An adventure near or far isn’t fit without a good picnic. I’ve been picnicking my way through the winter with field trips, road trips and quick walks to the Lake Daniel park to pick up extra vitamin D on sunny days. Picnicking is really a sport and I take pride in creating fun and fresh picnics for friends. From fried chicken on train rides to rainy day picnics in the car, I’ve had many fun picnics over the past couple years. Each are memorable because I’ve never experienced a boring or pouty picnic (although I think I once had a childhood meltdown over mayonnaise at a beach picnic).

Here are some fun ideas and tips for picnic essentials so you’ll be ready anytime the sun is out or adventure is calling!

Ingredients and Ideas for a Perfect Picnic

• A good basket. I’m a fan of the Reisenthel Market Basket – although, I just have a knock off.
• A bottle opener and traveling cork screw. My mom gave me a small cork screw for Christmas this year. She said, “keep it in your purse, you never know when you’ll need it.” The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
• A small cutting board and a good knife wrapped in a cloth napkin.
• Plastic flutes for fizzy drinks! I LOVE these Govino plastic champagne flutes – which you can buy at Zeto in downtown Greensboro or on Amazon. I like to make nonalcoholic fizzy drinks for afternoon picnics since champagne can make a girl tired and loopy (even more than usual). Try pomegranate juice and San Pellegrino — or pick up Carrot & Apple Juice (with beats, celery and fresh ginger) from the Earthfare Juice Bar and mix with Blenheim Hot Ginger Ale.
• An old blanket or quilt.
• No-cook market pick ups – good cheeses, cured meats, fruit and olives.
• Homemade hummus (Easy blend of chick peas, olive oil, salt & pepper, lemon juice, tahini, tabasco and green olives pureed in the food processor)
• Portable Salads in Mason Jars 
• Soup and coffee mugs for hot soups on winter picnics! 
• Cold fried chicken! 
• Sunshine, good friends, conversation, people watching, scribble, poem writing and playing cards.

It’s hard to believe I had a sunny picnic just yesterday…as I watch snow fall on Mendenhall while writing this post now. What are your picnic tips?