^[1]When our sons were young, one of our favorite spring-to-summer rituals was to pack up a knapsack (or a cooler, as the weather heats up) and head for a picnic spot. In fact, if we wanted to take the boys for a hike, we would always call it a picnic, otherwise we would have never been able to get them out the door!

Use your imagination and local natural resources to find spots for pleasurable outdoor eating; you need only decide what activity you’d like to do in tandem with picnicking. A hike at a nature preserve is sure to whet the appetite; for families with young children, an ideal spot for a casual picnic with little ones is a community park, combined with a visit to a great playground. For more sophisticated fare, have your outdoor meal with an outdoor concert. For some, nothing appeals more than a picnic at a beach. To get off the beaten path, try local historic sites.

A perfect spot adds much to the enjoyment of a picnic; the experience is transformed from merely eating lunch outdoors to a refreshing lift for the spirit and all the senses.

Picnic menu

• Herbed Potato Salad ^[2]
• Pinto Beans With Watercress ^[3]
• Corn Relish Salad ^[4]
• Chick-Pea Sandwich Spread ^[5]

Additions to the menu: Bring along some fresh breads, seasonal fruits, naturally sweetened cookies, and plenty of beverages.

Picnic Tips

I like to include of a variety of cold dishes, such as sturdy grain, bean, pasta, or potato-based salads.

Everyday sandwiches are a real yawner when you crave something different. Try muffins instead, or flavorful fresh breads served with a tasty spreads.

Marinated salads have great staying power, as do salads with some mayonnaise (I like soy mayonnaise from the natural food store) in them.

Though lugging a lot of liquid is weighty, bring plenty of beverages. Everyone always seems much thirstier than usual when eating outdoors. I like to bring juices in lightweight recyclable plastic bottles.

While wicker baskets are more romantic, knapsacks and Styrofoam coolers are more practical. To store food for portability, I like to use flat, lidded plastic storage containers. Once the food is eaten, they can often be nested inside one another.

• Here are more tips for keeping the Holidays and Special Occasions ^[6] healthy!
• For lots more features on healthy lifestyle, please explore VegKitchen’s Healthy Vegan Kitchen ^[7] page.