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Family
PICNICS
MADEEAS^
Picnicking is a great way to take
advantage of long summer days and starlit nights.
Kids love to eat outdoors because they can make a
mess without getting into trouble, and eating outside
means less cleanup, so everybody wins.
Here ate some ideas for spur-of-the-moment picnics and
summertime fun with your family, whether you're trek
king to a local park or eating in your own back yard:
Plan for spontaneity
• Spend a few minutes online researching nearby parks
and other outdoor recreation spots. Don't overlook
places like the zoo, nanue preserves, museum grounds
and berry-picking farms. Keep a list of potential picnic
sites posted on your refrigerator or in your purse for
inspiration.
• Stock your picnic basket with disposable or lightweight
plastic dishes, piper napkins and a trash bag.
• Keep a stash of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustand and rel
ish packets in a zip-top bag so you wont have to pack
full bottles of condiments.
• Purchase small containers of sunscreen, bug spray and
hand sanitizer, and keep them together in a zip-top
bag.
• Park a small first-aid kit that includes bandages and
antibacterial ointment.
• Clean out your cooler so it’s ready to use.
• Keep reusable ice packs or a bag of ice in the freezer for
king down drinks and picnic foods.
• Store swimming and water-plav items—beach towels,
sunscreen, floating toys, goggles—in one convenient
place for picnics at a lake or a water park.
• Keep a pair of sneakers at work so you’ll be ready to
meet your family at a nearby park for a quick picnic
lunch break.
How and what to pack
• Freeze water, juice or tea in spirts bottles. They will
thaw and be ready to drink as the day progresses.
• For safety, keep cold foods at 40 degrees or colder. Pack
foods right from the refrigerator to the cooler. Travel
with the cooler in the passenger area of the car, not in
the trunk. At the picnic site, place the cooler in the
shade, with the lid closed.
• Pack the cooler in reverse order. Put dessert in first,
then your entree and side dishes, then appetizers. Or,
you can place heavier items on the bottom of the cooler
or basket and fragile foods—sandwiches, fruits and
delicate desserts—at the top.
• Reserve the cooler for perishable items and ice: pack
nonperishable foods separately.
• Return perisiiable fexxls to the cooler or refrigerator as
soon as you finish eating.
Fun for all
• Before or after the picnic, enjoy low-tech fun such
as skipping rocks on a lake, flying kites and playing
catch.
• Create a simple scavenger hunt. Make a list of objects
for the hunters to bring back, such as a pine cone, a
smooth stone, a feather, something with a hole in it, a
piece of plastk, etc.
• Take a spontaneous evening picnic to a park with a
view and watch the sunset.
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• Invite other families to meet you at a park for a picnic.
Backyard fun
• Store paper plates, cups, napkins, plastic utensils,
unbreakable salt and pepper shakers, and a tray
near the back door for quick table-setting outside.
• Store yard-game equipment—balls, Frisbees,
horseshoes, badminton and crochet gear—in
one area in the garage for easy retrieval.
• Be ready for critters. Stock up on citronella candles
to ward off pesky mosquitoes. To cure a wasp prob
lem, put 2 inches of vinegar in a long-necked bottle.
(Tliey are attracted to the smell, will crawl in and
wont be able to crawl out.) Plant marigolds and
mint—natural bug deterrents—near where you eat
on your patio or deck. Keep a trash can nearby for
fast cleanup. Glue a pest strip to the lid of your trash
can to control flies.
• Eat a picnic dinner by candlelight on your patio.
• Catch fireflies in a jar and watch them light up. Try to
time the intervals between flashes. Notice the varia
tions in color. After enjoying them tor a short time,
release them.
• Stash old bedspreads or quilts in a convenient
closet to pull out and lie on after dark. Have a star
chart and flashlight handy so you can identify spe
cific constellations and planets in the night sky.
Picnicking may be an old-fashioned tradition,
but its the perfect way for modern families to
enjoy a simple, spontaneous meal and summer
time fun. "fc
Story by Katk-jy Pvel of Dallas.
Page 8
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