Essentials for the perfect summer picnic
事实——食物在户外更好吃(不是科学事实，但我们认为这是真的)，尤其是在阳光明媚的时候。没有什么比野餐更能说明“英国美好的夏天”了。打包一顿美味的午餐，一瓶你最喜欢的饮料，让所有人都挤在车里去冒险的快乐。还有更好的吗?即使天气背叛了你，谁没有在等雨停的时候在车里嘲笑你的三明治的美好家庭记忆呢?为了确保你充分利用这个夏天，尽可能多地参加野餐，我们在这个博客中提供了很多美味的野餐灵感和顶级建议。So whether you’re off to the park, the beach, a festival or even just the garden, you can enjoy a delicious alfresco feast, without a soggy sandwich in sight.
What do you take on a picnic?
There are some picnic essentials you just can’t do without, so we’ve come up with a picnic checklist to make sure you’re not caught short when eating outdoors.
- Picnic basket or bag为了运输你的食物和饮料-最好是一个绝缘的，以保持你的食物新鲜。
Picnic plates, cups and cutlery.We don’t suggest taking your every day dinner plates though – the last thing you want is to be taking broken crockery home with you! Thankfully there are lots of great outdoor-friendly options like melamine. Plus there are lots of reusable outdoor cutlery options too.
- Cutting board– this will be invaluable if slicing up food to share around… or cutting a slice of lime for your G&T.
- A picnic mat or blanket, to avoid soggy bottoms.
- Alternatively, a fold-away picnic table – if you’re feeling fancy. Don’t forget the chairs if you’re going for this option.
- Napkins– you can never have enough of them on a picnic, especially when you’ve got a lot of finger food.
- 驱虫剂——如果你冒险进入户外，你会想要一些东西，让不受欢迎的客人，如苍蝇和其他昆虫远离你。To keep them off your food,food coversare good things for picnics too.
6 picnic essentials for the perfect summer outing
If you’re not sure where to start with gathering your supplies, here are our top-pick picnic essentials to help you get organised before you set off on your alfresco adventures.
The best picnic mat for large groups:
Lakeland Water-Resistant Picnic Mat
Your summer clothes will remain dry and grass stain-free with our handy water-resistant picnic mat in your armoury. Easy to wipe clean, there’s no need to worry about those inevitable spills either. And thanks to its generous size, you’ll fit your grubandyour fellow picnic goers on there too. It also comes with a handy drawstring bag, making it easy to transport back home.
Price: £24.99
The best non-intrusive insect repellent:
Thermacell Halo Mini Patio Shield Mosquito and Midge Repeller
Forget smelly DEET bug sprays and the age-old
flap and swat dance – thanks to Thermacell you can enjoy
the great outdoors without the worry of an insect invasion. Thermacell’s innovative technology creates a 20m Sq. zone of protection to ward off unwanted intruders like small flies, mosquitoes and midges without harming them. Lightweight and sleekly styled, it’s great for the garden, park and even the beach, comes with 12 continuous hours’ protection included and has a weather-resistant lid to protect it from the elements between uses.
Price: £34.99
The best picnic bag for families:
Lakeland Family Insulated Cool Bag 22L
Lined with reflective aluminium foil to keep food cool for hours, this smart cool bag is made from recycled plastic bottles, so you’ll be doing that little bit extra for the environment. It has a generously sized compartment with a zip fastening – so you can fill it with enough grub to feed the whole family – and three handy pockets on the sides for those extra bits and bobs you don’t want to get lost inside. Lightweight with two carry handles and an adjustable, removable shoulder strap, it’s easy to transport, and it folds down for easy storage when not in use.
Price: £34.99
And you can pop in anice packto help keep food chilled for even longer.
The best tableware for the outdoors:
我们独特的设计，我们的混合搭配餐具是由超硬，耐磨，轻量的三聚氰胺制成的，它既漂亮又防派对。With complementing plates, bowls, tumblers and serving spoons, you’ll be the envy of all other picnic goers.
