Starting with March 20, Spring has officially begun. This is the season in which flowers are blossoming, the rivers are melting, days are getting longer and warmer, in other words nature wakes up once again. After a long winter there is nothing better than spending time in nature. Going for a picnic is one of the best ways to enjoy the spring days. Most of the time, the place for a picnic is far from home, therefore it is important to make sure you take all picnic essentials. This is why we made a list with things to take to a picnic.

What to pack for a picnic?

Packing for a picnic should not be so hard, however there are some items that you might miss as they might be considered not so important, but make no mistake, they are important! As part of the picnic planning we recommend you make a what to bring to a picnic list.

Further you can see our recommendations for what you should include on the picnic items list.

1-Picnic blanket

Most of the picnic places are organized for this purpose and you can find picnic tables. However, if you would like to go to a wilder location which does not have tables, we recommend you bring a picnic blanket with you.

2-Food and Snacks

A walk in nature can make us hungry therefore the food and snacks are a must when it comes to things to bring on a picnic. You should not overcomplicate the list of foods and snacks. Here are our picks for picnic foods:

Sandwiches
Salats
Tortilla chips and Guacamole
Carrots with hummus
Fruits
Cake (this cannot miss)

3-Drinks

To stay hydrated is always important, but more than that it is important to enjoy our favorite drink as we relax in nature. We understand that each person is different and have different tastes in drinks, but we have manage to make a general list with drinks that should not miss from your picnic checklist:

Water (of course)
Juice
Coffee and/or tea
Wine or beer (depends on your preferences)
Ice cubes

It is important to not forget the cutlery and crockery. Just make sure you get enough for every person. Small tip: just get 1-2 extra sets, you will thank us later!

4-Activity items

Even if you are going to picnic with a group of friends and especially if not, you will need to have some activities. If you are going alone, a newspaper, a magazine or a great book should be enough for you to relax and disconnect for a while, but if you are going with a group of friends you will be able to do more complex activities. Below we have a list of activity items we think you should get with you on a picnic:

Book
Playing cards
Badminton set
Football and/or volleyball ball
Board games

5-Trash bags

Nature is our best friend and it provides us with its richness. Therefore it is important that we are doing our part and we take care of it. One way to do that is to clean after ourselves. Usually, in the places specially designed for picnic activities you will be able to find trash bins, but in the eventuality you are going to a more remote location, trash bins might not be available. This is why it is important to have with you trash bags so you can collect all leftovers.

6-Additional items

The list of items we recommend you to take to a picnic so far, are more common and some might consider it even more important. However, we believe that the following items are as important as the ones we mentioned already and should not be missed from your “what to have on a picnic” list.

Sun umbrella
Sun glasses
Sun cream
Hats
Jackets (if you are planning to stay late in the evening)
Toilet paper and soap
Spray against insects
Water to wash your hands

How to pack for the perfect picnic?

Now that you have a clear picture of what you need on a picnic and how much space you need for everything, let us show you the best way on how to pack every item.

You can pack each type of food individually in small boxes or you can pack the foods together by category (fruits with fruits, vegetables with vegetables, etc.). You will need one or more cooling boxes to maintain the proper temperature for some foods and drinks. While packing, you have to be aware that some products which are heavier might damage the softer ones. Therefore, we recommend putting the heavier products first, at the bottom of the cooling box, and then the softer ones, on top of the heavy ones.

Here you have it, a complete list of things you should take with you on a picnic.

Oh.. one last thing, do not forget to check the weather forecast!