all the versatile uses, a blanket is something you should take care to pack.
12. Make adult juice pouches
For some childlike nostalgia at your next picnic, mix up some adult juice or lemonade pouches (Capri Sun-style) for a refreshing and fun beverage. This trick involves using a plastic zip bag, either sandwich size or quart size — it all depends on how much of the drink you want. A freezer-safe bag would probably work better, as it's a little more durable. Just fill a plastic sandwich bag with lemonade or a cocktail mix (spike it if you want!), and zip it tightly. Pop it in the freezer until it's solid or slushy, whichever texture you prefer. On the day of your picnic, pack the frozen drinks, puncture the bag with a straw, and enjoy an adult-sized drink pouch.
Mind you, it doesn't have to be an alcoholic beverage. The non-alcoholic variety is something the kids are sure to love, too! This hack works with any drink you'd like to try as a slushie or frozen beverage — give it a go with any of these mocktails.
13. Don't underestimate the power of a thermos
Did you know how many different kinds of foodstuff you can put in a thermos that isn't soup or hot chocolate? Sure, thermal mugs are great for soups and hot beverages, but they will hold just about any creamy or liquidy, hot foods. You can fill it with pasta, creamy rice, or ramen for an efficient, delicious meal on the go. As long as the temperature is still very hot when it's put into the thermos, it'll stay warm and safe for consumption for an extended amount of time.
Mix up the menu at your next picnic, and instead of the traditional sandwiches and snacks, go all out with flavorful pasta and wine or a hearty, comforting soup. Just fill some thermal mugs — the type for soup works best because of the wider opening — ahead of time, pack them upright in a picnic bag to prevent any spillage, and indulge in a hot meal with a fresh, outdoor breeze.
14. Plan a simple menu
Perhaps one of the more underrated tips when picnicking is to keep a small menu. A simple menu with a few different snacks and foods can help you clean up quicker, prevent overpacking or having too many leftovers to bring back, and avoid too much food going to waste. This doesn't mean you can't get creative — there are multiple options for a picnic menu that are both uncomplicated and elegant.
A romantic menu might include a delicate charcuterie spread with a few different protein and fruit selections. For a brunch picnic, pack some parfaits, fruits, and cheeses. Finish your small plates with a decadent dessert — and don't forget some bubbly or wine! You can also opt for a more family-friendly menu, and pack mostly finger foods, or foods that are in a cup or canister for convenience like pasta salad, veggie sticks, nuts, and crackers or pretzels. It helps to have a balance of savory, salty, and sweet items so there's something for everybody.
15. Pack leftover fast food condiments and spices
Are you saying you don't have a drawer with little ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper packages? A picnic is a great way to clear out that corner of various fast food sauces and spices. Instead of worrying about how to fit salt and pepper shakers, big bottles, or jars of mayo, this trick will save a lot of space. Bring along leftover condiments for sandwiches or finger foods that could use a little dip. Hot sauce counts, too. You never know when something could benefit from some extra flavor or heat. And don't be sparing with the salt and pepper packages!
In an effort to be prepared, you can even keep the packets in your picnic bag as you collect them so they are ready to go when you are. Because they are so small, they can be loose in your basket; however, you could also use a spare tin or zipped bag to hold all of the packets so everything remains organized.