What is a picnic?
The term picnic first originated in French as pique-nique and referred to the act of people taking their own wine to a restaurant. It may well be derived from the French verb piquer which means to pick or peck.
The first record of it being used in the English form was in 1748.
These days the word picnic conjers up thoughts of outdoor meals with blankets spread on the ground, hampers full of interesting and tasty food eaten while enjoying the great outdoors.
Many people associate a traditional picnic setting as a grassy meadow out in the countryside. In reality a picnic can be enjoyed in many different settings including the beach, in the mountains, by a river and in fact you can even have a picnic indoors if you really want to.
As with many things in life planning ahead is the key to a successful outing.
Picnic Recipes
On this site we look at perfect picnic recipes and hope to have something to tempt everyone. Food needs to be easy to transport and easy to eat as well as being delicious. We have salad ideas, interesting sandwich fillings, dips, cakes, drinks and more.
Picnic Baskets or Hampers
While you could just put your food in to carrier bags to transport it, for many people part of the attraction of a picnic is the ceremony associated with it. We have reviews of picnic hampers and baskets from the simple to the luxurious. There is something magical about opening up a luxury picnic basket which sets the scene for a wonderful event. Traditionally the carrier of choice would have been a wicker basket and these are still very popular but nowadays there is a great choice of baskets in many different forms and materials. You can get 2 person hampers or 4 person hampers, insulated versions and even backpacks.
Food Safety
As you will be transporting food, often in hot conditions, it is important to consider the food safety aspects. You wouldn’t want your perfect day to be ruined by a case of food poisoning. We have tips on avoiding problems by making sensible choices.
Games suitable for a picnic
We also have some ideas for games suitable for the great outdoors for both adults and children. Most children love a picnic and even normally fussy eaters can sometimes be persuaded to eat different foods in this exciting environment.