Picnic Time is Summertime

Nothing is quite so much fun as a summer picnic. You can have a fun one in the sand and surf or a civilized one under the stars. Food can be as simple as heroes and chips or as sophisticated as cold chicken with pesto sauce and champagne. The fun part about picnics is to be creative. Have old standards mix with new favorites.

Before you even being to buy your food, make sure you have a good cooler. There are several to choose from these days. Luckily most places like Target and K-Mart have them on sale. Pick one that you can easily haul with you to the beach or the park(something on wheels and can fit into your car's trunk is probably the most desirable).Make sure that it can carry not just food but drinks as well. There are some high tech ones that have radios and I Pod stations for music. However sometimes just sticking with the simplest is best. For more elegant picnics there are the traditional wicker hampers. These come with china and utensils as well as napkins and ground coverings. This is great if you always want to eat "out" in style however fully stocked hampers can range from $200 to $300.

Once you've bought your cooler then you can plan your picnic. Make sandwiches that day so they're fresher tasting. A lot of people make them the night before and somehow they become soggy after ten hours the fridge Heroes are always preferred. They're fun to eat plus you can put a medley of diff rent cold cuts and veggies on them. As far as as dressings, mustard and ketchup are your safest bets along with oil and vinegar. Mayo is fine if you have a good cooler that will keep the sandwich chilled (otherwise it's a quick run to the ER - a difficult maneuver if you're in the woods or at the beach).If you're thinking about bringing salads then make these the night before. Instead of mayo, think about a tangy raspberry vinaigrette for your slaw or Italian dressing with sliced peppers and onions for your macaroni sandwiches. Pack chips, popcorn or tortilla chips. Keep drinks simple with juice boxes or canned soda.As for dessert, another keep it simple course. Have fun blueberries, strawberries or even cookies that the kids can grab and munch. Leave out Popsicles and ice cream bars which can be messy.

For a more elegant picnic, think cold meats. The English have this cornered with their hampers full of sliced ham and cold roasted chicken. You can also indulge in a Tuscan outdoor meal. Pack prosciutto or mortadella along with a loaf of crusty Italian bread. What's a good side with any of these? A crisp string bean and minced onion salad in a vinaigrette dressing. Also have on hand sliced tomatoes.This is the kind of meal that calls for champagne. If you want bring it along with a cooler and plenty of ice. Keep dessert simple with melon slices and shortbread cookies.

This is the season for a picnic. You can make it as all American as a hero with chips or as elegant with cold chicken breast and chilled drinks. Just make sure it's fun time out in the fresh air.