Italian-Inspired Picnic Guide for Spring/ Summer
The warmer weather means enjoying meals outside, here is great inspiration for hosting a picnic this season.
I recently wrote a blog post on my website all about how to host a stylish picnic as the warmer seasons arrive. The idea of hosting loved ones outside in the warm air is a whimsical notion. Incorporating a theme into your picnic is a great way to guide the menu, outfits, and overall vibe you are going for.
On my post, I introduced a few different themes that could be perfect for a picnic, and if I had to choose a theme I wrote about, it would be An Italian Summer (fyi you can totally do this in spring as well). Italian finger foods—think charcuterie—are just the epitome of what I envision when I think picnic. There truly is nothing better than cheese and red wine while you feel a warm breeze brush your face.
What will you wear?
For starters, when I think a warm weathered picnic I think sun hat. This is probably strongly influenced by the gorgeous pictures on Pinterest—but sunhat just screams warm weather picnic to me. Pairing with a sweet, simple sundress would be ideal. Something colorful—but not flashy—perhaps a yellow, baby blue, or soft pink. I think overalls would look adorable with a sunhat as well. For your feet a comfy chunky sandal or basic sneaker is perfect to fit the laid-back vibe.
What’s on the menu?
This is the fun part, customizing the menu with scrumptious bites. It's best to pack mostly cold items since they keep better for a picnic. Plus, most of the time, you won’t have the option to heat things up, so it's best to bring foods that taste good cold. You’ll also need a way to transport your food, this cooler picnic basket from Amazon comes with all the essentials.
Finger foods.
Just something classic to have on a picnic. Having a charcuterie board just seems so appropriate.
Melon wrapped in prosciutto
Prosciutto and a variety of salami
Crispy bread of your choosing
Mozzarella balls, asiago, parmigiano reggiano, ricotta with a drizzle of honey
Fig jam
Figs, grapes, pears
Olives
Marinated artichokes
Simple entrees.
Pasta salad with pesto, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella
Caprese sandwiches with fresh mozzarella slices, tomatoes, and basil on a ciabatta, drizzled with olive oil and a balsamic glaze
Drinks.
Red wine
Aperol spritz
Limonata (Italian lemonade), freshly squeezed lemon juice, sparkling water, and a touch of honey or sugar served over ice and finished with lemon slices.
Dessert.
Fresh cannoli
Biscotti
Plan a fun activity
Having an activity to do on a picnic is a great way to unplug and relax.
Gather flowers from a local florist to make-your-own bouquets
Read a novel
Work on curating a beautiful scrapbook
Knit
For more ideas, read the original blog post here.