THERE is something special about having picnics and eating outdoors, whether it is having a barbecue in your own backyard or traveling some distance with your packed picnic baskets and hampers to eat your lunch beside a babbling stream under a large shady tree.

Of course the beach is always a favorite spot for some, however, you may not be one for sand in your sandwiches and you will always get some clever clogs who decide that it is the perfect time to shake that towel just as the hamper is being opened.

Many people prefer the countryside, and it sets the scene for a relaxed and informal get-together of sharing a memorable meal.

When thinking about picnic food ideas, eating outdoors can be as complicated or as easy as you want it to be. If you don’t have the time and you don’t mind spending some cash, then it can be as easy as going to the shops and buying some ready-made treats. However, it will be a lot more expensive than if you had cooked at home.

Keep to four dishes

Bring no more than four dishes to a picnic. Keep it simple and stick to those. If you want something extra just in case someone may still be hungry, then pack a hunk of cheese or an extra loaf of crusty bread. But four dishes, if well-planned, will feed the hungry hordes and will be easier to keep chilled if needed.

Shop-bought treats

Prawns are delicious and versatile for a number of great picnic food ideas. When they have been pre-cooked and you can serve them up very simply with a jar of garlic mayonnaise and a couple of wedges of lemon.

Wash them down with a lovely Chardonnay, a bottle of champagne or a couple of cold beers. You can also bread them, or even buy them breaded. Pan-fry before you leave and serve with mayonnaise.

Shop-roasted chickens are easy too. No mess, no fuss. Carve the bird before you leave home to avoid having to bring extra knives and cutting boards.

Quick and easy treats

Fruit is a great picnic food. If the weather is hot, there is nothing quite like a juicy watermelon to finish the meal. Strawberries, peaches and apples also travel well. Don’t choose fruit that will get easily squashed or is too soft as it will not travel well.

Bread is a staple for the picnic basket. Crusty bread, French baguettes, rolls, baps or even the Labanese flat bread can be used for either making sandwiches or an accompaniment to your meal.

In fact, the pita bread is ideal for this situation, where you can create pita pockets by cutting off the top of the bread circle and fill it with tomatoes, celery, lettuce, ham and cheese. If you want to add mayonnaise to these, do this just before eating, or else the mayonnaise will end up soaking through the thin walls of the pockets and you will end up with a soggy mess.

Another great filling is using roasted Mediterranean vegetables like courgettes, egg plants, tomatoes, pitted black olives and some garlic. Again, because these vegetables will have been fried in olive oil, these pockets should be assembled just before eating. Drizzle olive oil over the lot just before serving.

Cheese is another easy picnic food idea. It is easy to pack in your picnic baskets, whether it is a lovely chunk of cheddar or a soft cheese like brie to finish off the meal with some grapes, dried apricots, dried figs and biscuits.

A cream cheese is also the base for many quick dips, which can be made at home beforehand and then used to start your picnic with either fresh vegetables such as celery sticks, carrot strips, cucumber, red and green peppers and other crudites, or thick-cut crisps and biscuits.

What to pack other

than food

What you pack with your picnic baskets really depends on who is going on the picnic. If it is just you and a significant other, then pack your basket, a blanket to sit on, a small table cloth for your food, two glasses for your wine or drinks (preferably non-breakable), a corkscrew, and a flask of coffee for the afternoon.

If you are going on a picnic with your family, then your list would include far more. However, refer to a standard list of what you should be taking with you. (SD-Agencies)A standard picnic list

◎ Salt and pepper

◎ Small pat of butter

◎ Bread

◎ Fruit

◎ Your four dishes

◎ Drinks

◎ Tea/coffee flask

◎ Corkscrew

◎ Tin opener

◎ Plates

◎ Eating utensils

◎ Paring knife

◎ Cutting/cheese board

◎ Cups and/or glasses

◎ Small tablecloth

◎ Serviettes

◎ Small blanket

◎ A cool box to transport food that may perish in high temperatures (This is imperative as fillings like ham can spoil very quickly.)

◎ Games for the kids and big kids alike: frisbee, ball, chess, etc.

◎ Suntan lotion

◎ Insect repellant

◎ A fly swatter