I love picnics. My husband and I got married in October 2010, and we received not one, but two picnic baskets as wedding gifts - that's how much we love picnics. There's nothing better than sitting outside on a warm, summer day with someone you love, enjoying gourmet food you've prepared yourself on a blanket under a favorite tree.
Except there's one problem. I'm a vegetarian. And every "simple picnic idea" search I try comes up with chicken wraps and tuna salad sandwiches, which just don't cut it for me! Then, when I search for "vegetarian picnic ideas," I get ideas that would either take a lifetime to prepare, or would most likely disgust my carnivore husband. Therefore, I've taken the liberty of preparing a few tips for packing a vegetarian picnic.
#1: Don't Over Pack
Sounds easy, right? Wrong. When packing a picnic, you always have in the back of your head the thought that you'll need to make sure to bring enough food to feed everyone, and that you'll be stuck away from any means to prepare or procure more food. Therefore, the tendency is to pack way more food than you need, just in case, which can sometimes lead to unnecessary waste, and always leads to a too-heavy picnic basket. Plan your picnic meal like any other meal. The portion sizes for any picnic are going to be exactly the same as any other meal you eat. Similarly, you don't need a huge spread of food. A salad, main course, dessert, and beverages are usually enough. Even if you're not packing meat, you don't need to over-compensate by bringing more food than you would if you had included meat.
#2: Finger Foods are Best
Personally, I have picnic baskets that include wine glasses, a corkscrew, plates, forks, knives, spoons, napkins, and a wooden board for cutting bread and cheese. However, I still find myself gravitating towards finger foods for picnics. Finger foods are the best, because you don't need to clean a lot of silverware afterward, and they're easy to eat while sitting on the ground. Lots of your favorite foods can be turned into finger foods relatively easily. You can turn a tomato mozzarella salad into an easy-to-eat finger food by putting tomato chunks and mozzarella pieces on skewers and drizzling the dressing over them.
#3: Keep it Simple
You might be tempted to regale your friends with beautifully created goat cheese sandwiches and quinoa salads only to be disappointed when your friends turn up their noses. If you have friends who enjoy trying new foods, go for it, but if you don't, don't go overboard trying to show them all of the awesome vegetarian foods that are out there. Pasta salad, crackers and cheese, bread with dipping oil, hummus and vegetables, and fruit plates all make great menu options.
#4: Don't Forget the Drinks
Choosing a nice sparkling juice or a refreshing wine to complement your meal is a great way to spice up a picnic. You don't have to stick to water and lemonade just because you're going to be outside! There's nothing better than a nice glass of wine with good company on a nice, summer day.
#5: Just Chill
Keeping picnic food chilled can be a daunting task, but a necessary one. When preparing foods like cheeses and fruits and many other vegetarian options, it's vital to keep the food at a nice temperature, especially if it's hot outside and if you'll be doing other things before enjoying your food. However, you don't want to just shove a bunch of ice in your picnic basket like you would in a cooler! That could create a wet, sloppy mess. I, personally, use those ice gel packs that your mom used to put in your lunch when you were a kid to keep it cold. Freeze a few of those, toss them in the picnic basket, and you're good to go. If you don't have those, you can pick them up for pretty cheap, or you can put ice in resealable bags and put those in your basket. That can also double as ice for your drinks if there's any left by the time you eat!
Being a vegetarian can make picnics a bit tricky, but it doesn't have to. If you keep it simple and "just chill," you'll be enjoying a stress-free summer picnic before you know it!
