Planning For A Winter Picnic
So I love going on picnics. Something about finding a peaceful place to enjoy nature, good company and good food is pleasant. I was talking to a friend about this and she thought that it would be wet, cold and generally unpleasant. I thought since it was time for me to replace some of my older equipment that I would show how it isn't wet, cold or unpleasant if you pack right. Unlike some of the websites that have winter picnicking sets you don't need to spend $200 on picnic supplies(for two).
So the first thing you need is a basket. I have two traditional baskets, but they seem kind of awkward sometimes. I wanted something a little more practical. So I went to IKEA and bought this fabric lined woven reed file box for $17.99. It has plenty of room for everything I'm planning on taking for our picnic. I think the lid will be sturdy enough to set food on top of during the picnic. Giving us a makeshift picnic table.
Next thing you will need is a blanket. But the ground is usually wet in the winter so to save my blanket from getting wet I bought a plastic shower curtain also from IKEA for $1.99, to put under the blanket. If you don't have an IKEA near you. Try a plastic tablecloth from a party supply store.
So the first thing you need is a basket. I have two traditional baskets, but they seem kind of awkward sometimes. I wanted something a little more practical. So I went to IKEA and bought this fabric lined woven reed file box for $17.99. It has plenty of room for everything I'm planning on taking for our picnic. I think the lid will be sturdy enough to set food on top of during the picnic. Giving us a makeshift picnic table.
Next thing you will need is a blanket. But the ground is usually wet in the winter so to save my blanket from getting wet I bought a plastic shower curtain also from IKEA for $1.99, to put under the blanket. If you don't have an IKEA near you. Try a plastic tablecloth from a party supply store.
Find a good blanket. My grandmother made this quilt. It's the perfect size for a picnic.
Next you will need a pillow for everyone attending. I suppose you don't have to have them, but sometimes the ground is lumpy and hard and this really saves your toosh from getting stone bruises. I like to use the outdoor pillows for patio furniture, it's water resistant, so perfect just incase it touches the wet ground. I found these on clearance at Pier 1 for $4.99 each. What I like about their pillows is that they aren't stiff or scratchy like other outdoor pillows. These pillows are soft enough that you can easily use them on your couch without anyone thinking that they are outdoor pillows.
Napkins. Besides napkins being necessary, you can use them to wrap breakable objects like wine glasses. I found these linen napkins at IKEA for $1.99 for a set of two. Even if you're planning a picnic for two this time, buy a couple of extra sets incase you go out with your friends later. Some people think picnics are only for couples. One of the benefits about having a picnic verse a party in your home. If you live in a city like I do, I'm really limited to the number of people I can invite over to my home. Outdoors in a park you may have the hassle of packing everything up. But you can invite as many people as you feel comfortable entertaining.
Speaking of which. Remember to pack your wine glasses. Don't use your expensive crystal wine glasses. IKEA sells a 6 pack of these glass ones for $4.79. So about the same price as the plastic ones from a party supply shop. They make the picnic feel a little more refined.
Wine or if you don't drink maybe sparkling cider or handcrafted soda would be fun as well. I wrap it up in a tea towel. It protects the bottle and incase there is an accident gives you something to help clean up the mess.
Don't forget something hot. Coffee, tea or hot chocolate are nice, but you can also use a thermos for soups or stews. Thermos has a line called Add A Cup. This one came with two cups for $24.99(this color was on clearance). If I remember right you could buy additional cups off the website for $1.99 each. They all snap together. I'm not sure if you can see from the picture, but it keeps liquids hot for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. Just remember when filling a thermos with hot liquids do exactly what you would do with a tea pot. Use hot water to heat the thermos up before adding your hot liquids to the bottle. It will keep your liquids hot longer.
Next you need a way to transport the food. I chose to to use these tiffins. They are basically an Indian lunch box. World Market sells these tin containers for $9.99 each. They may look small but really they hold quite a lot. You can use them to hold hot or cold food as well Really it's limitless what you can do. I think it looks better then a bunch of plastic ziplock containers. If you're taking hot food just wrap them in additional tea towels to keep them warm. Though they work well for cold foods too.
Plates. These are some plates I've had forever. The plastic plates are from another picnic basket. The wooden one I found at a thrift shop for $1. I think it would make an excellent cheese plate. Don't forget your silverware as well or stick with finger foods and then you don't need any.
I bought additional containers for things like desserts. These frosted glass spice containers were $2.99 for the set at IKEA. I think they would be lovely for chocolate mousse or perhaps mini trifles.
Candles. I found this one on clearance for $.99 at IKEA. They add a little bit of romance and a little warmth for your fingers if you need it.
Don't be afraid of making your own containers. I bought some truffles and decided the bag they came in was kind of boring. So I made this little bag out of construction paper, card stock and some ribbon. I made a few others bags to hold things like nuts, crackers and cookies. Don't be afraid to use newspaper or dress up brown paper lunch sacks. You can also use things like tea towels to wrap bread. I think spending a little bit of extra time on your picnic can take it from drab to wonderful.
So I spent about $87 dollars on all of these supplies, though some of them came in a 6 pk. Once you have the supplies it's really easy to do as many inexpensive date nights as you want. Or add a few more supplies and start entertaining with friends outside. Picnics can help you to explore local, state, or national parks in your area or take a trip to the lake, beach, woods or wherever you want to go. The most important thing to remember is you can picnic all year long.
Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything.
-- Albert Einstein
Comments
Post a Comment