Who doesn't love a picnic? Eating in the fresh air has been a favorite pastime for generations. But there's an art to planning a successful picnic. Consider these 5 steps to the PERFECT picnic:

1. The food should be simple to prepare and pack. Some good choices are:

•  Sandwiches (Consider wrapping your sandwiches in parchment paper - it's good protection and looks so chic.)
•  Veggie sticks and dips
•  Chips and dips
•  Stuffed tomatoes
•  Trail mixes

2. Next the food should be sturdy enough to withstand the trip. More good choices would be:

•  All of the above
•  Grain and vegetable salads
•  Jugs of fruit juices, citrus-flavored water, bottled beverages
•  Melons and other whole fresh fruits; avoid cut-up mixed-fruit salads. They get soggy quickly.

3. The food should be delicious at room temperature, and not dependent on barbecuing (so many areas now have fire bans due to extreme fire dangers that are now getting more and more common during summer months). Still more good choices are:

•  All of the above (except for the drinks)
•  Cheeses and crusty breads or crackers
•  Canned olives
•  Sweets such as cookies, cupcakes, fruit pies

4. The whole shebang should be easy to tote. Many coolers now come with long handles and wheels. And we like to pack all the non-food items (paper products, tablecloth, trash bags, sani-wipes, etc.) in a small carry-on piece of luggage - because of the handle and wheels.

5. The food should be protected from your picnic site's pests (wasps, flies, etc.). Good products for this are:

•  A set of 3mesh pop-up food tents for about 8.59 on Amazon.com (by Handy Gourmet).








•  Fox Run Food Umbrella Tent for about $7.50 on Amazon.com








•  OR consider making your own food and drink covers. Large squares of cloth with weights attached to the corners (to hold them in place when those inevitable gusts of wind come up) work well and don't have to cost you a thing but your time!