A picnic is a pleasure excursion for all ages, a delightful expedition away from the normal day. Whether at a park, at the beach, right outside under a tree, on the porch, or on the living room floor, picnics are a great way to slow down and enjoy.

Try some of these ideas for a little something different.

• For a night time picnic, make a pizza and some popcorn inside and take them outside for movie night. Use a projector to shine your favorite movie on a white sheet that you’ve hung up on the side of the house or a shed.

  

• Pack sandwiches cut in your favorite characters and shapes using cookie cutters.
• Make Ka-bobs. Put veggies, fruits, bread cubes, and chilled cheeses and meats on purchased wooden sticks or skewers. Making them is as much fun as eating them.

For food safety:

Keep cold foods cold. Plan to use well insulated coolers with plenty of ice. Don’t let cold foods sit out for more than one hour outside or two hours inside. Leftovers should be put back in coolers right after serving. The longer foods stay at unsafe temperatures, the more bad bacteria can grow and cause a foodborne illness.

Keep hot foods hot. Don’t let hot foods sit out for more than one hour. Plan to eat prepared foods shortly after they are cooked.

When it’s a rainy day or you just want the cool of air conditioning (or even something a bit warmer if its winter), take the picnic inside.

• Bring all the stuffed animals so everyone gets to come to the picnic. The more the merrier.
• Build a fort with blankets and a coffee table or if you have room, put up a tent on the living room floor for your picnic.
• Use chopsticks to eat peanut butter or other “sushi” rolls. To make this, smear peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla, put a banana in the middle, roll it up and sprinkle with cinnamon and raisins. Cut into slices. Ta da – Peanut Butter Sushi.
• For a romantic date night, pack a loaf of crusty bread, some Brie cheese, strawberries, whipped cream, and a bottle of something bubbly. Take cloth napkins and a comfy blanket to sit on.

Inside or outside – have a great picnic season!

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