Elite Picnic Backpacks

As a time-honored outdoor tradition, picnics bring to mind certain indelible images. When the topic comes up in conversation, some people are reminded of balmy summer evenings spent among friends. Other times, people think of the animals that are known to crash the party – maybe a hungry troop of ants or a swooping seagull. In any case, it’s these personal memories that make picnics such a celebrated pastime.

An outdoor lunch outing’s characteristics may be basic, but when taken as a whole they are the stuff of lasting memories. Some opt to bring along classic wicker picnic baskets, items made famous in Yogi Bear cartoons. These baskets are as durable as they are practical. Charged with the crucial task of carrying our foodstuffs to the woods, beach, or a grassy field, a wicker basket contains all the ingredients for a great afternoon.

When people think of picnic baskets, they probably get an image of something pretty rudimentary. And that’s technically not incorrect, because picnic baskets can be understood as any basket intended to carry food and accessories to an outdoor meal. These baskets, however, have undergone a great deal of change in the recent years, and as such, they have become increasingly elaborate.

To that end, a picnic basket will often contain insulated areas wherein hot food can be kept hot and cold food can be kept cool. This not only allows you to enjoy a hot meal in the outdoors, but it also means you don’t have to worry so much about items that need to be refrigerated going bad while you’re on the way to the lunch spot. These baskets are also often equipped with areas for plates, cutlery, and various accessories such as a corkscrew. Many have also been modified to accommodate a place for a bottle of wine as well as a detachable blanket.

Well, the warmer air is arriving and that brings more people outdoors.  On a nice afternoon in the sun is a great time for a picnic.  Whether it is a romantic picnic for two or a family picnic,  you will need to bring along several different things.  One thing to bring is a picnic tote that is insulated to carry some food items, or you can also bring along a non insulated picnic tote. This tote is great for carring your camera, sunglasses, sunscreen and many other items that you would need.

So, with it being a long cold winter now is the time for that nice day in the park with the familly.  Or that romantic picnic at the top of the mountain.  Which ever it maybe just enjoy that day and best of all enjoy the sun and the people you have with you.

Wicker picnic baskets are a lovely and a traditional way to pack a breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just brunch on a Sunday afternoon. You can take it with you anywhere — to your backyard garden, your neighborhood park, or as a special luxury treat, on a camping trip. You can even bring it on boat trip you may have planned. They make for a great gift for a friend, family member, loved one, or new neighbor.

Wicker is a type of natural straw popularly used to make not only picnic baskets but chairs, tables, folding walls, and more. Wicker is made out of any flexible branch or twig, but it is most commonly made out of willow branches. The wicker straws or branches are woven or laced together to create a tight weave that is light but solid, simple but elegant.

Historically, a picnic basket was literally a basket used to transport food and other supplies to have a meal, usually lunch, out in nature. These days most picnic baskets are more like backpacks, but their fundamental purpose — to transport food, plates, drink, and cutlery — remains the same.

Classic-style picnic baskets are still available from a number of manufacturers. The classic-style baskets are usually made of wicker or a similar material. Usually consisting of a single large storage space, usually with a handle and flaps that open at both ends on the top. These baskets are suitable for transporting food and liquid relatively short distances, but temperature control is not possible and often the food will undergo some shifting around during transport. More advanced wicker picnic baskets, such as English style hampers, have clips on the inside to hold plates, utensils, and a large picnic cloth.

Picnic totes are the other basic type of picnic basket available on the market. These serve essentially the same function as a traditional picnic basket, but more closely resemble a backpack. The picnic tote also comes equipped with a wide array of clips and sleeves to secure flatware, napkins, cloths, and plates. They also usually have holsters on the side or front to hold bottles of wine or juice. The obvious advantage of a tote over a traditional basket is the greatly reduced difficulty in carrying it for long distances, as the weight is much better distributed. Additionally, totes are usually well padded to help protect the food from damage during transport.

More expensive totes include systems to help regulate the temperature of food and liquid being transported. This may involve heavy insulation on the entire tote, or different areas for hot and cold food. Many totes, even those which don’t regulate the temperature of the food, have insulation on their wine sleeves to ensure that the wine remains at its appropriate temperature.

Picnic baskets and picnic totes come in all manner of shapes, sizes and different colors. Varieties are available for specific functions, such as plastic beach totes. Prices vary drastically, from US$20 for a simple traditional basket to over US$300 for a well-insulated, durable picnic tote.

Summer is coming soon enough and with summer and sun shine and warm weather we will find ourselves out doors more often.  For some of us our family time is important.  Going to the park and packing a Picnic Basket full of all home cooked food is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with the family.

Knowing how to pack the picnic basket so to keep the food from spoiling and keeping your family safe is a good thing to know.  You would first have plenty of ice packs to fill the basket and start by putting your meat and dairy at the bottom.  The reason for this is that cool air goes to the bottom hot air rises.  Put ice packs all around the food items, the more the better.  You can then stack other items on top of the bottom items putting ice packs around these food items also.  Be sure that the food you put in the picnic basket is cold, you won’t put hot or warm food items as that will effect the coolines of the picnic basket.

You would always try to keep the basket in the shade vs the sun or in a hot car.

Enjoy your family day in the park with your home cooked food and playing games and most of all be safe.

I found this great article that I think blog readers would like to see that pretains to picnic blankets.

In contemporary usage, picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors (al fresco or en plein air), ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance, and usually in Summer.

Picnics are often family-oriented but can also be an intimate occasion between two people, or a large get-together such as company picnics and church picnics.

On romantic and family picnics a picnic basket and a picnic blanket (to sit or recline on) are usually brought along. Outdoor games or some other form of entertainment are common at large picnics.

Some picnics are a potluck, an entertainment at which each person contributed some dish to a common table for all to share. When the picnic is not also a cookout, the food eaten is rarely hot, instead taking the form of sandwiches, finger food, fresh fruit, salad, cold meats and accompanied by chilled wine or champagne or soft drinks.

Atricle on picnic from Wikipedia online encyclopedia.

There’s nothing better than planning an afternoon picnic in the park with your loved ones. These days it’s easy to plan a picnic. Wicker picnic baskets, gourmet food and supplies can all be easily found in the grocery store. Your loved ones will surely enjoy the picnic you’ve prepared for them, just don’t forget these important supplies:

~A wicker picnic basket

~Food chests to keep food hot or cold

~A tablecloth or a quilt

~Napkins

~Plates and silverware

~Coffee cups, water glasses and wine glasses

~Corkscrew

~Trash bag

~Cutting board and knife

~Condiments