Romantic Picnic Planning Tips & Ideas

Preparation and willpower can go a long way toward making a romantic picnic a success, and it’s an easy, relatively cheap option for dating. Anyone can do it! Just throw some things together and hit the road, by bike, by car or even by foot. Sounds easy, right? Well, yes and no.

We wanted to share some easy tips for a successful romantic getaway, so wait a second before you run out the door. Remember, poor planning and a lack of consideration for the basics of weather and food can ruin an otherwise super chilled-out tryst into nature or spontaneity.

Romantic Picnic Basics – Preparation

• A comfortable picnic blanket or ground covering. Consider a vinyl ground cover to protect your blanket if you think it’s necessary.
• A cooler stocked with cold beverages, wine or water. Consider freezing plastic bottles ahead of time to double as ice packs to save space! (But if so, be sure to budget time to let them thaw.)
• A picnic basket, because what’s so charming about a bunch of grocery bags?
• Plastic or metal storage containers and storage bags help keep everything together and separate, to maximize freshness and give a sense of purpose and confidence to your picnic.
• If you choose to pack a baguette or some other bread, wrap it separately in parchment paper or newspaper rather than keeping it in a sealed container to keep it from getting soggy.
• Remember to pack utensils, plates, forks, knives, napkins, cups or glassware, and a cutting board. It’s hard to project an air of cool and stay sexy when you can’t even cut an apple without the juice running down your sleeve.
• Pick a good location. Make sure it’s as private as possible, or at least somewhat secluded. Things to think about: will it be buggy? Should you pack bug spray? Sunscreen? Jackets? Hats?
• Are you the sporty type? Maybe you want to bring a ball and glove, or a Frisbee.
• It might be a good idea to have a first-aid kit on hand, or at least accessible. Nothing ruins a romantic picnic like a cut thumb, and you’ll look like MacGyver if you come ready for anything.

Romantic Picnic Food

• Choose food that’s finger-friendly and easy to prepare, so you can focus on the conversation and on each other. Sandwiches, wraps, cut fruit, hard-boiled eggs, chicken wings, baguette, cut vegetables, chips and cookies all are good options.
• Substitute pesto for mayonnaise in sandwiches (it keeps better) or check out one of our baskets with integrated coolers for added convenience and longer food preservation. TIP: pre-slice sandwiches and segment them with toothpicks for an extremely efficient execution.
• Wait to dress any salads you choose, to keep things fresh.

Wine/Drinks

• Rosé is a popular wine for picnics — serve slightly chilled, this is generally a nice in-between wine that compliments a wide variety of dishes. Crisp chilled Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay also works well for a summer day. If your partner fancies red wine, Pinot Noir is a good bet.
• Bottled water, fruit juice, craft sodas, or beer are also great options, too. Pack accordingly — these are often the heaviest part of your load!

Cheese

• Firm, low-moisture cheese is best for picnics, as it doesn’t become affected by the sun and heat as easily as soft cheese. Aged Gouda, asiago, manchego or pecorino all work well.

Choosing a Romantic Picnic Location

• Comfort is important, so consider packing pillows or something you can use to enjoy time outdoors together. Remember, the most important part of a picnic is your dining partner, and with the right equipment and preparation, you can let the picnic take care of itself and flow effortlessly from your capable fingertips, while you focus on entertaining and enjoying each other’s company. Try to time your picnic to coincide with the sunset or flowers for maximum awe-factor in wooing your partner!
• A portable tent gazebo could take it to the next level, but we’ll leave that to the truly adventurous.
• Location can be anywhere! Maybe even a picnic indoors?