Choose a menu that’ll keep for as long as you need it to. (We have a few great picnic menus to consider, depending on when and where you’re picnicking.) Some salads, like panzanella, pasta or potato salads with a vinegar-based dressing, and tabouleh are easier to transport and leave at room temperature than mayo-based options. (Make sure you keep food safety in mind when you’re packing your picnic basket!) If you still want that traditional picnic aesthetic, consider using the wicker basket for nonperishables like bread, baked goods, plates, and other picnic gear, and keeping anything temperature sensitive in a separate cooler or thermally protected container. And don’t forget the old trick of freezing some items, like water bottles, yogurt tubes or even PB&J sandwiches—if you aren’t eating for a few hours, they’ll defrost and be perfect eating temperature when you’re ready (and they’ll help keep your other items nice and cool in the meantime). Throw something in to entertain your crowd—a lawn game like bocce ball, a bluetooth speaker to play your picnic playlist, or a simple ball for a game of catch would be perfect.