Price: from £3.49
The best glasses for posh picnics:
Going for a day at the races? Birthday brunch at the park? Some occasions, and drinks, call for something a bit more special than a plastic beaker, but you don’t want to run the risk of breaking your best wine glasses… The solution? Our Crystal Acrylic Flutes. While they might look like costly cut crystal, these sophisticated glasses are a robust acrylic replica that’ll make you feel fancy while you sip your fizz, without the risk of breakages. Cheers to that!
Price: £4.99
You’ll findwine glasses,tumblersand alidded serving jugin the beautiful Crystal Acrylic range too.
The best flask for families:
Thermos King Grey Large Flask 1.2L
This insulated Flask will keep your drinks either hot or cold for up to 24 hours – long enough for any adventure. And the generous size means you can pour out either a refreshingly cold drink or comforting brew for the whole family on your picnic. The twist and pour stopper allows you to pour your drinks easily, with minimal risk of spilling, and the integral handle makes it easy to carry. Better still, it’s virtually indestructible, as the flask’s interior, exterior and cup are all made from stainless steel and will withstand all manner of drops and bashes while you’re out and about.
Price: £30.99
3 of our favourite picnic food recipes
这些美味的小块，配上大虾、泰式红咖喱酱和香茅，是野餐时的最佳选择。Made in ourSilicone Mini Loaf Mould, you’ll have 24 perfectly formed bites – so there’ll be no arguments over who gets the bigger bit!.
There’s nothing more disappointing than opening your hamper to discover your sandwiches have gone soggy or lost half of their filling. Our stuffed picnic loaf, with layers of sausage, cheese and tomato, safely encased in a loaf of bread, is a delicious solution to this picnic predicament.
We couldn’t leave you without a pudding for your picnic, so here’s our unbelievably scrumptious mini carrot cakes. No slicing required – just pop them securely in a food container and pass around. Packed with carrots and juicy raisins and topped with delicious buttercream, they’re sure to go down a treat. This recipe makes 12 of these tasty dinky cakes – so plenty for everyone.
How do you keep food hot or cold on a picnic?
一个绝缘的袋子是你最好的选择，因为反光的内衬可以让你的食物保持在和它放入的食物相似的温度，所以它可以让你温暖的食物保持温暖，让你的冷食物保持冷。为了让冷冻食物保持新鲜，在你的包里放一个冰袋可以让食物保持更长时间的低温。没有冰袋?在瓶子里装满水，冷冻后就可以用了。额外的好处是，野餐时你还可以喝到冰水。你也可以用同样的方法来处理果汁，或者其他任何你喜欢的饮料。如果你运送的是温热的食物，你也可以在放进包里之前用锡箔纸包起来，这样可以让热量保持更长时间。
Did you know your insulated flasks can be used for much more than keeping your drinks hot or cold? If you fancy a refreshing ice cream or lolly on your picnic, or even out on a hike, pop it in a qualityinsulated flaskand you’ll be treated to a frozen treat on the warmest of days.
Stuck for picnic ideas? Look no further
BBQ on the beach –take a portablebarbecue, blanket, some burgers and kebabs (or whatever you fancy), drinks and friends down to the beach and you’ve got yourself a fun-filled afternoon or evening. Why not take some beach games, like volleyball or badminton, too? And if you take afire pit, you can keep toasty late into the evening too.
Romantic woodland picnic –not sure what to do for an anniversary or birthday? A woodland picnic is easy to organise, but with maximum romantic points. Pack their favourite food and drink (maybe some bubbly?), find a beautiful location, and they’re sure to appreciate the effort.
Teddy bear’s picnic –got little ones to keep entertained on a sunny afternoon? Take them on a teddy bear’s picnic! Keep it simple and stress-free by having it in your garden or local park. All you need is a blanket, some sandwiches and nibbles, drinks, their favourite teddy bears. Don’t forget extra cups and plates so the bears can join the picnic too.
这就是结果。你需要的一切，从必不可少的工具包到美味的食谱灵感，享受完美的野餐这个夏天。Now we just need to keep our fingers crossed for good weather…