Picnic checklist
Two rules run through it: nothing that has to be assembled on a rug, and nothing that suffers from being warm. The kit list at the bottom is what people forget.
38 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Food that travels
- Sandwiches or wraps, made and wrapped
- Quiche or frittata, cut before you leave
- Sausage rolls or pastries
- Cheese and crackers
- Cold meats or a pâté
- Salad with the dressing in a separate jar
- Crisps and nuts
- Fruit that does not bruise — grapes, apples
- Something sweet, cut into squares
- Drinks
- Water, more than you think
- Something cold in a flask
- Wine or beer, if allowed where you are going
- Cool box and ice packs
- The kit that gets forgotten
- Blanket, and a waterproof one underneath
- Plates and cups
- Cutlery, including a serving spoon
- A sharp knife and a board
- Corkscrew and a bottle openerThe single most-forgotten object in the history of picnics.
- Kitchen roll and napkins
- Wet wipes
- Bin bags×2
- Salt and pepper
- Comfort
- Sun cream
- Hats
- Insect repellent
- A jumper each, for when the sun goes
- Cushions, if you are driving
- Shade — an umbrella or a tree chosen in advance
- Making it a day
- A ball or frisbee
- Cards or a game
- A book
- Speaker, used quietly
- Check where the toilets are before you settle
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- What food travels well?
- Things that are already finished: quiche, frittata, sausage rolls, sandwiches with a dry filling, fruit. Anything dressed goes soggy — take the dressing separately.
- What ends a picnic early?
- No blanket, no bin bag, no wet wipes, or nothing to open the wine with. All four are avoidable and all four happen.