Top 10 Things to Pack for a Picnic

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One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to go out exploring nature and taking long drives in the country. This is easy since we live in East Tennessee and are surrounded by lush landscapes at almost every turn. Since there are not many restaurants out in the middle of the country, we often pack a picnic lunch to enjoy when we get hungry. Thing don’t have to be complicated when packing a picnic lunch. Just make sure that you have these top things to pack for a picnic and you will be good to go.

Deciding on the meal for a picnic is usually the first thing and whether you want a full meal or a light lunch, you know that you need some snacks. Two of my go to snacks are Jif To Go® and Jif bars. They are the perfect snacking solution and my family loves the creamy goodness of Jif. To my surprise we were out when I looked in the pantry but that did not stop me from packing our favorite picnic snacks. I stopped at Food Lion on our way and threw them in my picnic bag so we wouldn’t miss out. Plus right now you can save $0.50 off any Jif To Go® or Jif Bar item and $0.50 off any Jif Peanut Butter by getting these special Food Lion Digital Coupons.

Once you have your Jif snacks for your picnic make sure you check out our Top 10 Things to Pack for a Picnic list, so you don’t miss any other important item to take with you.

Top 10 Things to Pack for a Picnic

Picnic Basket/Bag and Cooler – Wse what you have at home to pack the non-perishable items and use a cooler for the perishable items. A refrigerated lunch bag can also work well if you are only packing for a few people.
Water – We pack cold water fpr everyone and then freeze some water bottles as well to put in the cooler to use as ice packs and drinking water as they thaw.
Sheet or Blanket – Don’t count on every area having picnic tables available with a large sheet or blanket you are all set to settle down for your picnic lunch in seconds. Don’t have any extra at home, head to your local thrift store and you will be amazed at what you can find.
Individual Lunch Packs – Use divided containers to pack each person’s lunch so they can easily open them and have something to eat on. We pack sandwiches, fruit, and snacks in the containers to make lunch portable and easy. Tip: You can use the lids as serving trays while you eat for extra snacks.

Snacks – Even though everyone has their own lunch it is inevitable that you are going to want more snacks. One of favorite picnic snacks is peanut butter and apples. Thanks to Jif To Go® , I don’t have to carry a whole tub of peanut butter with me. Jif To Go® is the perfect-sized cup of peanut butter for easy snacking, but it’s also perfect for dipping your favorite snacks. We also like to pack an assortment of pretzels, crackers, and animal cookies in small baggies to have on hand for easy dipping. The snacks and Jif To Go® easily fit in a backpack, lunch bag, or picnic basket so you can take them with you where ever you go.

Jif bars – I like to make sure that we have a source of protein with out lunches and these bars have 7 grams of protein per bar. They are the perfect combination of peanut butter and granola to please my snack happy family. They are also easy to carry with you if you decide to venture away from your picnic spot.

Wet Wipes – Many picnic spots don’t have running water and soap so we always carry a bag of wet wipes/baby wipes with us. It is great for cleaning hands before or after eating. Plus you never know when a mess might occur.
Paper Towel – Some people prefer napkins but I find a roll of paper towel is easier to deal with. You don’t have to worry about it blowing away like a stack of napkins may. Plus if use a roll that has select-a-size you only use what you need.
Sunscreen/Bug Spray – During the summer we never leave home without sunscreen and I make sure to buy new every year so we are prepared. We also carry bug spary because you never know what kind of bug you are going to run into while on a picnic. We leave one of each in our picnic bag and basket so we don’t ever leave home without it.
Garbage Bag – I am a firm believer that you need to leave a place you visit better than you left it. That is why I always make sure to have some kind of garbage bag with us to throw our trash in. Some areas don’t have garbage cans I don’t want to put the mess back in our picnic bag. I can simply throw the bag away at a near by garbage can or when we get home.

These 10 thing are all we pack when going on a picnic and it makes live so much easier having things organized ahead of time. No one ever goes hungry and our picnics are always a great success. This weekend we enjoyed relaing with a delicious lunch and exploring a new area. As I figured, after lunch my daughter wanted a snack. It was so nice have a Jif Bar on hand to give to her She was able to eat it while we explored and knowing it has 7 grams of protein is reassuring that the snack is better for her.