Picnics are a classic summer tradition. They bring up thoughts of wicker picnic baskets, red plaid blankets, plastic cutlery and potato salad.  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this version of the all-American activity, but why not play with the age-old idea? Forget plaid and Tupperware for a second and try an easy picnic catered around the people you love.

Here are some ideas, custom-made with your company in mind, that might just get you thinking about your own revamped picnic.

Picnic ideas for your significant other

The fall-back menu is strawberries and champagne, this we know. Divert from this idea.  There are so many other options.  Arrange a meeting spot and each bring part of the picnic you could try:

• Bring some of your partner’s favorites and they’ll do the same
• Fill  the cooler with foods you’ve always wanted to try
• Bring a few of your own favorites

For a new couple, this is a creative way to get to know more about the other and for those that have been together for awhile, it can bring you back to the simple things.

Picnic ideas for kids

If you’re outside and there’s food, kids are happy. But it doesn’t take a lot of effort to mix it up!

• Take the gang to a big, family-friendly park with BBQ grills or a nearby beach to set up shop for the day.
• On the culinary front, kids are easy so food should be too. Bring the usual – hot dogs, hamburgers, smokies, salads, fruit and sugary beverages.
• Find little ways to make it fun. Cut food into shapes, make fruit skewers (be sure to remove sharp ends) or toss colored ice-cubes in with the lemonade!

There is always going to be Frisbee, but what about horseshoes or relay games? Or try a water-balloon fight and capture the flag? Get creative!

Picnic ideas for a girl’s day out

There has to be more inspiring ways to hang out with friends than over java at the corner Starbucks.

• Grab a colorful tablecloth, pile into one car and find a picnic table outside an art museum or a spot in a clearing in a city garden. Choose a place where you’ll be relaxed and be free to talk uninterrupted.
• Have everyone bring one simple, but different type of finger food.
• Try hummus and bruschetta with pita chips, mini-samosas, hot pepper cheese dip with fresh bread or exotic fruit with chocolate dipping sauce? It’s an original menu that doesn’t require any cooking or heating up.

In addition to the food, think of something everyone can bring to spark conversation. You could bring a book that has changed how or a photo from your childhood.   With simple things you can discover new and different things about friends you’ve known for years.

Picnic ideas for lunch with your Mom

Even if you and your mom have met in every café and restaurant in town, there’s still room for new experiences with a customized picnic.

• Meet at the park in the neighborhood you grew up in or next to a river under the shade of towering trees. Think of somewhere you’ve shared a time together, that holds meaning or just a place to be surrounded by beauty.
• Indulge yourselves with a pot of your mom’s favorite tea and some decadent mini-desserts
• If it’s a feast you want, try finding a recipe from a dish you’re mother grew up eating and surprise her by making it!
• If you don’t want to spend time in the kitchen before picnicking, order your favorite take-out or a giant pizza and just let the afternoon be about sitting in the grass talking about life.

Are there things you would like to know about your mom, maybe not as a mother, but as a woman? Take the opportunity to ask her. When have she felt most in love? Who has influenced her the most? There’s a lot that people never think to share because they’ve never been asked. So ask away!

Picnics are a time-honored event because regardless of the setting, the food or the activities, they bring people together. Whether it’s on a red and white checkered tablecloth, packing paper for coloring or a few comfy blankets, sit and enjoy the company of people you love.

Related reading:
More summer picnic ideas – Great food for picnics
Take a different kind of adventure this summer – Ever considered exploring your spiritual side?