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How to Plan the Perfect Picnic @ AVirtuousWoman.org

How to Plan a Picnic | The Perfect Picnic

“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 8:15

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It’s summer time and that means it’s the perfect time to go on a picnic. Picnicking is one of my favorite family outdoor activities. That’s why today I’m sharing some of my best tips about how to plan a picnic.

There are very few things I love more than sharing a picnic outside with my friends and family. Hosting a picnic is a great way to share the afternoon and/or evening with people you love and it’s the perfect environment for families with kids who need to stay active.

Knowing how to plan a picnic is super helpful in making the experience a fun and meaningful one!

How to Plan the Perfect Picnic

At our house we have two picnic tables in our front yard where we host many get-togethers – often with 20 or more adults and children. But we also love visiting local, state, and national parks for planned or even impromptu picnics.

Setting the Table

So, for me, setting the table is super important. Whether we are visiting a park, rest area, or eating in our own front yard, I love to cover the tables with pretty tablecloths.

First of all, the tables at public places can be kind of sketchy. Who knows what you’ll find when you arrive.

Eating on a table covered in bird droppings isn’t very appealing.   I love to spread out pretty cloth tablecloths and often use my vintage tablecloths just for this purpose – even when I’m serving children. If you worry about stains, pretty vinyl tablecloths are the perfect solution.  

Sometimes you want to serve a picnic on top of a blanket on the ground. I have several zip-up picnic blankets that I love. I also love to use inexpensive vintage quilts. And sometimes while the adults sit around the table, I’ll spread a sturdy blanket on the ground for the little kids to eat on.  

If I’m serving a large group, I usually stick with paper plates and disposable utensils just for ease of clean up. However, if it’s just a few of us {or a romantic picnic for two} serving the meal on pretty plastic or melamine plates feels more special. 

I also like to add a few extra touches like candles, a mason jar of flowers, and pretty napkins.

What to Serve

Picnic food should be simple, but there’s no reason why you can’t serve food that tastes amazing. Aside from the peace and relaxing atmosphere a picnic offers, I love to fill my plate with delicious food.

If you have friends or extra family joining you for a picnic, why not ask everyone to bring a dish or two? Having a picnic potluck style is a great way to serve a crowd! Often I’ll let others know what I’m bringing and ask them to bring something else – like a dessert, side dish, salad, or drinks.

Transporting the Food

Of course, you’ll need something to transport all that good food! For dishes that need to stay cool, pack a cooler with ice. We keep a few recycled water bottles in the freezer to throw in our cooler. The bottles keep everything cool and the dishes stay dry. 

Pack salads in a sealed plastic container like those from Rubbermaid or Tupperware. Sandwich toppings can be kept in individual baggies or in containers.

Drinks should have their own cooler packed with ice. Cakes and cupcakes can be transported easily in air tight containers made for just that purpose. And the traditional picnic basket or my favorite collapsible basket works for the rest.

Some great options are:

  • DIY Sub Sandwiches
  • Hot Dogs and Hamburgers on the Grill
  • Pickles
  • Potato or Macaroni Salad
  • Coleslaw
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Broccoli Salad
  • Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Cream
  • Lemon Pound Cake
  • Cupcakes
  • Ice Cold Drinks

Cleaning Up

If you’re planning to grill your food, you will want to take along a steel brush to clean the grill if needed. Another option is to set the food on top of some aluminum foil sprayed with cooking oil and cook over the grill that way.

After the picnic is over, you’ll need to throw all of your disposable products in the trash bin, but it’s a good idea to have a few trash bags of your own handy in case you need to transport the trash or dirty dishes home.

Offering individually wrapped hand wipes to your guests or family members is also a thoughtful way to keep everyone’s hands and faces clean – especially when parks don’t always have running water.

Always take leftover food home or throw it away in an appropriate container so that bears and other wildlife aren’t tempted to snack on them later.

Planning for Impromptu Picnics

Knowing how to plan a picnic comes in pretty handy even when you want to enjoy an impromptu picnic with your family.

