One of the lessons I’ve learned during this pandemic, among many, is to enjoy the simple things in life. Taking the time to slow down and be present in the moment is something that I truly hope to continue carrying forward. Although we are slowly re-opening here in Toronto, and we can now enjoy drinks and food on a patio, I have personally been cautious and haven’t been frequenting patios much if at all. Instead I’ve opted for the simple pleasure of dining and drinking al fresco, aka the art of picnic’ing! We have so many beautiful parks in the city which I wrote about in a previous post so I’ve been taking advantage of exploring them while enjoying a nibble and a beverage.

There truly is an art to the picnic and over the last few times that I’ve gone out, I’ve realized I forgot to pack something or wish I had a particular item with me. So, to make your life easier and to also serve as a checklist for myself, I’ve created a list of must have items to bring on your next picnic. I’d love to hear if I’ve missed anything or if you have a must have picnic item, let me know in the comments!

Picnic Packing List

• Picnic Blanket
• Snacks – I prefer ones that are easy to pack and un-pack and that you can eat with cutlery given you’ll be in a park and it’ll be harder to wash your hands
• Hand sanitizer or hand wipes
• Mask
• Cutlery, cups, napkins and plates
• Scissors
• Drinks – single serve drinks are always easiest but bottles work too 😉
• Water
• Corkscrew – I always forget this one!
• Ice packs to keep drinks or food cold and fresh
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Small towel to wipe away dirt or sand
• Small bag for garbage
• Portable speaker
• Cushion – I can only take sitting on hard ground for so long!

The biggest challenge that I’ve had with picnics over the last few months has been the bathroom situation. Unfortunately a lot of public bathrooms are closed and restaurants and coffee shops won’t let you use their bathroom even if you are a customer. If you think that you’ll be out for a while, I’d suggest doing some research in advance on the City of Toronto website and look up parks that have open washrooms. Or, I have also opted to pick parks that are close to my place or the place of a person I am hanging out with.

I hope this post and list helps you plan for your next picnic! Here’s to a healthy and happy summer!