Picnic Perfect
Tips on how to make picnicking easy and fun
by Roger Kimpton
Travel Light:
Avoid the temptation to prepare elaborate meals. Remember, you have to carry them. Bring foods you can nibble for a long time like fruits and nuts, for example.
Proportion Control:
The Heminway Family stress the importance of sandwiches that are neither too thick nor too thin. Too thick and they are hard to manage, too thin and they’renot filling. Another option is to bring ingredients and assemble sandwiches at the picnic site, offering another opportunity to get everyone involved.
First Aid First:
Children will inevitably fall and wind up with cuts and scrapes so pack a small box or even a paper bag with the essentials, says Hilary Heminway. You should always have adhesive bandages, disinfectant, insect repellent, and sun screen. Depending on your destination, she suggests you include toilet paper. ”I keep a small box packed so I can just grab it and go,” she says
Abate the Itch:
Poison ivy is always a potential picnic hazard. The plant’s poison resin repels water, so add some soap to your first aid kit. If you suspect contact with poison ivy, wash the area thoroughly. Cold compresses are effective, as are Tecnu and Zanfel over-the-counter treatments. And remind kids of that old poison ivy warning rhyme: “Leaves of three, let it be.”
Stake A Spot:
Everywhere is a good place for a picnic. Spread a blanket on the living room floor (TV off, of course) or the front porch on a rainy day and you have a picnic.
