Posted on by Cleverona Kitchen

8 Picnic Items You Actually Need

July is Picnic Month, and there is no better way to celebrate it than to gather the family and enjoy a meal together in the outdoors.

Before you start stuffing your cooler or your picnic baskets, take the time to go through this list of picnic items you need.

Cupcake liners 

Covering the rim of your glass with a cling wrap is a popular picnic hack to keep bugs away from your drinks. However, cupcake liners are a better choice. For one, these liners are made of paper, so they are more environment-friendly.

Picnic Items - Cupcake Liners

Aside from keeping bugs off your drinks, they also make great ice pop liners to catch drips.

Reusable tableware instead of disposable ones

Did you know that 10% of the world's oil supply is used to make and ship disposable plastics such as your plastic utensils, disposable plates, and plastic cups?

Picnic Items - Reusable Tableware

When taking the family out on a picnic, try your best to stay away from disposable tableware. Instead, invest in lightweight, reusable cups, plates and cutlery.

A small cutting board

Keeping sliced fruit and veggies in airtight containers is good. However, if you have limited space on your cooler or picnic basket, this is not very convenient.

Another hack tells you to fasten your sliced apple together with a rubber band to prevent oxidation. The thing is - this works only if the drive to your picnic site is a short one.

Picnic Items - Small Cutting Board

Spare yourself from the hassle and instead of trying these hacks, go the basic route. Bring a cutting board instead. A small cutting board should not take up as much space as several airtight containers. And you will always have a batch of fresh fruits and veggies.

Fast food condiment packets

Does your family eat out? Chances are you have a drawer or a special jar in the kitchen that holds your seasoning and sauce stash. Picnics are your chance to use these packets before they go bad. 

Secret Condiment Stash - MommaToldMeBlog.com
       Photo: Momma Told Me Blog

Frozen drinks & fruits

Small cooler? Ditch the ice blocks. The night before the picnic, place your drinks in plastic bottles and then pop them in the freezer. When you leave, use these frozen drinks to keep your cooler cool.

Did you know that frozen berries work just as well as ice cubes in keeping your drinks cold? And they do not melt. So instead of making ice cubes, freeze these fruits instead.

Picnic Items - Frozen Fruits

Keep your frozen food and drinks solid for a longer period by using a salt block. Make your own food-safe salt block by filling a plastic bottle with 3/4 water and 1/4 rock salt. Freeze overnight. Pack in the cooler along with drinks and food items.

Dried fruits & veggies for snacks

Remember that your healthy eating habits will only go as far as your next food stop. So it is best to pre-plan your snacks as much as you plan your actual picnic food.

Picnic Items - Dried Fruits and Veggies for Snacks

Photo: Miachel Breton / mbg Creative

If you do not have time to make protein balls and baked fries, get healthy snacks from the grocery instead. You will find a wide assortment of freeze-dried fruits, veggie fries, and homemade candies.

Picnic blanket with waterproof lining

One picnic woe is a damp picnic blanket. Prevent this from happening by laying a shower curtain between the ground and your blanket. This way, moisture from the soil won't seep into the blanket's fabric.

Picnic Items - Picnic Blanket

Because packing a shower curtain only adds hassle, invest in an outdoor blanket that has a waterproof backing like this Extra Large Fleece Picnic Blanket.

A portable picnic table

Not all picnic sites offer picnic tables. If you are concerned about keeping your food and stuff off the ground, bring your picnic table. Now if you are worried that a packing and setting up your own table will be a problem, you need to check out Beckworth and Co.'s range of outdoor tables. Their tables feature a smart one-piece design that allows the table fold into a small package. The same feature allows it to open into a big multi-functional table.

They also use premium grade materials so the tables can withstand sun and rain. The tabletops are made of Moso bamboo while the adjustable legs and frames are made of lightweight aircraft grade 7075 aluminum.

Beckworth and Co recently launched 2 new products - the large SmartFlip Bamboo Picnic Table and the HalfFlip Bamboo Picnic Table. Check our their website for more details on these picnic must-haves.

Whether you choose to go to a nearby park or if you want to go on a long drive to an outdoor reserve, the items listed above will ensure an all-fun and hassle-free picnic.

Now on to you, what are your favorite picnic hacks and must-haves?