6 things to pack in your picnic basket
A day trip
to the beach has got to involve tasty food and treats, and some careful
planning. It’s never fun to chew a side of sand with your meal. We’ve come up
with a few tasty options which can survive the day in your cooler bag and won’t
attract sand.
1. Wraps galore
Forget the sandwiches, make a few wraps filled with delicious fillings like chicken, ham, salads and even cold, sliced steak or beef. Don’t fill it with things like boiled eggs or fish, you can’t be sure about how it will react to the heat. Wraps are extremely easy to eat and require no clean up after. Wrap each one individually in some foil for an easy-to-reach and easy-to-eat meal.
2. Fruit time
Pack whole fruits rather than cut up fruit. Bananas, apples, and grapes are excellent fruits to take along on a beach picnic and it’s a great snack for when the kids are feeling a little peckish. Best of all, a quick rinse with some of your water means that any sand collected on the skin will be gone in seconds.
3. Pack the snacks
A day at the beach is not complete without the necessary snacks. Small, individual packets of crisps, nuts, biltong, and sweets will keep the snack cravings at bay, and the individual packets mean that everybody won’t have to eat sand after the kids have stuck their hands into the larger packets to get their share of crisps.
4, Pack water
Ensure that you pack plenty of water into a cooler. The beach can get hot and most people get thirsty quicker, so pack plenty of water to quench those thirsts and cool your kids down. A day in the intense sun can dehydrate you very easily, so keep sipping that cold water to prevent it.
5. Take the salad
Salads such as couscous and pasta salads are great for the beach. Pack them in individual sealed dishes if you can, along with a few forks for everyone to eat their own. This way you prevent sand from getting into the dish while everyone passes it around to share. Chances are if some sand does manage to find it’s way in, it’s usually not noticeable in this kind of salad because of all the other ingredients.
6. Don’t forget the ice cream
A beach picnic is not a beach picnic if you don’t have ice cream. Find the nearest ice cream vendor and make sure you have enough cash to buy a treat for the entire group. Nothing screams summer like a beach picnic with ice cream on the menu. If you want to pack a dessert treat, just forget the chocolate. You’re guaranteed a mess with all that heat and nobody wants to eat melted, soggy chocolate on the beach. Fruit and cookies are good options for a sweet treat.
Visit the Coca-Cola Taste Summer Beach Festival in association with East Coast Radio from 21st to 23rd December at uShaka Marine Beach. The festival promises fun, games, music, and entertainment for the whole family. So pack your picnic and join us for serious summer fun!