Picnic time .....quick tips to pack an easy kids' picnic

 

My kids love a picnic and , as we are out most days during the summer holidays I have invariably got one strapped to my back .

Let's start with the kit ,

Blanket.  Can also double as a table cloth . I have one with a handle so the kids can carry it . 

Rucksack. I use one of these if I'm not able to go back to the car afterwards so I'm not lugging about the cool bag . 

Cool bag . I use this for the beach or for anywhere where I can pop it back into the car . 

Icepacks. I have these fabulous ice pack drinking bottles  from IKEA which you fill with juice and freeze , they keep you food cool and kids drink as they  go along . (Click the link for example) 

Facecloth soaked in antiseptic . I find this gets dirty hands cleaner than wipes and smells cleaner too. Also handy for after dinner cleanups or for scraped knees . Keep sealed in a ziplock bag.

Wipes if not using the facecloth .

Ok that's the kit started let's get to the food. . 

Give everyone their own bag . Give everyone their own little bag with a wrap or sandwich , packet of crisps and a cereal bar included. My kids love having their own bag and it subdues the initial panic of  grabbing at the sharing food . 

Food to share.  I always include chopped up vegetables , carrots or cucumber with hummus, cherry tomatoes and olives as a bit of a healthy side these usually get wolfed down but I'm not too worried as my kids have lots of fruit and veg at other mealtimes and snacks . 

I always have punnets of grapes , strawberries or raspberries , whatever I have in the fridge really . 

Other rotated staples are sausage , cold meat , cheese, picnic eggs, quiche and pork pies . I just grab whatever I have in . 

Yogurt. I would much rather not take yogurts but if my kids really mither I will pack the yogurts that come in tubes which I've previously frozen so they stay cool.

Tupperware.  I only use ziplock bags and punnets which are easily disposed of ,so the rest of the day is not spent lugging empty Tupperware around , my rucksack is then empty for the jumpers , hats and sunglasses that my kids usually throw at me to carry . 

 

There's no secret to a good picnic but if you've got a well stocked fridge and all your other accessories ready at hand you can literally throw everything in a bag in a few minutes and you're good to go .