As National Picnic Week falls between 19th and 27th June and as it is technically now summer, we thought we’d give you some inspiration for a truly magical picnic.
Dorset is full of beautiful spots for stopping to dine alfresco and with the abundance of local producers making amazing food and drink, you can enjoy a really lovely picnic in the sun with friends and family – regulations permitting of course!
Great food options
Sandwiches
Basic, but brilliant sandwiches are a great choice for picnics, especially if you have fussy eaters as you can tailor fillings and types of bread. You can easily cater for those that are gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian or massive meat eaters – sandwiches are a winner!
Don’t want to make your own? Head to a deli and see what they have on offer or make use of the various fillings they have and make your own using bread from one of our amazing local bakers!
Finger foods
When it comes to picnics, having lots of picky things you can graze while lounging in the sun, reading or in between playing games is the best way to go. These can be anything from crisps to sausage rolls and pork pies or even sweet treats, like mini cakes, biscuits and fruit. For amazing finger foods, hit up our bakers or head to a farm shop to stock up on pre made Dorset ingredients.
Fruit
I know we’ve already mentioned fruit but they deserve a heading of their own. When it’s warm and sunny, there are fewer things more refreshing than pot of fresh strawberries or something a little more tropical. You can find locally grown fruit and berries all over Dorset, so grab a punnet and enjoy!
Something to drink
If you’ve got drivers or youngsters with you, you can find bottles soft drinks here to add to your baskets. For those of you who are over 18, you can grab some locally brewed and distilled alcoholic drinks here.
Picnic essentials
Although food and drink is important on a picnic, there are other essentials to bring with you, so here’s a handy checklist for you.
- Sun screen – whether the sun is shining or not, always make sure that you protect your skin when going outside! UV rays are stronger than you might think!
- Hand wipes/ anti bac – look, you’re eating outside, you are going to get sticky and you are going to come in contact with germs, so keep some anti bac gel or hand wipes in your bag.
- Bug spray – some people are allergic to bugs and others just don’t like them crawling over the food, so have some on hand.
- Something to sit on – as British weather is a bit temperamental, make sure to have something to sit on as the ground might be a bit wet, even if the sun is shining.
- Bottle opener – it’s always better to use reusable bottles, but if you do grab some bottled drinks, you might need a bottle opener, just make sure to take your bottle caps with you.
- First Aid kit – just in case!
- Bin bag – recycle anything you can but bring a bin bag with you for the rest of your rubbish and take it with you.
Once you have all that ready, pack your picnic and enjoy.
