What do you need for a successful picnic? Of course, gather a good company. And only then you can start preparing.
1. Determine the day
We study the weather forecast and choose the warmest and sunny day. The perfect picnic cannot take place in the rain. If you don’t believe in the forecasts, then it’s better to buy several raincoats at once.
We agree on a date with friends. Has everything been confirmed? Then let's continue.
2. Find a good place
We are looking for a cozy green place with a beautiful view. You can go to the lake, take a walk to a picturesque clearing in the forest, or go to the nearest park. Or maybe there are mountains near your city?
3. Prepare food
Now we are planning a picnic menu. It's best to prepare several different snacks and take plenty of fruit. It is advisable that the products are not perishable, otherwise you will have to take a cooler bag. Grab some scones, cookies, light cakes, and hams - something simple and delicious. Or make snacks using our recipes.
- Turkey Picnic Rolls
Cooking method: grease thin pita bread or tortilla with cream cheese. Place on toplettuce, turkey, tomato, egg, onion and avocado. Add a piece of bacon, carefully roll it into a tube and cut it in half.
- Tomatoes stuffed with mushrooms
Directions: Cut off the top of the tomato and carefully scoop out the flesh. Drain the juice, chop the pulp finely. Fry chopped mushrooms and onions in a frying pan. Grate the cheese, add tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms. Season with pepper, add two tablespoons of mayonnaise or sour cream, stir. Spread the resulting mixture into the tomatoes.
- Mini sandwiches with curd cheese
Method of preparation: cut Borodino bread into small pieces, spread tomato curd cheese on it. Roll up a slice of raw smoked sausage and place on a sandwich. Decorate with greens.
However, no one forbids you to organize a belly festival and prepare many original dishes!
4. Think about drinks
Anything from to refreshing citrus is suitable for a picnic. We offer light alcoholic drinks - apple cider or fruit sangria.
- Lemon-cucumber lemonade with basil
Method of preparation: grate the cucumber on a coarse grater, squeeze out the juice. Cut the lemon into two parts and squeeze out the juice. Cut another cucumber and lemon into rings. Place cucumber and lemon rings in a jug or jar, pour in lemon-cucumber juice, sweeten to taste with sugar, honey or syrup, add basil leaves. Add water and let it brew.
It is best to transport lemonade in a large glass jar or plastic jug with a tight lid.
- Classic sangria
Method of preparation: cut the apple, orange and lemon into small pieces. Mix wine with water in a 1:1 ratio, add sugar - 3 tablespoons per 1 liter of wine. Add fruit to the drink. It is best to keep sangria in the refrigerator until serving. In our case, a cooler bag will do.
However, a bottle of good wine or regular juice will also do. It is only important to know the preferences of all your friends in advance. Food and drinks are ready - let's move on!
5. Take a tablecloth or blanket
Now let's decide what our table will be. We will need two tablecloths. The first is a regular film that we lay on the ground. The second is a beautiful fabric or thin blanket, put on top of the film. It is the tablecloth that will set the tone for the entire picnic.
6. Decide what you will sit on.
There is a table, but what will be the chairs? Soft pillows! Ask each guest to bring a small pillow to avoid seating issues at the picnic.
An option for those who love comfort is folding picnic furniture. The table and four stools fold down to the size of a briefcase; they can easily fit even into the trunk of a small car.
7. Decide on dishes
Which utensils to take - regular or disposable? Let's do without white plastic plates and cups and... Even if the tableware is disposable, then let it be a beautiful paper picnic set. But we insist on bringing regular dishes with us - at least glasses for wine and several large plates for fruit and sandwiches.
And one more thing: take some wooden boards. For what? We'll talk about this a little later.
Perhaps it makes sense to buy a special basket in which it is convenient to store and transport everything you need for a picnic.
8. Come up with entertainment
What will you do in nature? Bring badminton rackets, a frisbee, and don't forget a few board games like Imaginarium or Elias.
