We tried eating on our beach towels once, but it became clear that picnic blankets are an absolute necessity. For one thing, it’s nice to have the picnic basket and picnic cooler in a central location. And if you have kids, you know how messy they can be when they eat – we wanted to keep our beach towels clean! We have an extra large picnic blanket, so there’s room for the whole family to spread out under the Picnic Time Umbrella and relax. After lunch, I love to lay on my Beachcomber beach mat and read a good page-turner while the girls build sandcastles or swim.

I like to bring a wide variety of food in our picnic basket. We have a few picnic baskets for 2 (for those romantic picnics), but I’ve found that picnic baskets for 4 work best for large family outings. For the beach, I like to use a traditional picnic basket or a Beach Bag Deluxe Insulated Backpack instead of a wicker picnic basket. It’s amazing how sand manages to find it’s way into a wicker picnic basket, and no one wants sand in their sandwich!

Especially on a hot day, it’s essential to pack your picnic coolers with refreshing beverages and plenty of ice. I have picnic coolers on wheels, but I’ve found that they’re pretty useless in the sand. Rolling coolers are better suited for the park, so I bring a regular picnic cooler for 4 packed with water, juice, and maybe some margaritas for me and Dad!

My collection of picnic recipes has grown over the years to include lots of kid friendly options, vegetarian dishes, and items for every occasion. We love to BBQ, so most of my picnic recipes are for side dishes. One of my favorite side dishes is a 3-bean salad with quinoa. I tried it out for dinner last week, and it was a hit, so I can’t wait to debut it for picnic season. Here’s the recipe:

3-Bean Salad with Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces, cooked and rinsed in cold water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen 365 Everyday Value Shelled Edamame, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
• 1 (15-ounce) can 365 Everyday Value Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup 365 Everyday Value Organic Italian Dressing
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Method

Rinse quinoa under cold running water and drain. Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Stir quinoa and a pinch of salt into water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and let cool. Put cooled quinoa, green beans, edamame, peppers, kidney beans, dressing, tarragon, salt and pepper into a large bowl and toss well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

We’ll also be doing a lot of BBQ, so I’m going to mix things up a little this year – I’ve got some fun BBQ sauces that I’m looking forward to incorporating into picnic recipes, like Peach Barbeque Sauce. Here’s the recipe:

Peach Barbeque Sauce

Ingredients

• 32 ounces canned peaches
• 1 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Method

Puree peaches in a blender. Dissolve cornstarch in a little water. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Allow to cool.

I know my husband is looking forward to using his barbeque tools. Along with his Barbeque Apron with Chef’s Hat, I got him an 18-Piece BBQ Set, with all the barbeque tools he’ll ever need.

Are you trying out some new picnic recipes this year, or new BBQ recipes?

If you’ve been invited to a wedding, picnic accessories make fantastic wedding gifts. Picnic baskets for 2, wine baskets, and wine &cheese sets make wonderful gifts for a married couple – they’ll be able to go on romantic and sophisticated picnics together. If you really want to make it special, you can put a bottle of wine in that wine basket, and perhaps a picnic blanket like the Sunshine Blanket Tote. Nothing is more iconic and romantic than an evening picnic under the stars.

Picnic baskets and picnic accessories also make great gifts for the golf lover in your life. Traditional & wicker picnic baskets are great to take on the golf course, and an insulated wine tote or a Six Pack tote is a great way to enjoy some drinks during the game. The Ace Executive Travel Putter Set in Cherry Wood Case would make a fabulous birthday or anniversary gift for any golf lover.

For my mother-in-law, I know nothing could be better than a day gardening and a picnic under the trees. Picnic baskets and picnic accessories she doesn’t need, but an insulated picnic blanket is a perfect place to sit and sip some iced tea. The Gardener Seat with 5-Piece Garden Tool Kit and Garden Metro Basket make wonderful gifts for gardening lovers. The sturdy folding chair features a detachable storage section for 5 essential tools, and the water-resistant basket is the perfect thing for carrying flowers home from the nursery.

