Whether it’s the beach or the park, summer picnics are one of my favourite activities! The trunk of my car has a permanent picnic blanket and a frisbee – I am prepared. But there are five rules I live by when hanging with friends outdoors:

Two per blanket, even if the blanket can hold four

(Or one if it’s a two-person blanket) Not only does this give you some space for your food, but it gives you the ability to lie down and relax without invading your friend’s space and it acts as a buffer between you and the other people in the park (especially if this was a movie in the park situation).

Chopsticks are great for grabbing food if you don’t want to use your hands

I absolutely love using chopsticks to eat my snacks. While picnic food involves a lot of finger foods, using chopsticks to hold them lessens dusty or sticky fingers.

Coolers are great, but insulated lunch bags are easier to navigate if it’s a crowded space

I think coolers are great for large groups, but my summer picnics are generally small groups of friends (or sometimes just one friend) which I generally prefer. Taking snacks in lunch bags with ice packs keeps things cool and fresh and takes up very little space and travels well on public transportation.

Double up the use of big containers by putting saran wrap between foods to layer them one on top of the other

When I wanted to take a charcuterie board to a picnic hangout and I didn’t have a lot of small bowls to hold the different cheese and crackers, I found that layering them all in one big bowl was so helpful. You can also make your spread in the bowl, then it’s just a matter of taking it out and laying it down.

Bug Spray

Is it just me, or has there been a lot of bugs this year? Let’s just say, no matter where you’re picnicking, a little bit of bug spray or similar things goes a long way.