If you take children on a picnic, take care of their leisure time. For example, walking board games are suitable.
A fun competitive game “Moana. Call of the Ocean" will captivate both children and adults. The goal of the game is to cross the ocean, get to the mysterious island as quickly as possible and return the stolen heart of the goddess Te Fiti. You can find many other games for any age in the store.
“Moana. Call of the Ocean”, price: from 132 rub.
Don't neglect active recreation! One of the fashionable entertainments is riding a hoverboard. Powerful and protected, it's great for off-road and rough terrain.
If you're having a picnic at the beach, bring bath toys with you. By the way, air mattresses can replace seats if you spread your tablecloth on the sand.
It's cool if you have a kite. You can also buy several sky lanterns and launch them in the evening.
9. Think about serving
What will make your picnic truly cozy and festive? Original serving details. Use simple wooden boards for this: place bread, sliced meats and cheeses, cookies, fruits on them.
And, of course, we can’t do without a beautiful wicker basket, which is associated with a perfect picnic. You can not only put a lot of goodies in it, but also make it the center of the table. In addition, cute napkins and a cute vase in which we will put fresh flowers will come in handy.
10. Pack your bags
The finishing touches remain. The snacks are ready, the dishes are already in the car. What else should I take?
- Medicines. Pack a minimal first aid kit with painkillers, anti-poisoning drugs and antiseptics.
- Insect repellents. Believe me, mosquitoes will want to have a delicious dinner for themselves too!
- Water. Both drinking and technical.
- Sunscreen. We don't want to ruin our skin under the sun, do we?
- Wet wipes to dry your hands after greasy food.
- Garbage bags. There shouldn’t be a single jar or piece of paper left in nature after you!
Summer is a great time to go out into nature with friends. "Country house!" – many will think and will be far from the truth. Firstly, a dacha is not always available. Secondly, if it does exist, it usually significantly limits the number of invitees due to its remoteness and “non-resilient” nature. “Picnic,” I will answer and explain why.
It is a picnic that allows you to choose the most convenient location for everyone and invite as many friends as your hospitable soul desires. And if during the winter you have forgotten how to organize a feast on the grass, then I hasten to remind you of some mandatory points of the organizational program and tell you about simply pleasant things that will make your holiday unforgettable.
Wikipedia: Picnic (from the French pique-nique - to peck, to intercept something) - in the modern sense, a meal in nature, arranged on the grass in the open air in places with beautiful scenery - a garden, park, lakeshore, beach or forest - and, as a rule, in the summer.
What do you need for a picnic?
1 place
Any park or small forest area closest to you can be an excellent place for a picnic. If it is expected that guests will come from different areas of a big city, it is necessary to think about how they will get to the place. In the event that most friends decide to come without cars, it will be ideal if there is a metro station or public transport stop nearby. By the way, unlike a trip to barbecue, a picnic can be organized without a fire or barbecue. This is a big plus if you choose a city park as your location, where making fires is prohibited.
2. Food
For the “basic set” of a picnic, I recommend choosing products that do not require forks, knives and spoons. Although there can be no restrictions here. But, definitely, what you can take with your hands is more convenient in nature. And, of course, you just need to take advantage of the summer season and treat yourself to fresh fruits, berries and vegetables! Remember that it is better to wash fruits and especially berries on the spot, since if washed in advance they will give juice and lose their appearance.
3. Drinks
For a picnic, it is better to choose light drinks such as wine, juices, fruit drinks, and kvass. And be sure to stock up on plenty of water: in hot weather you will need much more of it than alcohol. I recommend choosing wine in large cardboard bags. This packaging has convenient taps that eliminate the fuss with a corkscrew. Bags are more convenient and easier to carry and dispose of. Many companies will be happy to provide you with free shipping. ! Don't forget about water to wash fruits, vegetables and hands!
