Nothing makes a trip to the park great quite like blankets and homemade food. Summer picnics help create some of the best family memories. Putting a picnic together doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need to make sure you have everything you need to have homemade lunch in the great outdoors. Here’s our guide to planning the perfect vegetarian picnic for your family.
Packing for a Picnic
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a picnic and forget something you need. While food and drinks make picnics fun, you need more than that to keep your family safe and comfortable. Here are a few items we recommend bringing with you to your picnic:
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Cooler
Ice
Water
Blankets, pillows, etc., to sit on
Foil or plastic wrap to cover food
Plates and utensils
What Food to Bring
When you’re planning a picnic, food is the most important part. You may be tempted to pack all your child’s favorite foods. However, you need to consider a few factors. The food you prepare needs to hold up until you reach your destination. It needs to travel well and taste good if it reaches room temperature. Finger foods are a safe bet, as they’re easy to transport and popular with people of all ages. You should also pack water, as well as drinks that have salt, sugar and electrolytes so everyone can stay hydrated and replenish nutrients used up by doing outdoor activities.
Planning the Day
One great thing about picnics is that they can be fun for any number of people. If you’re thinking “the more, the merrier,” send a fun invite to family and friends. Try to plan the picnic far enough in advance for food preparation but also close enough to anticipate the weather. Try getting to the park late in the morning to avoid spending all your time in the heat of the day. Pick a shady spot, or (if your family’s not the picnic- blanket-and-pillows type) see if you can reserve a shaded canopy in advance.
Recipes
Homemade food is what makes picnics so special. Here are a couple vegetarian recipes that you can bring to a picnic and may find yourself craving later on:
Strawberry Fruit Leather
Ingredients
4 ½ cups hulled strawberries
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line two 12 x 17-inch baking sheets.
Blend ingredients together, straining seeds if desired.
Divide mixture between 2 pans, spreading evenly with a spatula.
Bake for 3 hours, rotating pan halfway through.
Transfer to a cutting board, slicing into desired sizes.
Wrap with parchment paper and store in an airtight container.
Hummus with Veggies
Ingredients
One 14-oz can of cooked chickpeas (retain the liquid)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tahini
1 crushed garlic clove
(For dipping) sliced vegetables like carrots, cucumber, peppers, celery, sugar snap peas
Directions
Put everything except the olive oil in a blender, blitz until smooth. Drizzle oil a little at a time while blending until all ingredients are combined.
If hummus is too thick, add in some of the chickpea liquid.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until picnic day. It can stay in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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