Mallory Knee
Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of it! There are plenty of activities that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home—you can learn how to play an instrument, delve into arts and crafts, or make a scrumptious meal. The list goes on. Take the delicious meal to your backyard, and celebrate spring with a sweet backyard picnic. Invite everyone you share the home with to head outside for some sunshine, drinks, and laughter. Follow these tips and tricks on how to plan a backyard picnic—you can carry these ideas through to the time when the picnic can include all your friends and family, too!
Decide on the Menu
With the extra free time on our hands, take more time to plan out the menu than some simple sandwiches and chips. Maybe you can make a charcuterie board with your favorite cheeses and fruits. Maybe you can try out that new pasta salad from your Pinterest. Make the backyard picnic a bit more refined than a picnic you’d take to the beach—there’s less travel time and more opportunity for flavorful fare.
Base Drinks on the Food
Once you’ve settled on the menu, then you can decide on the drinks to pair. If it’s just a picnic for two, think about the favorite drinks of your significant other, and see how you can tie those in with the meal. For example, if you’ve got some wine lovers in the house, then definitely go with the charcuterie board. From there, you can look at classic wine and cheese pairings, and decide on your drinks of choice depending on the food. There are so many food and drink pairing guides out there—you just need to decide based on your feelings.
Set the Vibe
The best part about a backyard picnic is that you get to control the aesthetic. When you head to a park, you get the natural beauty, but there’s not much you can do about lighting and music. Backyard picnics give you the chance to set the vibe. Set the music to a comfortable level with a mix that satisfies all people involved. Bring some twinkle lights and lanterns to add an extra glow. Bring out your comfortable bedding (sans cover), and layout a tarp on the bottom of the ground is a bit wet. Do what you can to make your backyard seem like the ultimate great escape.
Less Stress, More Fun
All of that said, truly the most important part about planning a backyard picnic and partaking in one is that you emphasize comfort and fun. They’re meant to be more laid back than a five-course meal. They’re supposed to encourage conversation and connection, so even if the food isn’t perfect or the wine doesn’t pair perfectly with the cheese you were able to find at the store, that’s okay. Enjoy the moment with your loved ones as much as possible. It’s what will keep you sane through all of this madness.
Carry these tips and ideas with you through the current pandemic to get you outside. But even when this all has cleared, continue to take the time to connect with your loved ones with a backyard picnic—the tips remain the same; your guest list just expands a bit!
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