4. Interior
Nowadays you can find a large selection of picnic baskets on sale in a variety of shapes and sizes. The advantage of a specialized basket is that it can also serve as a small portable table. But if you approach the issue more seriously, you can purchase for very modest money a prefabricated plastic table, which will become the epicenter of what is happening. And it’s better to keep some foods higher up so that insects don’t attack them before you start eating. 
If your picnic is planned at the highest level, then purchase a tent. In large stores where picnic departments open in the summer, you will find lightweight prefabricated structures of both modest and very impressive sizes. The price varies from 1 to 20 thousand rubles. In some of them you can even live for a few days in warm weather. Just don’t forget to think about the issue of further storage of your portable house.
If you have limited space, you can simply install a large umbrella. After all, the canopy has not only an aesthetic, but also a very practical purpose: in its shade, drinks will not heat up so quickly.
5. Multimedia mood
6. Against uninvited guests
Don't forget to take insect repellent when going outdoors, otherwise your holiday will be ruined by endless pats and scratches. Let the mosquitoes and horseflies get their hands on others while nothing interferes with your enjoyment of your vacation. 
7. Take care of nature!
I recommend taking large garbage bags for a picnic - it’s much more aesthetically pleasing than a bunch of small bags, and cleaning up the area will take you much less time. You are cultured people and don’t want to leave behind a lawn that is unsuitable for others! 
8. Picnic style
In my subjective esthete opinion, a picnic and a pin-up are such close things that it is simply impossible to imagine one without the other. Checkered tablecloths, wicker baskets, polka dot dresses and comfortable low-heeled shoes against a backdrop of lush green grass are just begging to be part of this season's most stylish Instagram trends.
Maybe heeled shoes are not very comfortable, but they are so beautiful! And if you wish, you can easily throw them off and run barefoot on the grass. Summer hats will not only set the tone for the event but will also protect you from the sun.
But all these recommendations pale in comparison to the most important component of the picnic. The right people and a good mood! And if you can handle this point, then everything else is trivial. After all, no outfits or culinary delights can replace your true friends! 
It often happens that the wonderful forest, where you and your grandmother so happily went to pick mushrooms as children, has long ago turned into a city dump. And the table in the park where you and your girlfriend hung out last year is occupied by a large family with squealing back-eaters. For everything to be fun and tasty, you definitely need to know the place where you can have a great time. Otherwise, you risk getting into a situation where you will wander around a not very pleasant area for two hours and, in the end, out of despair, you will sit down to eat sandwiches in front of a city dump or on a not very cozy bench.
Your actions:
- Explore the situation and find out what wonderful places near your home or in the city center are suitable for a picnic.
- Keep in mind that on Saturday and Sunday you are not the only one who wants to enjoy sandwiches or barbecue in nature. Therefore, keep in mind that when you come to the central park at 14:00, you and your friends will probably not find a place among the crowd of people. There is a reason to get together early.
- Find out if it is possible to have a picnic in the place of your choice? For example, if the guys are trying to barbecue, you need to make sure that this is allowed in the park. Nobody wants to pay a fine, do they?
- And, of course, enlist the help of friends. You're not the only one who has to look for and organize everything, right? They can also look for a nice place.
- Lastly. You can send your bravest friend or a couple of guys to be on duty so that the place you choose remains yours, and everyone else will catch up later. Not a very good option, we agree. But if anything happens, we warned you.
Photo gettyimages.com
Make a list of everything you need
This list can be continued indefinitely, depending on your personal wishes. That's why we've chosen the 10 most important things that you can't forget. In short, the bare minimum.
- Drinking water. It is water, because, firstly, sweet juices and soda do not quench your thirst, and secondly, if something happens, you can rinse your hands or face with it.
- Fruits. The most convenient type of food that requires no cooking. Just don't forget to wash it beforehand!
- , cupcakes, cookies– food that doesn’t weigh much will satisfy your hunger and won’t require special utensils or heating.
