What to Bring on Your Next Picnic
The quarantine life has been a big adjustment for all of us. And that’s an understatement.
But we are all looking for ways to keep smiling and have fun.
We have even had fun with the words themselves. Families and friends have turned into mighty ‘quaran-teams,’ and fancy medical terms have been re-mixed into things like ‘The Rona.’ Our drinks are now ‘quarantinis’ or ‘coronaritas.’ And with the help of Netflix, many of us are doing the “quarantine and chill.”
We are all looking to make the best of a serious and difficult situation because finding a way to still have fun is essential to our health.
Enter…picnics!
Picnics are one of those things that have also brought together family, friends, and fun. But there has been another new term to enter our lives: "social distancing.” We maintain a safe distance from others to reduce the risk of catching The Rona. And picnics are a beautiful way to do this.
You can picnic at a park—with lots of space and open air. Maybe in your backyard, from the safety of your own home. Or you could even decide to ditch the dinner table and make a picnic on the living room floor.
Wherever you decide on, we have some great suggestions on what to eat. Not to mention fun pairings with our frozen fruit snacks.
Ideas for the perfect picnic food
Grill, grill, grill
There are few things better than adding a little fire to our food. And it can be a perfect option for preparing fresh eats—right at your picnic site. If you’re in the backyard or at a park, you can fire up the grill and eat like royalty. And if you’re in an apartment, maybe dust off the ol’ countertop grill or replace the grill with the stove and a pan.
Pick from a variety of classics to toss on the grill top (or the pan), like hamburgers, brats, hot dogs—or if you’re feeling extra royal, use a juicy steak. For even more adventure, think about doing skewers of meat and vegetables, a rack of ribs, or a whole chicken. (Yeah, you can grill an entire chicken super easy.)
Any hot food, fresh off the grill, needs a little something to cool things down afterward.
And a frozen juice pop is the exact thing to quench your craving. Our tropical flavors—like Strawberry Mango—pair perfectly with any choice you make on the grill.
Bread and Cheese
Yep, sometimes picnics are best when kept simple.
And there aren’t many things easier to pack up in a basket and layout on a blanket than bread and cheese.
Grab a beautiful baguette from your local market, Italian-blend bread, Hawaiian rolls, or a croissant. Each of these will give you the ideal stage for a fresh slice or cut of cheese.
Your cheese can be creamy or hard, mild or sharp. Go with a brie cheese if you like to spread it on your bread. Try a parmesan variety for something to cut and layer on your slice. If you want a mild flavor, go with a Swiss or Havarti cheese. But if you’re looking for something with a little extra bite to it, look for the cheddars or a nice aged gouda.
Since you're indulging in the saltier tastes of life, you'll want a refreshing and light snack to follow. Our Country Apple and Peach Carrot Apple flavors could not be more suitable for following up on your charcuterie.
Fried Chicken
Is any picnic list complete without a fried option? We didn’t think so.
Most of us might agree that friend chicken is best straight out of the fryer and onto our plates. But cold fried chick also has its charm on a warm day in the great outdoors.
Either way you serve it, fried chicken is a picnic staple that stands the test of time.
You can go with an excellent buttermilk option, or spice things up by tossing in seasonings to the batter. But maybe you want a lighter affair on your picnic. Prepare a “fried” chicken in the oven as a baked option. It can still be crispy and delicious. For some extra crunch, choose a chicken tossed in panko crumbs or cornflakes.
Nothing goes better with the rich, spiced flavors of fried chicken like fresh fruit.
Once you’ve licked your fingers clean, pair your poultry with one of our new “Mrs. J’s Natural” Organic Juice Pops, in flavors like Strawberry Mango, Orange Pineapple, Tropical Passion, and Berry Blast.
Cold-cut sandwiches
Again, another classic picnic icon: the sandwich.
And all you need is your favorite meat, a touch of bread, and whatever toppings please your heart.
Multi-grain bread is great for adding in those extra nutrients. And a French-style brioche will give your sandwich some extra lightness and richness.
Take your turkey cuts to the next level by pairing them with some fresh avocado slices. Amp up your chicken with a little BBQ sauce or crispy bacon. Or give your ham slices some extra brightness with a slice of pineapple or cranberries on top.
A cold-cut sandwich pairs great with our creamy and citrusy frozen pop options, like Crush Lime Cursh Cream Soda.
There’s always more…
We hope you can make the best of these difficult times with The Rona. And we are happy to be a part of your quaran-team—offering ways to have fun and smile with great treats.
Like the variety of options for the perfect picnic food, we also have many (many, many) great options for you to choose from for your fruit snack delights.
