Outdoor Mealtime Ideas
Maybe some ancestral memory still speaks to us. Just the fact of eating in the fresh air gives us a sense of satisfaction, of connection to the place where we are. Here are some ways to get the most out of your fresh air fun.
BE SPONTANEOUS
Maybe the best part of eating outdoors is the way it can turn a standard meal into a special occasion. Some of the best picnics are spur of the moment – the times we decide to take our meal to the yard, porch, or park. We get a sense of occasion and possibility.
Also fun: those times when we are already out and about, when we get some food to go and bring it to a favorite spot. No matter how old we are, it feels like playing hooky.
BUT SOMETIMES PLAN AHEAD
Outdoor meals at special locations take planning, but the payoff is big. If your family is going to a favorite place, bring sandwiches along to extend the outing. It's cheaper than buying restaurant food, and it's a way to make that place your own.
In your travels, whether in your neighborhood or far from home, keep an eye out for picnic tables, or else b.y.o.b. (bring your own blanket.) Some families keep an old cloth in the car so they can take advantage of a great view, an unscheduled bit of time, a last minute idea.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Think about pick up foods, finger foods, sturdy foods. Use as few utensils as possible. Keep the menu limited.
LOCATION, LOCATION
Your special spot can be near to home or far away – a city park, roadside rest stop, state park, grassy field, downtown bench. Find a place for people watching, or for having some private time with your family. If you're planning a summer road trip, think of where you can have al fresco meals along the way.
THINK FOOD SAFETY
Keep warm foods warm and cold foods cold. If you have used a utensil or plate for uncooked meat, don't use it for anything else. Bring wipes or gel to clean your hands.
The Food and Drug Administration has an excellent website on outdoor food safety. fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm109899.htm
FUN AND GAMES
Bring a ball or a Frisbee. On the way, teach your kids to play I'm Going On A Picnic. Start the game by bringing pretend apples, then move through the alphabet to zucchini.
While grown ups are talking or resting, kids can skip, stretch, jump and run.
BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
Make sure to leave your picnic site the way you found it (or better.) You want to be able to come back and have another wonderful time.