Picnic Guide: A Reusable Kit for Summer Outdoor Dining

Practical, no-fuss tips for your picnic, no throwaway items required. Works for any group this summer.

Plan your packing list first

Do this the night before, not 20 minutes before you leave. Last minute rushes are almost always why people grab throwaway items on the way to the park. Lay every item you will need out on your kitchen table first, every single one. Count one plate, one drinking vessel, one set of cutlery per person, plus one spare set. This stops you overpacking, and stops you reaching for something disposable when you realise you forgot an item. You can use dishes you already own at home, you do not need to buy special picnic only items. If you are worried about breakages, use the thicker everyday plates you use for weekday dinners, not the fine ones. Pack cloth napkins, even old clean tea towels work well. Browse options for outdoor setups in Garden & Outdoors and Kitchen & Dining.

Prep all food at home

When you cut, portion and arrange all food before you leave the house, you have no need for extra packaging at the picnic spot. Wrap sandwiches in clean cloth, or put slices of fruit directly into lidded bowls you already have. There is no need for individual wrapping for anything at a picnic. Everyone can serve themselves from shared bowls. This also means you spend less time setting up when you arrive, and more time sitting down. Avoid anything that needs to be opened with single use tear off packaging. If you are bringing drinks, fill one large jug at home, bring cups, and skip individual bottles entirely. You will carry less weight, and you will have far less to carry back home with you afterwards.

What to bring for cleanup

This is the part almost everyone forgets. Bring two old towels. One damp, one dry. That is all you need for wiping hands, wiping plates, cleaning up any spills. Do not bring throwaway wipes. You can wash both towels when you get home. Bring one empty lidded box for any leftover food, and one empty bag for anything that needs to come back to be washed. Everything you carry into the park, you carry out. This habit takes one extra minute when packing, and removes almost all the hassle of cleaning up after everyone has finished eating. Find simple hardwearing items for day trips in Household Supplies.

Arrange your space well

Once you arrive, lay down your blanket first. Put all food bowls in the centre, cutlery next to them. Keep drinks at one edge, out of the way of feet. If you are staying past sunset, bring a small portable lamp so no one knocks anything over in the dark. There is no need for fancy decoration. A few small bowls of fruit along the edge of the blanket looks nice, and is useful. You can preview any blanket, lamp or basket in your usual picnic spot before you buy, using Magic Mirror · Home. 5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose.

For larger groups

If you are hosting more than three people, split the list. Ask each person coming to bring one thing: one person brings plates, one brings cups, one brings cutlery, one brings the blanket. This means no one person has to carry everything, and no one ends up overbuying disposable items at the last minute. Do not ask people to bring their own individual food. Plan one shared menu, split the prep work. This ends up being far less work for everyone, and there is far less leftover food at the end. Nobody wants to carry half a packet of uneaten crisps home alone.

What to leave at home

You do not need dozens of different serving pieces. You do not need special picnic only cutlery. You do not need ice packs that get discarded after one use. If you need to keep things cold, freeze a bottle of water the night before, put it in the middle of your bag. It will keep everything cool, and you can drink it once it melts. Leave all throwaway items at the shop. You already own almost everything you need for a good picnic. Most items people buy specially for picnics get used once, then sit in a cupboard forgotten. Find light hardwearing bags for day trips in Travel Essentials.

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