What to Bring to a Picnic (Food Ideas + Essentials)

Picnics are honestly one of the simplest ways to romanticize your day. Whether you’re planning a casual picnic with friends, a cozy date, or a solo afternoon outdoors, you might be wondering exactly “what to bring to a picnic”?  

So, I’m sharing my go-to checklist with practical picnic essentials and cute little touches; that will make your picnic fun and stress free.

What to Bring to a Picnic 

Picnic Blanket

One of the things I love most about picnics is how flexible they are. You can set one up almost anywhere. Such as at the beach, a park, or even right in your own backyard. All you really need is some food, a good view, and a place to sit.

This is why bringing a blanket is one of the most important picnic essentials. It gives you a clean and comfortable spot to sit on. Along with being a great foundation for laying out your food and keeping everything off the ground. 

Look for something large enough to fit yourself or your group. And ideally waterproof, so that you can easily shake and wipe off dirt, mud, wet grass, or beach sand from the blanket.

Cooler

If you’re trying to keep your food and drinks cold (especially on a hot day), a cooler is a total picnic lifesaver. Fill it with ice and pack anything that needs to stay chilled. Like pasta salads, sandwiches, fruit, desserts, and of course, all of your drinks.

Not only will it help keep everything fresh and safe to eat, but it also prevents things from melting or getting soggy too quickly. It’s an easy way to make sure your food tastes just as good at the picnic as it did when you packed it.

Moist Towelettes

Moist towelettes or hand sanitizer is another must-have picnic essential. Since you’re outdoors, you may not have quick access to a sink or restroom. 

So the hand sanitizer makes it super easy to clean your hands before and after eating. Especially if you’re snacking on finger foods like chips, sandwiches, fruit, or anything messy that leaves your hands sticky.

Portable Speaker

When it comes to entertainment, a portable speaker is my go-to for any picnic. It’s perfect for playing music in the background, setting the vibe, or even watching a movie or show out loud from your phone. 

A small Bluetooth speaker is usually enough to fill the space without being too loud for people around you. And overall, it’s an easy way to make your picnic feel a little more fun, cozy, and intentional.

Sunscreen

Since you’ll be outside for an extended period of time, don’t forget to pack sunscreen so you can reapply it throughout your picnic. This is especially important during the summer months when the sun is at its peak, and your skin is more prone to sunburn.

Bug Spray

When you’re outdoors, bugs and flies are pretty much part of the deal. Especially during warmer weather or near grass and lakes. So it might be helpful to bring mosquito repellent to your picnic, in order to minimize bug bites.

Games and Activities

Along with food and essentials, you can also bring a few fun games or activities to make your picnic feel even more enjoyable. 

For example, you can bring a book to read, a coloring book with markers, card games, or even a frisbee if you’re at a park and have space to play. 

What Foods to Bring to a Picnic

Pack Foods That Are Easy to Eat Outdoors

When you’re choosing what food to bring to a picnic, you can honestly pack anything you enjoy. The main thing to consider is how easy it is to eat once you get outside. Simple foods that don’t require a lot of utensils or extra prep are usually the most convenient once you arrive at your picnic spot.

Choose Foods That Stay Fresh and Don’t Spoil Quickly

Since you’ll be outside, it’s best to bring foods that can sit out without spoiling too fast. Anything that holds up well without instantly melting, leaking, or needing lots of refrigeration is ideal. 

Think pasta salads, sandwiches, wraps, fruits, chips, cookies, or other grab-and-go snacks. These kinds of foods are easy to pack and still taste great when you finally sit down to eat.

If you do want to bring something hot, you can pack it in an insulated to-go container so it stays warm until you’re ready to eat.

Grab a Restaurant Meal on the Way to Your Picnic

You don’t always have to pack food from home for a picnic. If you don’t feel like prepping anything or you just want restaurant food; you can easily stop by one of your favorite restaurants and pick something up on the way. 

Some of my go-tos are grabbing a Chipotle bowl or a Publix sandwich and heading straight to the beach to set up a picnic and enjoy the view. You can do the same with pizza, chicken tenders, salads, burgers, or honestly any food you love. 

What NOT to Bring to a Picnic

Although picnics are super flexible and you can bring almost anything you love, there are a few things that don’t quite hold up well outdoors. To keep your picnic stress free and enjoyable, here are a few things you might want to avoid packing.

Messy Foods or Foods That Spoil Fast 

Foods that are overly messy, saucy, or spoil quickly are usually more trouble than they’re worth at a picnic.

Anything that needs to be eaten immediately after cooking (like raw seafood or foods that can go bad when left out too long) can become unsafe or just unappetizing once you’re outdoors. Stick to foods that travel well, don’t leak everywhere, and still taste good after sitting out for a bit.

Foods That Melt in the Sun

Anything that melts quickly is not your friend at a picnic. Foods like ice cream or chocolate may sound fun, but the heat will turn them into a sticky mess before you even get a chance to eat them. If you’re craving something sweet, go for cookies, fruit, brownies, or other treats that can handle being outside without melting all over your blanket.