Sometimes our family will stop for an impromptu picnic when we’re traveling or driving past a park. But, even though these are “impromptu” picnics, a little planning makes these picnics so much better.

I mean, in my opinion, Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches and a bag of chips just taste better when eaten at a park in the shade of a tree on a bright sunny day. And, we’ve been known to grab Chinese takeout for an impromptu picnic at a rest stop at 9:00 at night… just for fun while traveling.

And while you don’t need more than a few napkins to eat your sandwiches on, enjoying a spur of the moment picnic is easier when you have a few items ready to go – like a basket pre-packed with a tablecloth or blanket, paper plates, plastic utensils, napkins, and some bug spray.

During the summer, keep a basket with these items in your trunk and a picnic is never more than a quick trip to the grocery store to grab a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly, some pre-made potato salad, and a bag of chips away.

Picnic Recipes You’ll Love

  • Summer Salads Perfect for Picnics
  • Creative Sandwich Recipes for Picnics
  • Delicious Vegan Picnic Recipes
  • Vegetarian BBQ Picnic Recipes
  • Corn Recipes for Your Picnic
  • Backyard BBQ and Picnic Recipes
  • Easy Picnic Recipes and Drinks
  • Easy Dessert Ideas for Your Picnic
  • Mason Jar Recipes for a Picnic
  • Healthy Picnic Recipes
  • Fruit Salads Perfect for a Picnic
  • Kid Friendly Picnic Recipes
  • Vegetarian Picnic Recipes for the Grill
  • Snacks and Appetizers for Your Backyard BBQ or Picnic
  • Amazing Hot Dog Recipes for Your Next BBQ or Picnic
  • More ideas in this series coming soon!

Do you love picnics as much as I do? How do you plan the perfect picnic? What’s your favorite thing to take on a picnic? Let me know in the comments below!

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Picnic Checklist @ AVirtuousWoman.org

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About Melissa Ringstaff

My name is Melissa Ringstaff and I've been blogging here at A Virtuous Woman since 2001. I'm a pastor's wife and homeschooling mom living in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Southeastern KY. I believe in finding freedom from perfection and living life with purpose and I want to help you do exactly that.

I'm so glad you've stopped by to visit with me. I hope we can be friends!

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Hi There! My name is Melissa Ringstaff and I believe that being a Proverbs 31 Woman isn't about being perfect. Here at A Virtuous Woman you'll find freedom from perfection and the confidence to live your life with purpose.


