10 Amazing Picnic Tips That Will Change The Way You Go Al Fresco

Class up your day of eating on the ground.

Planning a picnic is a great way to spend time with friends and family or that special someone in your life. However, there's a good chance your picnic game isn't as good as it could be. Use these 10 tips to help you plan the best picnic you and anyone you're taking has ever been on.

1. Buy a Basket

Sure, you can use a grocery bag or Tupperware containers, but that doesn’t do much for the mood of a picnic, does it? If you really want a great picnic, invest in a quality picnic basket with places for things like silverware and beverages.

2. Use Real Napkins

It sounds simple, but going from paper napkins or paper towels to real napkins makes any picnic a classy event. You can get cloth napkins for just a few dollars, too. You don’t need the nicest ones on the market.

3. Bring Silverware

Plastic silverware just feels cheap. If you want a great quality picnic that people will remember, you need to bring the real stuff. Put it in a resalable bag and take it home to wash it when the picnic is over.

4. Consider Real Plates

Along the same lines as napkins and silverware, you need to consider bringing real plates. They make the experience much nicer and they can be put in a plastic bag for clean transport home with ease.

5. Scout Your Location

If you want a romantic picnic or a great view you can use the internet or a guide book to help. But that spot may not be what you really want. Visit it once before the picnic to see what it’s really like in person.

6. Send Invitations

Group picnics are fun, but they often lack a sense of a special event. To change that, send out invitations online to invite friends. You’ll have a better turnout and you’ll be able to buy the right amount of food, too.

7. Check Liquor Laws

What’s worse than not having enough wine or beer at a picnic? Not being able to drink what you brought. Find out if liquor laws are strictly enforced where you want to picnic if you want to imbibe. You might be required to cover your drinks, if you bring them. Don’t let this dissuade you—classy beer cozies and gorgeous wine bags from Bella Vita are available to keep your picnic beautiful while complying with the law.

8. Bring Extra Blankets

Extra blankets serve two purposes. They can accommodate that straggler or uninvited friend of a friend you don’t want to turn away and they can also keep people warm if the wind picks up.

9. Pack Water

A lot of people plan elaborate picnics and forget one thing – the water. Everybody needs it, especially outside. Grab a case of bottled water or use jugs for a more rustic picnic.

10. Limit Your Menu

It sounds fun to bring eight different food items with you, but in reality, it’s hard to make that work. Instead, limit your menu to a theme. Sandwiches and chips, charcuterie and cheese, or even summer cold soups and bread. Just don’t try to mix them all.

Picnics can be fun, but planning them can be stressful. If you use these 10 tips though, you can throw a grand picnic without breaking the bank or ending up in the looney bin from stress.