Picnics can be fun at any time of year, not just traditionally in the summer. Exploring outdoors is exciting in the colder, winter months, and great to blow the cobwebs away after being cooped up indoors too long. Tip 1 is an obvious tip: always dress suitably, including hats, gloves and scarves, to keep the chill out of your bones. Tip 2 is another obvious one: food provides energy, which helps keep us warm, so don’t delay and prepare a winter picnic.
Thermos flasks are great for keeping soups warm, whether they be homemade which taste great, or out of a can which are quick and simple. A tub, or bag of grated cheese and crusty bread with lashings of butter make a great accompaniment to the warm soup. Pastries, rolls, and even quiches, are warming hearty foods that taste great when out in the winter elements.
All of these foods can be brought ready made, or prepared at home. If you want them warm, wrap them in foil when fresh out the oven. If packed together in a tin or air tight container, they will stay warm for some time. For pudding, instead of jelly and yogurts which taste great on a hot sunny day, try chocolate, where there is no concern over a melted mess. Pancakes and fruit tarts are also good, and oats are a great source of energy.
Including a blanket to sit on is not required, as sitting on the floor will only risk getting a cold wet bottom. Instead sit at a designated picnic table with a blanket in your lap, eat in the car, or even walk and eat at the same time. Food is essential to every living thing, and a real pick me up when cold or wet. Ultimately, why shouldn’t winter days out include a picnic? If on a budget, which many of us are in this economic climate, buying food out is not affordable, especially if part of a large family.
Enjoying a picnic in the winter is fun for the whole family. Don’t waste winter days by not going out and about. One last option is to take a small gas burner on day trips. Then you can have hot dogs, or burgers for lunch, very warming if out in the cold. Life is short and many families complain about lack of family time, due to busy work schedules. When a day has been spent in the crisp winter air, everybody appreciates getting home in the warm and the children sleep well, guaranteed.
Do you have any winter picnic tips you’d like to add?
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