Picnic blankets, picnic baskets, and picnic accessories make great gifts for anyone in your family, even if they don’t live to picnic like me!

To start off, I thought we’d talk about the basic picnic. How to plan it, how to run the party, and what kinds of picnic accessories and picnic furniture you’ll need. My favorite picnics are the ones where extended family or a large group of friends converge on a local park to enjoy picnic games, a big spread of food, and good times.

For a big group picnic like this, you’ll want to let everyone know to bring folding chairs, folding tables, beach umbrellas (if they have them), or other picnic furniture. It’s likely that some of the people you invite won’t have these items, and as the courteous host or organizer of the event, you ought to try and provide these things along with picnic accessories like music and plates, utensils, and cups.

When it comes to picnic furniture, we’ve got everything – I have two sets of folding chairs, an umbrella, and a folding table. The Metro Seat is pretty simple and inexpensive (and great for camping, incidentally). The Folding Sports Chair is a little nicer, and even has pockets on the side for drinks or picnic accessories. I would probably bring both sets to a picnic at the park. If the park you’re visiting doesn’t have tables, consider bringing a folding table. Put thoughts of your grandparents old card table out of your mind – I’m talking about a deluxe, compactable table that folds out to include four seats and even a spot to put a beach umbrella.

Picnic games are one of my favorite parts of big picnics. Picnic games can be anything from badminton and volleyball, to horseshoes or cricket, to simple card games. Ask your friends or family for ideas for picnic games, and use the best ones.

Today I want to let you know the benefits that a picnic can bring us. Though it appears to be casual event it has huge advantages associated with it directly and indirectly.

• Bonding: A picnic connects all the members to have an understanding about each other. As people find it hard to bond in normal days, a picnic provides a perfect place to associate with the family, co-workers, or even superiors.
• Fun: Picnics are fun events. Many of us are stressed out with monotonous work or vexed with a challenging relationship or even bored doing mundane tasks. A picnic acts as a change agent and adds a touch of life rejuvenating us holistically.
• Beauty: A picnic usually happens in the lap of nature thus bringing us closer to its serenity and awesome beauty. Nature itself acts as an open health spa by allowing us to breathe fresh air and generates a feeling of euphoria.
• Team spirit: Most picnics are loaded with fun games. Playing with new people allows us to develop team spirit. Each one contributes his part to make his team win. We work for a common goal and this indirectly makes us feel good.
• Network: A picnic is a gathering of diverse individuals. You may find a mentor to guide, a friend for life, or even your future life partner on such occasions. It is a great platform to find people who interest you. Relationships flourish, naturally.

I hope you will have lot of fun in your next picnic. Take an initiative to have a picnic with your family, co-workers or friends. Make sure to plan a picnic every quarter with different social groups. Remember a picnic well-planned with the right equipment will enhance your experience and becomes an event to cherish.

One way to go about this is to just start talking to your next-door neighbors. They in turn may know the next house and the next house. Start creating a buzz in the air about having a huge neighborhood get-together, and call it the Annual Neighborhood Picnic – or whatever you feel comfortable calling it. Make it seem like a good idea – I think it IS – and you’ll probably get a lot of people saying, “What a great idea!” or “I was thinking we should do that, too!”

I think it’s in all of us to want to get to know our neighbors, it’s just a little harder these days for whatever reasons.

Reserve a pavilion at the closest park to your neighborhood and let everyone know the date. Make sure that the date works for at least your two or three closest neighbors; and I stress that one. Pavillion space should be free, but if it’s not, it’s usually just a deposit that you can get back.

For the first picnic, it might be a good idea to ask your neighbors what they’d like to bring and it would be better if we get any picnic gifts to the neighbours. There are always people who pride themselves in certain dishes and are just waiting to show their cooking skills to the community. Make sure you have a well-rounded assortment of dishes – don’t forget about vegetarians and vegans! – and you’re almost ready to go.

Bring a few outdoor games, a few baseball gloves, a basketball, sidewalk chalk, and a friendly dog if possible.

And have fun!

