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I also have a virtual tip jar if you want to provide direct support for our work. THANK YOU! Picnic hikes can be a great way to spend a summer afternoon relaxing by an alpine lake or enjoy a sunset from your favorite overlook. In this post, we walk you through the process of packing for your picnic hike and offer tips and suggestions to make your experience as enjoyable as possible.

Enter your email to get access to printable PDF packing checklists, itineraries, and more. Read next: New to hiking? Check out our Hiking Tips.

Your plan should account for a variety of factors, which will ultimately dictate what you need to pack. Read next: How to Choose A Hiking Trail. It weighs just a pound and a half and can easily be stuffed into your day pack.

The bottom layer has a water-resistant finish to keep you dry while the top is made of soft microfleece, great for enjoying a post-picnic nap. Every outdoor adventurer should have a good Swiss army knife. They come in handy on picnics when you need to slice a block of cheese, pop that half bottle of wine, cut open a package, or even pick a pesky morsel of food out of your tooth with a toothpick.

The Swiss Army Camper Knife features a variety of useful tools while still being compact and lightweight. Elevate your picnic experience by bringing stainless steel flatware instead of cheap plastic utensils.

This flatware set by Hydro Flask comes with its own carry sleeve that keeps your forks, knives, and spoons organized and easy to find. You can use any non-breakable plates for your picnic hike, but if you want a set that cleans up well and looks nice, check out the stainless steel Hydro Flask camp plate.

These sheets are coated with a thin layer of beeswax and can be used to wrap up sandwiches, cheeses, veggies, fruits, or any other food items you have planned for your picnic. These reusable silicone Stasher Bags are perfect for carrying picnic goodies like chopped fruits and veggies, sandwiches, trail mix, or other picnic supplies.

For a picnic party, my Crazy Creek is my go-to chair. It takes about five seconds to put together and provides more than ample back support.

It also has hook-and-loop straps to attach to your backpack so you can be hands-free on your hike. This chair is also perfect for outdoor concerts and movies and especially helpful on river trips where you are sitting upright in a boat all day.

Wet wipes are always useful to have around. While all our experts expressed a preference for reusable dinnerware, they did concede that sometimes disposable is necessary. They are made out of palm leaves and are biodegradable, according to Chic Leaf.

This set comes with four plastic flatware settings, each set in their own plastic case to keep your fork, knife and spoon clean. This item has a 4. You can choose from a variety of colors — including wheat , blue, pink and more.

The plastic is BPA-free, and the utensils and case are dishwasher safe, according to the brand. Whether you are pouring wine, water or lemonade, these BPA-free plastic juice glasses can work well for a picnic. Because they are on the smaller side, you don't risk a big spill should one tip over on your blanket.

You can choose from a multicolor set or an all orange or violet set. This one from Sunflora comes packed with other picnic essentials, too. Strapped to the outside of the bag is a inch-byinch blanket and an insulated sleeve to keep a bottle of wine or water cold.

If you unzip the large front pocket, you will find melamine plates, plastic wine glasses, stainless steel flatware, napkins and a small cutting board. This backpack has a 4. A more traditional basket shape, this option has a full zipped closure and is fully insulated to help keep food hot or cold, according to the brand.

It has a 4. Constructed of polyester canvas, this basket comes in six different patterns and colors— including blue stripe , rectangle blue white and jet black. Also nice: It folds flat, for easy storage in between uses, according to the brand.

In our guide to the best coolers of , Chef Jeremy Critchfield, owner of HuntChef , told us he uses and likes Grizzly coolers. This one has a silicone rubber gasket that traps cool air inside the cooler to help extend the life of the ice.

It also has two carrying options: an adjustable shoulder strap and a stainless steel handle. This was one of the more affordable options on our list of best coolers of It folds flat for easy storage, but its wire frame pops up when needed so you can fill it with up to 50 cans, according to the brand.

It also has a built-in bottle opener, which means you have one less thing to remember to pack when picnicking on the beach or the park. This umbrella provides coverage eight feet in diameter and can be placed in the ground, or leaned on its side.

Sure, cold sandwiches and salads are always delicious for a picnic. But why not heat things up — literally? These grills are lightweight and portable, but still cook your favorite meals to perfection. Subscribe to our newsletter.

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Cheap picnic dessert ideas · Chocolate chip bar cookies · Chocolate brownies · Zucchini bread · Lemon cake from a mix Missing Cheap Picnic Foods · Chicken Cranberry Pinwheels · Food Truck Hawaiian Macaroni Salad · Crock Pot Baked Beans With Bacon · Easy and Tasty Cold Vegan Lunches For

Affordable picnic essentials for less - Look no further, we've compiled the ultimate list of picnic ideas, from the essentials to our favorite picnic food ideas Cheap picnic dessert ideas · Chocolate chip bar cookies · Chocolate brownies · Zucchini bread · Lemon cake from a mix Missing Cheap Picnic Foods · Chicken Cranberry Pinwheels · Food Truck Hawaiian Macaroni Salad · Crock Pot Baked Beans With Bacon · Easy and Tasty Cold Vegan Lunches For

I decided to surprise him with a game of poker. You know, the kind where there are clothing consequences when you lose…you can get some free date night printables for that , here.

You can also get some seasonings from your grocery store, like Everything seasoning, or cinnamon. Grab a newspaper to read together yes — an actual newspaper , and set the whole thing up. I actually had a beach date once with an old boyfriend in the middle of winter we flew kites.

