It may be tempting to stay cooped up inside your warm house during the winter, but it’s important to spend time outdoors – even when it’s cold. If you need motivation to go outside, consider having a winter picnic with friends, hot chocolate and warm apple pie!
Here are seven tips for planning the perfect winter picnic:
1. Check the weather forecast before choosing a date
This might seem obvious, but people often forget to check the weather precisely because they think it’s such a basic thing to do. The winter can bring about both frigid and surprisingly warm temperatures, so it’s best to check the forecast ahead of time and plan accordingly.
2. Invite friends and family
What’s a picnic without some company? After deciding on a date, this is the time to call friends and family and ask them to join you! Once your guest list is done, you can work with them to find a location for the picnic that’s convenient for everyone. Consider holding the picnic at a local park with adequate seating or be prepared to bring your own foldable chairs.
3. Provide insulated mugs and food containers
If you’re planning for a chilly winter day, consider bringing insulated mugs and containers to keep food and drinks warm for an extended period of time. If you have a bunch of insulated mugs, fantastic! If not, encourage others to bring their own, or head to your local thrift store to score a few (remember to sanitize) before the picnic. Could make a great picnic favor as well.
This S’well Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug features double-walled insulation to keep drinks hot for four hours, which is plenty of time for a picnic! It’s also spill-proof, condensation-free, and BPA-free.
This U Konserve Stainless Steel Insulated Food Jar features double-walled and vacuum insulation to keep your food and drinks hot for hours. It’s BPA-free and has a convenient wide mouth that’s easy to fill and eat from.
4. Plan technology-free activities
Since people spend so much time on their screens on a daily basis, it’s important to take advantage of the moments when you’re gathered in person with friends and loved ones. Consider planning a few technology-free activities for your picnic such as card games, chess or charades. If you’d rather talk than play games, write up a few topics of conversation ahead of time so you have these in your back pocket for the day of the picnic.
5. Make homemade dishes
For an additional technology-free activity, you can ask if anyone wants to join you a few hours before the picnic to make some homemade dishes to bring to the gathering. A few ideas for dishes that come to mind are lasagna, shepherd’s pie, chicken noodle soup, hot chocolate, apple pie and chocolate chip cookies.
6. Make a list of everything that needs to be brought
There’s always the potential for a stressful time crunch in the hours leading up to the picnic. To prepare for this possibility, make a list of everything that needs to be brought. This way, you can reference it and grab things throughout the house in just a few minutes. The list should include all of the games, food, drinks, utensils, dishes and anything else you want to bring. Remember to list the miscellaneous supplies such as blankets, chairs (if needed), rechargeable hand warmers, garbage bags and a lantern or flashlight for extra lighting.
These Seventh Generation Extra Strong Kitchen Garbage Trash Bags are made from recycled plastic and are extra strong, so you don’t have to worry about them breaking.
This Energizer Flashlight is super bright and durable, so you can use this even if your picnic is still going on past sunset.
7. Bundle up!
Lastly, make sure to dress properly! Depending on how far in advance you started planning the picnic, the weather may have changed since you last checked it. If it’s looking to be a chilly day, it’s best to bring extra blankets, scarves and gloves either for yourself or in case someone else in your party has forgotten theirs. If it’s warmer than anticipated, dress in layers so you can take them off as needed.
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