It’s summer, which means one thing when you have kids – lots of trips out and about! I absolutely love day trips with my two and it’s so nice to get outside and let them roam free. However, it can be a challenge when it comes to foods on offer and giving them healthy, nutritious meals they love.  The traditional English picnic can be a perfect way to enjoy mealtimes outside with young children. Some tips on choosing where to picnic – check the space around you. Find a bench if you can and find somewhere that is close to toilets! Bring some music or games to make it fun. Pack as light as you can but make sure you bring a picnic blanket. Allocate another member of the family who can be your ‘helper’ who can run things to the bin or help you set up and pack away. While your children might be having so much fun wherever you are, whether that’s a park or the beach, try to encourage them to take at least 15 to 20 minutes where they stop playing and focus on eating so you know they get some food in. And make sure they don’t run around with food as this could be a choking hazard. Be a little more relaxed on days out with ‘snacking’ and don’t worry too much about their normal routine.

 Here’s a checklist of what you’ll need…

• A decent sized cool bag for all your food
• Water bottles for everyone – if you freeze these the night before, they can be used as ice packs!
• Napkins and wipes to clean up those messy kids after.
• Lunchboxes/tins and tubs for foods.
• Cool packs/freezer packs to ensure the food stays cool or cold all day.
• A picnic blanket for everyone to sit on.
• Some simple, easy cutlery.
• Bag for the rubbish so you can make sure you take home your litter!
• And here are some ideas that I’ve broken down into food groups so you can make sure you’re giving your little ones a balanced meal:

Starchy foods

• Filled sandwiches, wraps, bagels
• Breadsticks
• Scones
• Mini pitta pizzas
• Muffins
• Fishcakes are great too, as long as you can keep them cool.
• Flapjacks also work too and are easy to eat and something that kids tend to love. If they’re made with oats they are also going to provide plenty of energy.
• Oat bars and energy balls will work well for this too and can be some good ones to tap into throughout the day, when needed.
• Cold pasta salads can work well too – I love pesto pasta as an out and about snack, but tuna pasta salad with sweetcorn can work too – just remember to keep it nice and cold.

Fruits and Veg

• Veg sticks such as celery, pepper and cucumber work well.
• Little pots of peas and sweetcorn.
• Whole fruits such as apples, pears, plums and bananas work well and are normally a bit more sturdy than softer fruits for carrying about.
• Little pots of chopped apple, blueberries, grapes or raisins can also go well (serve raisins with other foods to avoid them sticking to the teeth).
• Watermelon can be a great option for hydration too, as it has such a high water content.

Protein and Iron foods

• Fill sandwiches with hummus, egg, fish or meat (just remember to keep these ones cool).
• Take a pot of hummus as a dip for veggies or even for some nice crusty bread to tear and share.
• Hard boiled eggs sliced into quarters can work well as a snack too (keep these cool).
• Add some beans or lentils to a pasta salad.

Dairy Food

•  Hard, waxed cheeses work well, or grate cheese into sandwiches.
•  Little cartons of milk can work well for picnics.

Drinks

Don’t forget to pack plenty of drinks for everyone too. You can always freeze water bottles on hot days and take them out with you. This way they help to keep the food cool until lunchtime too.

Article by Charlotte. 

She has lots of helpful downloadable resources for Family Feeding on her website.