Your Guide to Picnic Baskets

Picnic baskets are wonderful. You can make a peanut butter sandwich, put it in a wicker basket and make the day seem more special. You can have a romantic moment with a loved one or pack a basket for a whole family. No matter what your plans are for the day, having the right picnic basket can make things so much better and more efficient. An easy day is a better day.

The size and shape of your basket is one of the first things you should consider. A middle- to larger-sized basket is a good suggestion whether you are planning a picnic for two or for the whole family. That way, you can pack everything you need and have extra space instead of struggling to cram everything into a basket that is just too small. The larger the basket, the stronger it should be. The areas that need to be the strongest include the bottom of the basket as well as the handles. The basket should also be made of materials that will not ruined by moisture or materials that cannot be cleaned when needed.

When you pack your basket, you need to consider the order that the items will be needed. For safety, use your picnic basket only for foods that do not need refrigeration so that no one is getting food poisoning at all. If you are bringing other items that do need to be chilled, use a separate cooler for them. You can bring some foods with you in a basket if you are only going to be out for a very short time and you are not planning on bringing home any of the leftovers.

Some baskets come with a tablecloth and napkins as well as plates and utensils. These are wonderful because you have everything you need for a nice picnic except for the food. That can be as simple as a nice bottle of wine, a great loaf of bread and some quality cheese or it can be even simpler, with nothing but little bags of snack foods and vegetables and fruits. Either way, don’t forget to add something to drink and you have the makings of a very nice meal.

Wicker is the most common material for these baskets but there are others as well. You can use other items to stand in a pinch, for instance, a small flat suitcase can carry these items really well as can a cooler. For a really large gathering, a cooler might even be a better idea. But, nothing has quite the same flair as picnic baskets, nothing makes the day that much more special.