- Disposable tableware. Plastic glasses, plates and utensils that do not require washing, which you simply then need to take to the nearest trash can and go home light.
- Paper and wet wipes. A very important attribute of outdoor recreation.
- Be sure to take care about the trash bag!
- Blankets and bedding. You can also take a yoga mat.
- Gadgets for outdoor activities: badminton, ball or frisbee. A frisbee is more profitable because it is lightweight and takes up little space.
- A small first aid kit with a patch, iodine, an allergy tablet and an ointment like “Rescuer”.
- Sunscreen, if you are going to be in the sun.
Photo gettyimages.com
Take the list even more seriously if you want a super picnic
If you are planning a grand picnic, then you need to approach compiling the list even more responsibly! And most importantly, it’s better to buy food in advance (!!!). For example, if you plan to fry meat, then you need to marinate it and leave it in the refrigerator the night before. You also need to take care of the grill or barbecue. You won't fry meat over an open fire, will you? This is not cool at all, believe me. Of course, you can entrust this important mission to the guys, but you know what slobs they all are! Almost all:)
What the most advanced picnic lovers do not forget to do:
- Smartphone fully charged(and portable charger) and portable speaker to listen to music. You will definitely want to dance and take selfies.
- Or maybe even laptop! The sound will be more powerful, and you can watch a movie. Just in case, download everything you need in advance.
- Decorations for the gazebo and in general all the cutest things. From confetti to wonderful baskets of food. Well, this is a purely girly topic. Girls love to decorate everything.
- Bubble. Continuing from the previous point.
- Mosquito spray. So that these little inhabitants of central Russia do not spoil our holiday.
- Cooler bag. This is just 80 LVL! Just like a car battery that will provide the best party in the park. Everyone will envy you.
- Disco ball. Comes complete with battery. It will definitely come in handy if you plan to party all night.
- Positive attitude. Well, you can’t go without it!
Pal Signei-Mersche, "Picnic in May", 1873
Accessories
“The tablecloth should be white and certainly made of natural material - linen or canvas,” advises Tatyana. Choose cloth napkins, sharpened knives with wooden handles. Bury disposable dishes in a disposable pit - let the serving be worthy of a restaurant. To scare away insects from the tablecloth that love to plop into plates and wine glasses with a devilish laugh, place an aromatic lamp with lavender oil in its center.
Serving
Place cheeses, bread, butter in a clay pot, and wicker baskets with vegetables and fruits on the tablecloth. Put off strong and fortified drinks until the next holiday. Light wine and cool fruit drinks are what you really need! A portable vault or cooler bag will help you keep them cool. Leave the barbecue and grill in the garage this time: a traditional picnic does not tolerate cooking meat and fish! So stock up on roast beef, basturma or boiled lamb or goat meat with garlic and herbs.
Seating
A picnic is not a reason to eat to your heart's content in the fresh air. The meaning of a traditional picnic is to contemplate the beauty of nature and take a break from the bustle of the city. To avoid unnecessary conversations about problems, seat guests in a row rather than face to face. And now that everything is ready, you can enjoy the first warm days of the year.
Menu (per person)
Meat (each type) - 100 g Bread - 100 g Butter - 50 g Vegetables and fruits - 150-200 g Pickles and marinades - 100 g Wine - 450 ml Cold drinks - 300 ml
Natural calculator
See what everything you need for a real picnic looks like and costs.
I don't know a single person who doesn't like picnics in nature. What could be better than a meal in the forest, by a lake or river, in a village, or just on a lawn?! But it seems to me that no one enjoys a picnic more than children! Is not it? Parents, pamper your children with family outings into nature more often! Even if you live in a private house and have a large garden or yard, change the atmosphere at least from time to time!
Many people living in the post-communist space associate a picnic with barbecue, although in reality everything can be much more interesting and not so monotonous. There is such a wide range of dishes that you can take with you on a picnic or partially prepare and finish the preparations on the spot. Regardless of the occasion or company, an outdoor picnic can always be made special with some good thought and planning in advance.
