The birds are tweeting, the flowers are in bloom, and the sun is finally creeping its way back in! It’s Spring, and we’re keen to celebrate with the most seasonal outdoor activity of them all: a leisurely picnic! Now we all know, no picnic is complete without fresh fruit, bite sized sandwiches, sweet treats, and plenty more! So with this in mind, we have put together a little guide to designing the perfect picnic bundle for customers, but also one that can be created at home too! Something that you can easily assemble and take with you to the beach, the park or wherever your favourite sunny spot might be! Read on to discover what makes the perfect picnic hamper!
The basics
The first thing you are going to need to do is pick a lovely location for your picnic, consider everyone’s needs. If you want a more quiet atmosphere, perhaps steer clear of the beach or a notoriously busy park on a sunny day.You can certainly russell up something a little more sedate in your own back garden that feels a little more low-key, or go all out and plan a day trip to somewhere out of town! Is there an open meadow anywhere close to your home, or even a lake? Nevertheless, there are plenty of great summer picnic locations for you to choose from!
Once you’ve reached your location, consider where you are going to set up your picnic. A sheltered spot near a tree for those of you that want shade and can hide from the sun’s rays but those who want a bit of sunlight on their face have the option to soak up some rays too!
Also consider the time of day you want to have the picnic too, the typical time most people opt for a picnic would be mid-afternoon at around lunch time, but if you’re looking for romantic picnic ideas, why not plan a sunset picnic in the late afternoon? You could be chinking glasses of prosecco as the sun sets above you!
Now here are the picnic items you need to make ensure you’re all ready for the delicious fun that lies ahead! Let’s start with the fundamentals:
A large picnic blanket
The bigger the picnic blanket, ultimately the better! When organising your picnic hamper, this is an essential item that must be included. Ideally, you want something, big enough to be able to lie down on or for a group of people to sit comfortably together. If there is going to be a bigger group, consider bringing a few blankets and layering them on top of each other this is the case. You could go for a traditional checked picnic blanket or just go for a simple plain blanket. The latter will look lovely but might end up looking a little worse for wear if there are some spillages though! Make sure you buy one that is waterproof bottom too, so that if the grass is slightly dewy it won’t get anyone wet.
Cooler bags & ice packs
Wicker picnic baskets look very presentable, however, you’ll want to ensure that there’s room in there for a few ice packs or cooler bags to keep your food fresh! Consider if your customer or you are going to be out for the day, if you’re keeping your picnic in the back for later, you won’t want the food to get too warm or go stale! You’ll also want to keep your beveridges cool as there is nothing worse than a tepid glass of apple juice or a warm glass of Pinot Grigio wine on a warm afternoon.
It’s best to bring two separate areas in the hamper for your picnic: one cooler part for items that should be kept chilled and another section or basket for everything else. A drinks box is also an option if you want to bring lots of drinks with you for a bigger group.
Food & drink
Selecting the ideal picnic food requires a little bit of planning. You’ll need to pack plenty of finger foods that are easy for people to grab and eat with or without cutlery. Disposable wooden cutlery is a good option! You’ll also want to pack food that is easy to transport and is unlikely to go bad after a few hours out of the fridge. It’s best to pack some cool packs to keep your food fresh anyway but items that don’t need refrigeration are the best.
Nibbles and deli food
Cheese is an ideal option for a picnic, you can easily assemble a delicious deli style cheese board accompanied with bread rolls and crackers. Popular crowd pleasers include a tangy cheddar cheese or a creamy brie. I mean, is it even a picnic if you don’t have different types of cheese and ham to snack on? Deli food is ready to eat which makes it perfect for picnics and requires little effort. Get yourself a few baguettes or some tasty bread rolls and some deli classics such as cheese, cured meats and antipasti bits such as olives and sundried tomatoes. Hey presto! You’ll be good to go! Choose easy options such as scotch eggs and sausage rolls as well which are yummy but easy to transport!
Dips
Dips are very easy to transport in their little pots which makes this an ideal picnic food. Get a couple of boxes of breadsticks, crips or some bread and a couple of different kinds of dip and everyone will be a happy camper! Hummus and guacamole are two popular crowd pleasers.
Salads and pasta salad
Pasta and potato salads are perfect for picnics and easy to store. A simple pesto pasta salad or fresh potato salad is a great and both easy summer salads. Accompanying a fresh dressing and any seasonal veg you fancy! Fresh cucumbers, red pepper or carrot make great crudites. Another good picnic staple comes in the form of boiled eggs, which can also be added to salads, for example a fresh, herby parsley and watercress salad with egg.
Fruit and fruit juices
Fruit is a great addition to any picnic basket! Bunches of grapes, punnets of raspberries and apples are ideal for nibbling on throughout the afternoon and are tasty accompaniment to a deli cheese board.
Sweet treats
Steer clear of things like chocolate because it will melt easily in the sun. Instead, opt for things like popcorn, muffins or crisps which are very easy to share, don’t make too much mess apart and importantly, don’t melt!
Beveridges
For a decadent picnic it’s a lovely idea to come prepared with a bottle of bubbly or a jug of fresh Pimms and lemonade topped up with lots of fruit and fresh mint! As an alternative, you could opt for delicious fresh juices, smoothies, or some refreshing fruit squash.
Freshways – Wholesale bread and Wholesale food Supplier
If you are looking to create delicious picnic hampers for your business, you’ll need to make sure you get those fundamental basics right. That’s where Freshways comes in. At Freshways, we stock high-quality bread and dairy products and we have a range of items to accommodate all food and beverage businesses. From thick sliced bread, flatbreads to waffles, we have the ingredients you need to propel your business and we promise to deliver your products on time to prevent any disruption to your operation.
Our family-run business began in 1990 and has continued to grow. Freshway is the largest independent family-run dairy supplier in the UK and we pride ourselves on high quality and reliable service at competitive rates. At Freshways, we’re reliable and high-quality dairy suppliers for businesses throughout London, Wales, and the UK, we’re dedicated to providing wholesalers, manufacturers, and other businesses such as cafes, hotels, retailers, and bakeries with the freshest dairy products available. To find out more, get in touch.