Psst: check out my Dollar tree Lunch Ideas , Dollar Tree healthy snacks , and make-ahead dessert shooters from Dollar Tree articles for more examples. to bring along on a picnic. Do you live within a reasonable distance to natural hot springs?

You know, the kind you have to hike to get to? We live in the desert, and are just a little over an hour from some natural hot springs and a few hours away from natural ones you hike to! Pack a picnic basket a backpack or this backpack picnic pack will be useful , wear bathing suits under your clothes, and hike to the hot springs.

Then, either eat before you soak, or soak before you eat. Take one category of wines — white, rose, red — and purchase several mini bottles of different varieties. Bonus: You can do a blind taste test from the most expensive to the least expensive, and ask them to guess the order.

Want to set up a cheap picnic for your partner, but got zero time or interest in cooking anything? Take the idea of a picnic, and do it anywhere — no blanket or pillows needed — with a snackle box. Load two up, and invite your partner to dangle feet on a dock.

OR, put blankets into the back of your pick-up truck, drive out to the middle of nowhere, and eat some snacks under the stars. Arrange your food, then align a pathway out to the picnic with solar lights in mason jars from the Dollar Tree , for a romantic way to light their walk out to the picnic.

Pro tip: make sure to check ahead of time if there are any restrictions, such as glass containers. Take your partner back in time, likely to their childhood, when you whip out a Mad Libs for the two of you to do together. Alternatively, use well-rinsed milk cartons or zipper bags to create ice packs.

Bring a ground cover, such as a plastic tarp or heavy blanket. Even seemingly dry locations can become damp after an hour or two of sitting. A waterproof picnic blanket is handy for all your outdoor events; look for blankets that roll or zip up and have a handle for easy carrying.

Mexican blankets make for a festive touch, or top your utilitarian cover with a pretty tablecloth for a festive look. Include sun and wind protection as needed, including sun hats , sunglasses and picnic umbrellas.

Pack two sets of cleaning cloths or paper towels. Prepare one wet set by soaking cloths or towels in soapy water and wringing them out before sealing in a zipper style bag. Leave the other set of towels dry and pack them in a separate bag. Use your everyday kitchenware.

Save money on disposables by using your cloth napkins and stainless flatware. Buy inexpensive paper plates and cups, or bring real plates and glasses, as long as you pack them carefully to avoid breakage.

Wrap breakables in the napkins or extra dish towels. Be sure to monitor trash disposal to avoid tossing out your good stuff. In the wilderness, remember to take only photographs and memories; leave nothing but footprints.

Stumped for cheap picnic recipes? If you want classic picnic fare but need to minimize the use of expensive meats, you can cut your budget while keeping all the flavor. Make your picnic food from the cheapest meat choices, such as a whole roast chicken, served cold; homemade ground beef salami; or canned tuna made into tuna salad mixed with chopped celery, onion, pickle and mayonnaise.

For a cheaper solution, use meat or fish in a supporting role, rather than as the main attraction. Sandwiches stuffed with meat and veggies are delicious and affordable.

Try these recipes:. You can also include less expensive protein sources such as eggs and legumes. Try these perfect picnic recipes:. Grains, potatoes, nuts and locally grown seasonal produce are less expensive than meat and pack plenty of flavor. For your cheap picnic, go heavy on the apps and sides to get the most bang from your budget.

When choosing salad recipes, use ones that include a homemade dressing, which saves you scads of money over bottled dressings. Here are a few picnic food ideas for delicious, do-ahead appetizers and vegetable salads using seasonal summer produce and healthy grains and legumes.

These popular recipes are cheap and easy to make, transport and enjoy:. For dessert, bake something easy from scratch. Look for sturdy, packable picnic treats, like brownies, bars or loaves of sweet quick breads. Try these favorite picnic dessert ideas:. Summer fruit needs only a simple dressing of freshly grated zest and the juice squeezed from one fresh lemon.

For extra sweetness, toss the fruit with 6 to 8 ounces of strawberry or lemon yogurt. Tip: To prevent bananas from browning, carry the unpeeled fruit to the picnic and slice into the salad just before serving.

For beverages, skip the soft drinks and choose something appropriate for warm weather, such as iced tea or lemonade in a sealed water bottle or jug.

Hint: Freeze some of the beverage in ice cube trays and use them to keep the beverage cold without diluting it. In that case, look for beer in cans and boxed wine, many of which are cheaper than the bottled version anyway.

Fill your own pitchers or reusable beverage dispenser for a cheaper and more Earth-friendly option. Keep our free printable summer picnic checklist handy so you are always prepared.

Carole Cancler is a Seattle, Washington native and granddaughter of immigrant farmers. Her career crisscrossed the food and technology industries, via degrees in Food Science and Computer Programming. Carole transferred her corporate skills to entrepreneurial ventures as a food product manufacturer, website developer, and business development consultant.

Her first cookbook, The Home Preserving Bible is available on Amazon. Carole also writes food preservation articles for Mother Earth News. Outside of work, Carole volunteers on fundraising activities for service organizations and has tutored adorable elementary and middle school students.

Raised in the fifties and sixties by Midwestern parents, Carole was imbued with a strong work ethic and prudent values second hand clothes, home-cooked meals, and after school jobs. She transfers these pragmatic, though sentient, ideals to the pages of the website she owns and operates at Greater Seattle on the Cheap.

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