Let’s face it: the picnic is a dying art.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise – food today is more about convenience than it ever has been, and what could be less practical than preparing food well in advance, packing it up and then lugging it somewhere outdoorsy and out of the way (the further away from a road the better) to eat it?

Despite this, we love a good picnic. We love sitting out in the sun, sharing out the drinks, dishes and of course nibbles, and living slowly – if just for a few hours!

Picnic Food Ideas

To make planning your next picnic as straightforward as possible, we’ve pulled together some advice to help you finesse an al fresco feast.

Take a look at our ‘picnic wheel’ for all the different foods you could bring to a picnic, whether you’re looking for savoury snacks, desserts, drinks or mains:

Tips for packing for a picnic

And when it comes to packing up your picnic basket, we’ve put together a few handy tips to make sure everything arrives at your lunch spot in great condition:

• Pack your salad at the top so it doesn’t get squashed
• Take some ice packs to keep everything cool
• Pack heavy items like bottles at the bottom of your basket
• Make sure any dairy or other perishable items are kept cool, and any raw meat is packed separately
• Pad the bottom of your basket for insulation

If what you’re looking for is a quick, easy meal then a picnic probably isn’t the answer. But that isn’t really the point. Picnics are about bringing people together somewhere beautiful and relaxing, as much as it’s about the food you share once you’re there.

That’s something picnics have in common with Gousto… Our recipe boxes help families and friends enjoy shared experiences around food. Choosing which recipes from our menu to try, cooking them at home together, sharing out the finished food and relaxing afterwards – all without the usual hassles of meal planning, supermarket shopping and measuring ingredients.

We like to think Gousto gives customers the best of both worlds: shared experiences around cooking and enjoying food, but with modern ‘what you want, when you want it’ convenience. Plus, you can always eat Gousto recipes outside if you want to…