Before organizing a picnic:
1) Think carefully about where you will have a picnic. Before taking your family or group there, check whether the place meets your expectations to avoid disappointment. Sometimes, the place about which you have such nostalgic childhood memories may turn out to be an abandoned garbage pit.
2) Check if you have everything for a good picnic: blankets and covers to sit on, 
a thermal bag for transportation and dishes in which you will carry food, as well as suitable serving utensils, which can be plastic or ceramic, whichever you don’t mind if something happens.
3) Check the expected weather two to three days in advance. As a rule, weather forecasts for a week earlier and are no longer accurate.
4) If the days are expected to be hot and sunny, and the place is open, a garden or beach umbrella will not be superfluous.
5) Think about the entertainment side of the picnic and what will be needed for this:
- Outdoor games for children and just active people. Don't forget to grab inventory for them; Even board games are much more enjoyable to play outdoors!
A portable player for musical accompaniment of the meal, or you can simply use the player in the car;
Interesting books and magazines for lovers of a quiet and relaxing holiday;
Fishing rods and tackle for fishermen, in case of a picnic near a pond.
When it comes to picnic dishes, you need to choose ones that are easy to transport, that don’t lose their appearance too quickly, and that are simply convenient to eat without sitting at a table with a knife and fork. Don't plan too many dishes so that the preparation itself isn't too troublesome; a picnic should still bring joy! But a picnic is also not a reason to make do with sandwiches.
For meat and hearty dishes, do not forget to prepare a light vegetable salad. And if you're grilling something, be sure to consider having a snack before the main course is ready. Consider also a light and informal dessert. And also remember that you need to take care and what to wash it all down with!
As for dishes for an outdoor picnic, the best ones are: 
Various sandwiches with not very juicy filling, so as not to get soggy before arriving at the place. Or you can prepare the ingredients separately and lay everything out on the spot;
Cold baked meats like roast pork, roast beef, etc. When baked correctly, they are juicy and no less tasty when cold;
Various pies, tarts and quiches;
Dips and sauces for raw or blanched vegetables;
Pates and terrines prepared in advance;
Meat and fish cuts also perform well. Prepare a couple of interesting sauces and additions to them and everything will not be so banal!
Salads that do not lose their appearance and taste during transportation, which can also be placed in jars. Salads with leafy greens are best seasoned with dressing already on the spot;
- And of course, if there must be a barbecue, marinate the meat for it in advance. Just think also about the dishes that you can enjoy before the grilled meat or kebab is ready;
Remember also about baked goods. Your favorite bread or several types of it, bright focaccia or ciabatta will always be happily consumed by picnic participants;
As for desserts, these are, first of all, desserts that can be prepared already in jars, such as panna cotta, various cupcakes and pies, which withstand transportation well and are easy to eat.
Don't forget about picnic drinks. Much better than banal carbonated drinks and industrial juices are homemade lemonades and iced teas. For adults, you can prepare an interesting punch, punch or sangria.
List of what to take with you on a picnic:
Blankets and bedspreads to sit on, as well as a tablecloth on which there will be an “imaginary table”;
Serving utensils, glasses or cups and cutlery; 
Roll of paper towels (Always useful);
Paper and wet napkins;
Drinks, depending on the needs of the company;
Corkscrew and bottle opener;
Spoons for placing dishes on plates;
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A sharp knife and a serrated knife for baked goods;
Salt and pepper;
A first aid kit, which will also contain mosquito spray and insect bite gel, as well as basic medicines and items that are usually found in a travel first aid kit. You never know what can happen in nature;
Charcoal or briquettes for grilling if you plan to grill something. Don't rely on finding enough wood locally;
Garbage bags to leave your resting place clean and tidy! We must protect nature!
Three examples of a picnic menu:
And
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