My friend – let’s call her “Lisa”, since that’s actually her name – was a bit hesitant about even going to the company picnic, since she didn’t know who she was going to talk to or sit with. But she had such a great time! They scheduled in during a work day, and it wasn’t required for anyone to even go. But about 80-100 fellow workers showed up. It was at the park, and it was a beautiful sunny day.

Her employers were there, dressed casually – not in their typical suits and ties. That was certainly a refreshing look for them. Instead of the dreaded “company speech”, they hired a comedian to entertain them while they ate. They also gave everyone a personalized picnic tote that they has customized by Picnic Supply World.  Did I mention the food? The food was catered from three different restaurants in the area, so they had diverse menus to choose from. And of course, there was beer and wine.

All of those things combined made for a lovely day, Lisa said, and she actually got to know a few really neat people from the office.

I think what employers can learn from Lisa’s experience is to try and give the employees what they want when throwing a company picnic. Work is work, of course. But there are times to let loose a little and enjoy each other’s company. It can only make the office more tolerable and even enjoyable!

We talked about getting away for the day and calling ahead and all that. So now I’d like to talk a little about the food, in case you’re bringing your own.

A friend of mine once told me the story of her 15th anniversary, and it moved me. Romanticism can certainly be alive in marriages for 15, 20, even 50 years.

On the day of their wedding – 15 years later – Michelle and Barry set out for what was to be a fun, relaxing day picnicking at the base of a mountain a few miles outside of their town. Barry just couldn’t have gotten things more right that day.

When they finally got to their spot and started laying out the food, Barry explained to Michelle why he packed the foods he packed.

“As an appetizer, I wanted to have something that reminded me of your beautiful blue eyes, so I brought some fresh blueberries,” Barry said.

This continued with some other foods and the lovely wine that Barry brought in the picnic basket, but you get the drift. A man in love with his wife can sometimes see his wife’s beauty in everything – even food or the essence of food. Pick foods that you know your wife will love, and while it’s not necessary to compare her to the food you bring – honestly, how far could a person really take that? – find a spirit of whimsy in your day and what you’re eating.

Make it fun. Even a little “corn”y if possible!

This is really one of the easiest and most fun types of picnics to take part in, and the preparation is rather simple. Here’s a few pointers though, just so you don’t forget anything:

Obviously, mark your calendar when they come to town. Call the venue as soon as you can to find out if it’s General Admission or if it’s seated. General Admission is certainly your best bet for really getting into the picnic feel. Get there early, early, early so you can get your spot and keep it.

I recommend sitting as far back as possible, preferably under a tree and with a building at your back. That way, you can rest against the building and you also get some sense of privacy, as nobody will be looking over your shoulder. And if you sit far enough away, you’ll be able to hear the music yet maintain conversation with your picnicking partner.

As usual, make sure to bring the necessary food and drink if the venue allows it; some do and some don’t. If they don’t, not to worry, as many still sell food and drinks. But if they do, I’d recommend storing everything in a cooler, as these summer events tend to get very warm.

You and your loved one can sit back, relax, and enjoy the music you love while still feeling like you’re on a little getaway.

And guys: bring your own guitar and sing to your girl as a nice little bonus for her!

This is a fairly easy one to organize, too.

Decide on a day early in the school year. There are a couple reasons for this:

1. If you live in a colder climate, it will still be warm in August and most of September;
2. There should still be a sort of “new school year eagerness” going on for children and parents.

The best way that I’ve found to get this going is by getting to know your child’s homeroom teacher. After talking to him/her a few times, you may feel comfortable enough to her about putting a sign-up sheet on the door – or wherever the homeroom bulletin board is. There’s usually something like that for parents to look at for each classroom.

The only real tricky part of this is finding out the names of all the parents. And if you can’t, just get a class list and use that. In fact, that might even be better, depending on your taste. Simply create a sheet with all the names on it and leave a blank space after their names where parents can write in what they’d like to bring, like accessories, picnic baskets, etc. Simple.

You’ll need a basic cover sheet that lets parents know where and when the picnic will be and whom to contact should they have any questions. Just put your name and phone number on it, and you’re all set.

You’ll be a hit!