Contents
1. A balanced meal
To ensure a nice variety, think buffet ! Several small starters, more substantial sandwiches, then small desserts. This encourages you to taste and vary your intake. All without forcing yourself to sit or eat all at the same time. The idea of a picnic is conviviality and the possibility for the youngest to play outside (or to stretch their legs during the trip for example).
Then, use fresh products which are always better quality and lower in calories than processed foods. Consider foods that are in season to avoid tasteless fruits and vegetables. Important precautions: before one year, we do not give raw vegetables, and up to 5-6 years, beware of the risk of going wrong with certain foods, such as cherry tomatoes (they are crushed or cut into small pieces).
Last but not least, limit fatty and sugary foods which weigh down the menu and complicate the transport of the picnic, especially when the weather is hot. For example: mayonnaise, butter, chocolate cakes, sweet drinks, yogurts …
Some examples of basic which keep well and are unanimous: fresh bread (baguette or fresh sliced bread, softer for children’s teeth), raw vegetables (cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, radish), tabbouleh, hard-boiled eggs, roasted meat, sleeves of chicken, canned fish to spread, whole fruits, dry biscuits, yoghurt cake, compotes in gourds …
Tip: For a toddler, try small packaged cheeses, mashed carrots or parsnip, which goes well even when cold.
2. Appropriate packaging
The trap would be to “throw” everything in a basket in a hurry! Better to act methodically, especially in summer when food warms up quickly. So get at least one cooler that you can slip into ice packs refrigerants (to be placed on food, because the cold is coming down), water (think bottles and gourds for the little ones) and everything that is usually stored in the fridge. No need to dial sandwiches, the ingredients will keep better separately in small Tupperware (more ecological than aluminum) just like the rawness (peeled in advance) or the salads. For the rest, a cloth bag or basket will do. Cover the bread well with a tea towel, for example to prevent it from softening. And always carry the powdered infant milk in an airtight box.
3. We settle down comfortably
To be well installed, you can, depending on the flexibility of the family members and the age of the children, make the choice of grass or picnic table. If you have room, take one or two cushions to wedge the little ones. If you need to lay your baby down, take a small soft blanket. In any case, do not forget a large tablecloth not too valuable to ensure a minimum of hygiene. For the dishes, the “children’s sets ” (glasses, small plates, cutlery) are very practical for picnics. They are not fragile and rinse easily.
4. The essential accessories
Eating out means exposing yourself to mosquitoes and other insects, so consider a repellent spray suitable for the whole family. But also to crème solaire, glasses and if you are not aiming for a shady corner, a parasol which will house the little ones. Also take wipes to ward off small accidents, a hydroalcoholic hand gel, to be used if you do not have a water point nearby, a roller of absorbent paper, and a large garbage bag to attach to the “campsite” as soon as you arrive.
5. Little extras for fun
To brighten up the meal and make children’s eyes sparkle, don’t forget a few extras: first name labels on the cups, toothpicks for pecking food, a packet of light crisps (equally tasty), pickles, toasted almonds, candy skewers, bricks of fruit juice, straws, a game to play with the family outside to extend the moment. And don’t forget the insulated coffee bottle for parents. The day is not over …