The Six Must Haves For A Perfect Picnic

*this post is sponsored by UNJURY

It’s official!  We are in picnic season.  For a successful picnic, it’s important to start with a cute sun dress.  The rest will take care of itself, I always say.  In fact, sometimes a cute outfit or china pattern inspires an impromptu get together.  Yup, I’m that girl.  

So what is on my must have list for a successful picnic?  

A Great Cookbook

For inspiration, I often turn to my favorite cookbooks.  The queen of great picnics in my opinion is Ina Garten.  I’ve collected all but her most recent cookbook, which is on my wish list, I just haven’t gotten around to ordering it yet.  The Barefoot Contessa original book is my favorite for easily packable summer fare with fresh bold flavor.  The thing I love about her recipes is that the seasonings are never overpowering.  Anyway, creating a flavorful and easy menu is job number one, or two after the cute outfit.

An Awesome Picnic Spot

Picking the ideal picnic spot.  We have several beautiful parks near where we live and most of the time, we just pack a picnic and go.  However weekends and holidays can be very busy, so when I want to invite more people, I make a reservation with the City Parks department.  It can often be done on line, and for a nominal fee. 

A Decorative Spread

I love a great presentation, and I have one of those old fashion picnic baskets and a big quilt to put on the ground.  I also have several sets of picnic ware to choose from, depending on the color scheme and menu for the day.  I don’t know about you, but pretty just makes picnics a little more fun.

Keep Bugs Away

Bug repellent, first aid kit and sunscreen are  musts for your picnic list.  Whether you make homemade bug repellant, use  citrine candles or douse yourself with Off, having the bug situation covered is super important.  Nothing spoils a picnic quicker than bug bites, minor scrapes and sunburns.  I keep a first aid kit in the car just in case.  It’s also good to know the poisonous plants in your area, and, to stay away from them, of course.

Fun games.  

When Roger and I hosted our first picnic with Brooke and her boyfriend, we stopped at Target and bought a ball and a few outdoor games.  Funny thing was that the kids had never played them before so it was quite humorous watching them trying to throw a frisbee and play catch. That was the day I discovered that my child can’t kick a ball.  I can though.

And finally, a fun desert.  

I’m feeling Strawberry Banana Pops with a little extra protein added in, so I’ll share my favorite recipe:

2 packets or 2 scoops of UNJURY Strawberry Sorbet protein powder

2 cups milk (you can use your favorite type of  milk so long as it freezes well)

1 small box of Jello Instant Banana Pudding mix (which ever variety you like including sugar-free or fat-free)

Pour milk into a bowl, add protein power, stir, and set aside.  In a separate bowl, empty the contents of the pudding mix add the milk and protein mixture to the dry pudding mix stir two minutes or until texture is full.  Label mixture eagerly into popsicle molds or 3 oz paper cups freeze for a minimum of 4 hours.  80 calories if skim milk is used, 10 grams of protein 9 grams carbohydrates and 5 grams sugar. (This recipe is from the UNJURY cookbook)

I have been on a low carb diet for twelve years, you can read about my weight loss journey here.  I occasionally splurge and have a desert like the one above, but mostly I stay away from sweets.  I make sure that I get my protein portions in; the average sedentary female should consume 46 grams of protein per day.  I often use protein powder to boost my protein intake, either by drinking protein shake or grabbing a protein bar on the go.  UNJURY is a great choice as it offers a variety of flavored, vegan, and unflavored powders.  There are also two soups.  If you would like to try UNJURY, I have a discount code NINA 10 and you can visit UNJURY here.

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