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Not gonna lie. 2020 was a hard year. And not just Not gonna lie. 2020 was a hard year. And not just because there was a pandemic. Our family has faced many trying times in the past but 2020 gave us some doozies.  I’m looking forward to a new year. The beginning of the new year always feels like a fresh start to me. It feels like HOPE.  But the truth is, whatever heartaches and hardships you and I were facing on Dec. 31 will most likely still be there on Jan. 1.  That’s why it’s hard to keep New Years resolutions. It’s easy to feel motivated for a few days or a couple weeks until we realize life hasn’t really changed and things are still hard.  But if we want to see real change it takes hard work and real effort. It takes showing up every day - even when it’s hard.  Whether that means working on your fractured relationships or setting healthy boundaries or cultivating self disciple... whatever that hard thing is that you need to work on ... it will only get better if you work on it.  We aren’t promised an easy life. But we are promised an “Ever Present Help in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1  *
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We’re coming into the new year with all the same We’re coming into the new year with all the same problems we had in the last year. And that’s okay! Life doesn’t have to be perfect to still be amazing. Perfectionism is a joy stealer. Let’s determine to enjoy life right now in all its messiness.  I believe you can find freedom from perfection and the confidence to live your life with purpose. #purposenotperfection  #christian #Jesus #love #quotes #quoteslife #quotestoliveby #godisgood #votd #lifequotes #inspirationalquotes #life #motivationalquotes #inspiration #bible #bb #bestoftheday #happiness #wordofgod
🏠 Being a homemaker is such an important role. 🏠 Being a homemaker is such an important role. It’s a ministry to your family and all who enter your home.  But I want you to know: You don’t have to be perfect. ❤️  There’s a fine line between teaching your children to be neat and insisting on perfection. No one can meet that kind of standard and it can be detrimental to the emotional health of your family.  What we want for our homes is to provide a space that is neat and clean enough that your family and friends feel comfortable and well loved.  There is freedom in accepting the fact that you’re not perfect. Not to make excuses for slovenliness - but to give yourself grace.  It’s when we recognize our weakness that we find ourselves reaching out to Jesus to receive the power that comes only from him. As homemakers, when we can find grace for the moment when we accept His Gift.  “But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. Ezra 9:8  Let His Grace wash over you, cleanse your weary heart. Homemaking isn’t about creating a perfect space. It’s about creating a home where loved ones feel cared for and nurtured. 
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❤️Your attitude about homemaking matters.⠀
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A homemaker by definition is someone who manages and makes a home. 🏠⠀
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But, anyone can clean and organize a home. ⠀
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☑️ Homemaking is about more than checking off the items on your to do list.⠀
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Learning how to be a homemaker means you learn how to make your home feel like haven of peace and love. You seek out ways to make your home feel inviting. You work at it.⠀
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There is no easy button for homemaking. There are easier, more efficient ways to do chores, but the chores still have to be done. If you live in a house, you will create the need for the house to be tidied every day and cleaned on a regular basis.⠀
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Having the right attitude about homemaking is the first step in learning how to be a homemaker.⠀
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The good news is, even if you’ve been struggling with your homemaking, you can always go to God and ask Him for help. ⠀
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He sees the unseen work of your hands. And He loves you very, very much. He wants to help you succeed. ⠀
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But I still want to encourage you to start your day with God! ⠀
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⏰ If it’s hard to spend 30 minutes in the morning for a quiet time, I want you to remember you can still begin your day with God – even if that means saying a short prayer before your feet hit the floor in the morning.⠀
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✝️ I also want to encourage you to memorize this verse:⠀
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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.⠀
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 📖⠀
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In the morning you can recite this verse and say a prayer. It doesn’t have to take a long time. Although – if you do have time – you will be greatly blessed by spending more time in prayer and devotion.⠀
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📌 Free Printable Morning Prayer Prompts on the blog today: https://avirtuouswoman.org/morning-prayer-prompts/  #linkinbio ⠀
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🏠 As a homemaker, one of my goals is to be inte 🏠 As a homemaker, one of my goals is to be intentional with how I plan our days. I love any opportunity to create a good memories at home for my family and guests. ⠀⠀
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📌 If you're looking to make this holiday season really special, you need to be intentional. Goodness knows 2020 has had a lot of ups and downs. And maybe you feel like it's been mostly downs. ⠀⠀
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🎄 But the holiday season is a chance to focus on celebrating the life we have right now. Things don't need to be perfect for us to celebrate life right now!!⠀⠀
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☑️ Inside the pages of my Purpose 31 holiday planner, you'll find 8 weeks of planning and cleaning all laid out for you. Recipe pages, journaling pages, and more - 120 pages total. ⠀⠀
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✏️ The Purpose 31 Holiday Planner is by far one of the most popular resource I produce each year. ⠀⠀
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Thousands of women have downloaded it over the last four years I've offered it.⠀⠀
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So, even though it's early still, you can go ahead and downlaod it. Print it out and then set it up so you're ready to go.⠀⠀
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I usually take my holiday planner down to Office Depot and have them spiral bind it with a plastic cover for about $5.00. This year, though, I just bought a new 3 ring binder at Walmart, printed off extra cover pages to slip in the clear sleeve, and created a binder with it. ⠀⠀
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📌📌📌 If you use the planner this year, be sure to share and tag me in your photos! ❤️⠀  Download: https://avirtuouswoman.org/holiday-planner/ #linkinbio
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