Your Ultimate Picnic Basket Checklist
It’s a great way to celebrate the beautiful weather summer brings. Though, what’s not fun is sitting down to enjoy your picnic and realizing you’ve forgotten an essential item. But, never fear, I’ve compiled a checklist of picnic essentials and safety tips so that your picnic in the park, on the beach, or at a campground goes off without a hitch.
picnic basket
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Packing List
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Basket or tote
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Ice packs or bags of ice
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Cooler
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Drinks
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Food
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Condiments
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Salt and pepper
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Cups
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Plates
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Utensils
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Serving utensils
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Cutting Knife
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Cutting board
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Napkins
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Trash bags
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Paper towels
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Hand sanitizer
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Blanket
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Safety Tips
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Keep any perishable foods cold (40 degrees Fahrenheit or below) by transporting them in a cooler filled with ice or ice packs. Perishable foods include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, pasta, rice, cooked vegetables, and peeled and cut fruits.
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Research ahead of time to determine if your picnic site has a source of safe drinking water. If not, be sure to pack water for drinking and cleaning.
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If you plan to grill, be sure raw meat and poultry are wrapped securely to prevent their juices from cross-contaminating other foods in the cooler.
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Don’t use the same utensils or serving dish for raw and cooked meat. Choose disposable plates and utensils to prevent cross-contamination.
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If you’re grilling or cooking food while at your picnic site, be sure your food is kept hot, at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Consider packing non-perishable food items, like potato chips instead of potato salad and whole fruit instead of fruit salad.
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