Life’s a Picnic: Etiquette Rules for Al Fresco Dining

Picnic etiquette to adhere to

• If you are invited to a picnic, mention any food preferences or allergies when you are invited – not once you arrive.
• If you are invited to a picnic, check first whether you should bring any contributions – it is poor form to turn up with excess food if the meal has been planned out already. Drinks are always welcome.
• Choose a spot with both sun and shade for your guests. Ensure you are at a polite distance from other picnickers.
• Remain courteous to other picnicking guests – keep music and voices down, pets on a leash and your children close to the group and well-observed.
• Share – and bring enough for everyone to have seconds. As a guest, take one serving, don’t pile your plate high.
• If food has been home-made, do make the effort to taste and appreciate it.
• Avoid smelly, messy foods. Think, instead, of finger foods.
• Don’t take sharp knives with you – cut food up in advance.
• Don’t put the dressing on green salads until you arrive.
• Avoid cans of fizzy drinks – if a wasp flies in, you will not notice.
• Keep your feet away from the food at all costs, and never put your shoes on a rug.
• Take your leftovers and rubbish away with you at the end of the picnic.

What to wear to a picnic

• Make sure your clothes are comfortable and modest.
• As a woman, don’t wear high heels or a floaty skirt – think about how to sit on a rug elegantly and with decorum. Long shorts or a long dress will allow you to sit in comfort and style, while flat shoes will not sink into a perfectly manicured lawn.
• Bring extra layers in case the weather (inevitably) turns chilly or it rains.
• If you can, bring umbrellas and a few sun hats for your guests.

Great picnic food

• Smoked salmon
• Cucumber or egg sandwiches
• Scotch eggs
• Sausage rolls or pork pies
• Paté
• Quiche
• Potato salad and coleslaw
• Hummus, other dips and crudités
• Chicken drumsticks and other cold meats
• A fresh, crusty loaf of bread

The best picnic desserts

Steer clear of chocolate – think of the melt factor

• Strawberries and cream
• Cake
• Flapjacks

Delightful al fresco drinks

• Cloudy or pink lemonade (perhaps homemade?)
• Champagne
• A jug of Pimm’s fruit cup – add sliced fruit and mint once you have arrived
• Squash
• Elderflower cordial
• Gin and tonic