Eating Outside Series: Picnicking with Your Kids
There are SO many ways to enjoy food outside! Being outside seems to make everything better! A hike, walk, mountain bike, canoe ride, rock climb, ski tour - whatever activity gets you out there may have your body moving and working hard, but it also has a way of slowing time down for you to notice and appreciate every little thing. The intricate patterns of each leaf, the sound of the soft breeze weaving through the trees, the smell of fresh pine, the cool feeling of a smooth stone between your fingers, the sweet nutty flavour of a homemade granola bar; The great outdoors can turn the simplest of moments into memorable experiences. In this pause in time, there is nothing but you, nature, and food! The pressures and stresses of daily life have no place here!
So, whether you are an avid outdoor enthusiast, or scarcely dare to leave the comforts of your home, we hope you find some inspiration in this guide that gets you started with enjoying food outside and creating these meaningful moments. Be sure to check out the other guides in this series in the links at the end of this guide.
Cooking Gear / Essentials
First things first, essential tools. What you pack along depends on the scope of your trip or outing and the food you are planning on making. For each activity in this eating outside series, I will outline the essential tools needed, however one thing that spending time outdoors will teach you is that being resourceful is key! So feel free to improvise with what works for you and what you already have on hand. This guide does not include every possible item you will need, but rather is meant to serve as a way to get you started. With time and experience, you will no doubt have you own go-to gear, and meal ideas!
Picnicking with Kids
Whether gluten free, nut free, vegan, or just plain picky, feeding kids nutritious food can be a daily struggle for any parent! One way to work with all of these potential obstacles, like everything else in our Eating Outside Series is by, well…eating outside! Picnics are an excellent way to change up the daily routine and make meals fun for kids and parents alike. If for some reason you aren’t able to get out to a park simply throw down a blanket in your living room or backyard, and have a little at-home picnic! There’s something magical about eating finger-food cross-legged on the ground with all the littles!
These recipes can be adapted to suit many of your family’s dietary needs, or choices. So, feel free to use each of these suggested foods as a starting point and adapt as needed.
Feel free to get creative with these suggestions! You can find recipes below for several of the baked-goods included. Make these recipes in advance, pack up your picnic blankets, and go make some priceless memories picnicking outside with the kids!
Essentials
Blanket
Basket
Plates, or bowls
Utensils
Containers with lids
Hand towel (for sticky fingers)
Thermos (for hot or cold drinks)
Picnic Menu
Here are some recipes to prepare you and your kids for your outing! We’ve included gluten Free alternatives for the bread, and cracker recipes if you have any gluten restrictions in your diet. For the trifle, you could substitute any basic lemon pound cake, or try this gluten free one because we’ve found it is just as delicious as any gluten-filled loaf!
Gluten Free Strawberry Lemon Trifle
This tart, light lemon pound cake is nicely balanced out with sweet whipping cream and fresh strawberries making it a favourite for both kids & adults. For a fun experience, have the kids help add everything together in a container with a lid, and head outside for a picnic!
Sandwich Loaf
This is a perfect bread for making your go-to sandwiches to pack along for a picnic. This is a basic method, but you will be able to achieve an extremely light and fluffy loaf without needing to know any advanced skills.
Gluten Free Sourdough
With picnics in mind, the large slices of this loaf go particularly well as an open-faced sandwich! Making any sourdough, let alone gluten free sourdough can seem like a daunting process, especially if you have never tried your hand at it. However, the great secret to making gluten free sourdough is that the same concepts as making glutenous sourdough apply! Follow along the steps and with some practice you’ll have yourself a go-to recipe for delicious, fluffy loaves!
Sourdough Herb Crackers
These sourdough crackers are a wonderful way to explore whole grains! Try substituting different combinations of whole grains and see which go best with dough your favourite toppings - for a picnic, hummus or spinach dip are delicious options!
Gluten Free Sourdough Crackers
If you have been making our Gluten Free Sourdough recipe, you no doubt have some discard from your sitting in your fridge. Rather than throwing it out, try this cracker recipe. The tanginess of discard lends itself perfectly to it!
We’d love to see your favourite ways to enjoy food outside this summer, so be sure to tag or mention @anitasorganic or #makeitwithanitas when you share your adventures on Instagram or Facebook!
Check out these other guides in our eating outside series:
MIDWEEK MEALS OUTDOORS
DAY HIKING/BIKING WITH YOUR DOG