12 Essentials You Need To Pack On Your Picnic

So you have a vision: you, your best mates and an afternoon of food and laughs at your ideal outdoor location. Now you just need to figure out what to take on a picnic. While there are some extenuating factors that may be out of your control (weather, bugs…), there are still plenty of steps you can take to make sure your envisioned outing is as great as you hope it will be. 

Once you’ve checked the forecast and secured some good company, these are the 12 picnic essentials you need to make any outdoor get-together great.

Picnic Basket 

Don’t ruin your outdoor adventure by forgetting a basket and having to make ten trips to and from the car just to lug all your equipment with you. Executing the perfect day out requires a lot of items (12 to be exact), so having your picnic checklist in one handy carrier is a lifesaver. Your basket should be big enough to hold all your essentials with bonus points for cute factor. Not only will it save you from trying to balance your champagne bottle on top of the mini sandwiches, it also adds to the aesthetic once you are all set up. 

Basket of choice: the Blue Tropic Picnic Basket is the perfect size for all your goodies and can be easily wiped clean with a cloth.

Picnic Blanket

Your blanket will give you a place to sit and enjoy the fruits of your labour safe from wet grass, sand and bugs. It provides the perfect place to display your impressive spread and settle in for an afternoon of relaxation. The ideal blanket for your picnic is waterproof on one side to protect against potentially wet grass and big enough to fit everything you need (including your hand-selected posse) comfortably. 

Blanket of choice: discover our picnic rugs and accessories to find the right pattern and fit for you. 

Picnic Table 

This picnic essential is for those who know how to kick it in style. A table elevates your experience by allowing a place for your food to sit that is off the ground, protecting your goods from insects and providing a steady surface for glassware. 

Table of choice: we love this Fromagerie Round Picnic Table fit for a cheese platter, complete with holders for four wine glasses so you can avoid spills and collapsible legs for easy transportation. 

Food

The best part of an arvo outing is the food (duh), so craft your menu wisely. What kind of outdoor soiree are you hosting? Is it a mid afternoon catch up and so a smorgasbord of snacks is the answer? Or is it a full blown lunch affair complete with dessert? Whatever you choose, we recommend deciding in advance and assigning each person to a dish. This is a fun way for everyone to get involved and ensures there are no dish double ups.

Recipe of choice: there are plenty of delicious picnic friendly recipes out there–it’s cruel to choose just one!

Plates 

Now that you’ve got your food sorted you are going to need something to eat it off. We recommend using reusable plates that won’t break easily in transit. If you are a novice, you may want to go the disposable route before committing to some cute ones. The best option here would be to opt for paper or biodegradable ones so that you can rest assured your waste doesn’t have a negative impact on the planet! 

Plates of choice: our unique paper plates are both stylish and environmentally friendly. 

Drinks 

In close contest to food, drinks are another picnic essential that can make or break your outing. Depending on your outing attendees, your safest bet is to ensure you have a wide variety of beverages to suit everybody.

Drinks of choice: you want to get creative and make a cocktail using our acrylic jug or stick with easy pre packaged drinks like a bottle of wine. 

Break-Proof Glasses 

We all know there is no point crying over spilt milk, but we’d be lying if we said we wouldn’t get a little weepy if we smashed our favourite glassware. Save your tissues and invest in some transport-friendly glasses that are break-proof and made for the great outdoors. 

Break-proof glasses of choice: the Acrylic Wine Glass Sets are so stylish you won’t believe they aren’t made of glass! If you really want to enhance your experience you could also opt for insulated glasses that will keep your drinks at the ideal temperature all picnic long.

Cooler Bag 

Speaking of keeping things at ideal temperature, you’re also going to need a cooler bag for (you guessed it) keeping things cool. We think you’ll agree when we say that room temperature wine is just not the same. With this in mind, we think you’ll agree that a cooler bag is a picnic essential.

Cooler of choice: reduce the risk of spoiled food and enjoy your drinks ice cold with our range of cute cooler bags. 

Shade 

Something that is commonly forgotten when planning what to take on a picnic is a source of shade. We all love the sun, but you can definitely have too much of a good thing. If you really want to have a relaxing and immersive outing, you need to pack an umbrella so you can maximise comfort and keep your skin safe from harmful UV rays. 

Shade of choice: our beach umbrellas will work at any location, whether on the sand or the grass. 

Games 

Lunch has been eaten, drinks are flowing and now it's time for the entertainment portion of your get together. While great conversation can pass the time, it’s never a bad idea to keep some tricks up your sleeve. Why not have a game of bocci or frisbee? Or even a game of cards can liven up the affair and beat the post food coma. 

Game of choice: you cannot go wrong with a classic deck of cards.

Wipes/Sanitiser

Whilst we would describe picnics as fun, relaxing and entertaining, we would also describe them as sticky. Wipes and/or sanitisers are picnic essentials. Just trust us on this one, they will be your best friend and help you keep your space fresh and clean to enjoy for hours. 

Wipe of choice: go the sustainable route with our beautiful reusable Linen Napkins. 

Rubbish Bag 

Not the most glamorous item on our picnic checklist but an important one nonetheless. It goes without saying that you should always leave your outing location the way you found it. Having a bag ready to dispose of any rubbish will minimise any headaches come pack up time. Thank us later. 

As we head into the warmer months, optimising time outside is always a great idea. So now that you know exactly what your picnic essentials should be, it’s time to schedule those dates into your calendar and enjoy the fruits of your outdoor soiree planning all summer long! 

Discover our range of picnic essentials here.