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Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was fantastic! Here in North AL the weather has been so nice and pleasant. My husband and I enjoyed a nice evening walk on Sunday, and honestly I could do this every day if it wasn’t for the high humidity in the summer. I am looking forward to more pleasant summer days like those we’ve had the past few days.
This inspired me to share with you some picnic packing tips and a quick & easy recipe for refreshing fruit-infused water.
The best way to take advantage of the beautiful summer days, is to spend more time outside – whether that’s a hike, a beach trip or just a family cookout. And of course, don’t forget about the food. There is just something special about eating outdoors, on a blanket, surrounded by the beautiful nature, that makes food taste slightly more delicious.
Whether you’ll be making your way to the beach soon, or planning what to pack for a picnic after a hiking trip, or just want to enjoy a picnic in the park with friends, keep these necessary items in mind for the perfect picnic.
10 Tips To Pack The Perfect Picnic
1. Food – Here you have a lot of options. You can bring:
- Salads in jars/glass containers –  tomato cucumber salad, gluten-free pasta salad, potato salad, broccoli salad, etc.
- Chicken tenders, chicken drumsticks
- Sandwiches
- Finger food
2. Nuts & Snacks –Â Nuts and snack bars are always a must-have for any picnic I pack. They are very easy to transport and always good to have on hand for a light afternoon snack for kids or when playing card/board games with friends. Some of my favorite nuts are roasted almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, homemade trail mix.
3. Beverages – Always pack bottles of water. But if you want to be the star of the show, pack some IZZE Sparkling Waters. Recently, I had the chance to try the 3 brand new flavors of Mandarin Lime, Blackberry Pear, and Raspberry Watermelon. Each and every one was so refreshing and perfect to quench your thirst on a warm summer day. The Raspberry Watermelon really stood out to me. IZZE sparkling water truly sparkles with flavor: IZZE starts by triple-filtering mountain spring water, eliminating any impurities for the cleanest, freshest sparkling taste. They then add organic fruit flavors, so each sip is simply delicious and flavorfully bright. IZZE Sparkling Water is USDA Organic Certified – made with organic natural flavors and organic cane sugar.
4. Fruit – Some of my favorite fruits to bring to a picnic are: bananas, strawberries, peaches, grapes, cherries. Bring any fruit you have a taste for.
5. Tableware –Â Of course, you will need paper plates, disposable cups, plastic utensils, a small cutting knife, napkins, and bottle opener.
6. Clean up –Â Don’t forget to get some paper towels & trash bags for clean up. Don’t leave a mess behind. Dispose of everything you bring to the picnic site.
7. Blanket – Be sure you have something to sit on. It should be large enough to comfortably hold all your picnic-gear & food.
8. Ice –Â Keep everything cold with a refreezable ice packs, or add some ice cubes to resealable zip lock bags.
9. Games – Besides chit chatting with friends and family, it’s fun to have some card or board games to play. One of our favorite games that is easily transportable is Bang.
10. Take your time and enjoy the beautiful warm weather – Enjoy summer and the time spent with your family & friends. Make memories, take pictures, laugh and just enjoy the beautiful day.
I used the Raspberry Watermelon IZZE Sparkling Water to create this colorful & tasty fruit infused water. It’s a great way to stay hydrated during the hot summer days. This lovely libation is so bright and refreshing on a hot summer day. To fully fuse the flavors, stir the ingredients in a pitcher and let them sit for up to a day  before drinking.
Fruit Infused Sparkling Water
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Raspberry Watermelon IZZE Sparkling Water bottles
- Strawberries, sliced
- Peaches, sliced
- Mint leaves, optional
- ice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour IZZE sparkling water in a large pitcher
- Add strawberries, peaches & mint leaves
- Add ice and stir
NUTRITION
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Use the tag #DeliciousMeetsHealthy when posting a picture of your recipe, and make sure to follow @deliciousmeetshealthy on Instagram!
Well, now I want to go on a picnic, this picnic actually. It looks great!
I’d love it if you would come and share on Try A Bite Tuesday Link Party that’s happening over at Caleigh’s Kitchen!
I can’t even remember the last time I packed a classic picnic. What a lovely spread. I love Izze waters, these flavors seem fun.
What a great post! I am all about picnics but am not the best at planning them so these tips are so helpful. We normally go to concert in the parks every friday during the summer and bring a picnic dinner and I’m definitely bad at remembering the clean-up supplies, which gets pretty awkward and messy! I’m going to try to turn over a new leaf 😉
Ooh… what a picture perfect picnic
What a gorgeous picnic spread! I didn’t know IZZE had sparkling waters! Yayyyy!
What a beautifully written post accentuated with gorgeous clicks. A information loaded post which I am saving and will use it as a check list when I am going for a picnic this Sunday with my family. The fruit infused IZZE sparkling water looks delightfully refreshing.
Such lovely pictures Neli! And then such a great post..very helpful! 🙂
Packing for picnic can be nerve wrecking I admit
thanks. 🙂
I’m so glad you posted this! And just in the nick of time! I’m going to a group picnic on Saturday and was wondering what to bring and how to pack. Yay! Thanks for figuring it all out for me!
Wonderful tips.. Photo is perfectly captured.
This is what I needed! My daughter has been wanting to do a picnic, but I think we need to let the temperatures cool down a bit (soooo hot!) The pitcher looks so delicious 🙂
What great tips! We love taking picnics in the summer but I must admit fall is my favorite time to sit on a blanket, eat yummy food and gaze at the fall foliage. 🙂