This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #QuakerTime #CollectiveBias
There are times when you just need to get out of the house, get some fresh air, and enjoy your lunch in the great outdoors. The days left until school start are very few so I have been trying to make the most of them with my kids. We decided a picnic was in order and even though we only just went to the backyard it was another summer bucket list item that we were able to check off. Packing for a picnic doesn’t have to have any fancy food or take long to get ready. Here is how I pack for a picnic in 5 minutes.
Each week when I get home from Walmart or the grocery store, I cut up my kids favorite fruits so that they are easy to just grab from the fridge and eat throughout the day. Here is a tip for you. When cutting up watermelon: I cut mine in half first so that it is not rolling all over the cutting board. I then cut it in slices to make it even more manageable. Trim off the rind then chop in to squares. I can cut up a medium size watermelon in about 5 or 6 minutes. So when I decide last minute to have a picnic or just for everyday lunches I already have fruit available.
Having other convenience foods make the process to pack for a picnic in five minutes a snap. We always have some sort of bar that the kids love to eat. This past week I was able to pick up a value pack of the Quaker Chewy Dips. After putting them away in my newly organized kids shelf, when I went to pack essentials for our picnic I was able to just grab and throw a couple bars in my cooler bag. My kids also like to have cereal throughout the day. I put some of their new favorite Life with Maple and Brown Sugar into a baggie and tossed that in my cooler as well.
What all did I pack in our picnic?
- Lunch meat
- String cheese
- Bread
- Watermelon cubes
- Water bottles
- Quaker Chewy bars
- Life cereal
- Graham crackers
- Plates and napkins
- Blanket
Throw in a couple of ice packs and you are ready to go. Sandwiches don’t have to be made ahead of time so you can get out the door faster. My kids like deconstructed sammies so I don’t take any condiments. Oh and if you are like me and get so busy with kids that you forget to eat breakfast, you can make some Quaker Original Instant Oatmeal in the same time it takes to pack your picnic. I was able to get it in a value pack as well so I have easy to make breakfasts for those crazy school mornings.
What are your favorite things to pack in a picnic? Can you pack for a picnic in 5 minutes? Check out the Quaker Pinterest page for more inspiration on how Quaker products fit in to your life.
My kids tend to like finger foods over a sandwich any day, so we pack like this all the time. My kids went back 2 weeks ago already. So wish the summer could have lasted a little longer. #client
Yes we are a finger food type family. So much easier to have a bunch of little things that appeal to the whole family. I do miss the pool time of summer, but I do like having more mommy time to get work done!
These are great tips! Thanks for sharing how to make picnic packing easier.
Great tips! Definitely looks like a fun and wonderful picnic 🙂
Great snack ideas!
I want to picnic with you!
Great ideas!
Come over any time.. haha
We love that Maple & Brown Sugar Life so much!!! I should buy it in bulk. YUM!
Instant oatmeal is my favorite to keep in my work drawer! I need to pack some of these in my work drawer for afternoon snacks.
What a great picnic! I love being able to take simple items along so everyone has something- even the 11 month old! She loves dry cereal!
My kids only eat dry cereal. Very rarely will they eat it in a bowl with milk.
Quaker is just awesomness in a box I tell you! Great tips. This is my kind of picnic!
My kids sure like them. haha
I think we are a lot alike. I love to spend one day prepping so that every other day goes smoothly. Just grab and run. Great tips
I am getting better at prepping because I hate that last minute what do we eat.
Take sponges and wet them. Put them in plastic bags and freeze. It helps keep food cold for picnics just like these!
I have seen that on pinterest. Just never tried it for myself. I did find some cheap reusable ice packs at the store last time I went.
Great snack ideas! I keep a big basket of ready-to-go snacks all summer so when we’re headed out the door to an outing, a long car ride, etc. each kid grabs one and fills their water bottle. It takes the task off me and makes them responsible for themselves.
Yeah I try to keep our snack boxes stocked so that we have foods ready to go. I also like that my kids are becoming more responsible for their own things!
I love the idea of keeping food ready made. I do the same thing with afterschool snacks and one of my Kiddies favorite go-to snacks are Quaker Granola Bars… I will have to think of making it a part of a picnic as well. Sounds like awesome fun.
My kids LOVE granola bars so I make sure that we always have some. I am trying to get better at meal prepping so that we have easy to eat foods whenever we feel like leaving last minute.
Love you snack ideas and so fun, less then 5 minutes toss it and you are on your way. Thanks for the tips; love picnic’s in the fall here in Florida
Thanks. I am all about quick and less hassle!
Good ideas! I need more grab-and-go stuff. I am always late and always rushing. Trying to get four kids ready for anything is not easy!
Yeah I feel like we rush a lot too with only two kids. I am getting better at meal prepping so that things are grab and go
You pack for picnics a lot like I do, with everything prepped and ready plus some grab and go’s from the pantry. The Maple Brown Sugar Life cereal is one of our favorites too, and just like you, dry cereal often goes in baggies for our picnics. They are the perfect snack to take when we go on a nature walk. Every picnic should have a nature walk 🙂
Looks like one of our picnics! My boys don’t go for sitting and eating sandwiches, so I always just toss a bunch of grab and go options into the bag!