Pack a picnic with a side of safety
It’s hard to believe we’re approaching months of sunny, sweaterless weather. Like flower petals, some states are slowly opening, too, including many onceclosed parks, which means it’ll be hard to resist the urge to picnic.
The good news: If you are careful and conscientious, you can dine outside without endangering yourself or others. (But bring a face mask!)
Here’s what to keep in mind and how best to prepare.
Plan your location
If you have your own private green space, like a backyard, consider holding your picnic close to home. Otherwise, plan your park visit. Confirm the opening hours and try to go at an off-time to avoid crowds.
In Indianapolis, for example, parks are packed. “We’re seeing demand for outdoor spaces, maybe like we’ve never seen,” said Linda Broadfoot, director of Indy Parks and Recreation in Indianapolis. “We’re seeing not just overuse but misuse.”
Choose wisely, too. Popular outdoor spots may be jammed with people coming from all over your city to bask. A neighborhood park might be a safer bet. After all, a picnic only calls for a blanket-size piece of grass.
In Philadelphia, the favored waterfront areas have become overcrowded. Fortunately, 90% of city residents live within a 10minute walk of a recreation space, noted Kathryn Ott Lovell, commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. “If you take a car, the park is too far,” she said.
You could also picnic inside. Cue up some nature noises on YouTube or stream a natural environment, like an aquarium webcam or a video tour of a national park.
Pack heavy
Any good outdoor tool kit contains a mask, hand sanitizer and gloves. If you’re visiting a park, keep in mind that park services might be closed. Don’t count on open bathrooms or functioning water fountains. Instead, bring plenty of water with you.
Public picnic tables could also be cordoned off (and you might not want to lug a bottle of disinfectant in your basket). Pack a blanket or, if you have trouble sitting on the ground for a while, lawn chairs.
The safest people to picnic with are those from whom you’re not distancing, but if you invite others, each should bring his or her own setup. Set up your blankets 6 feet apart, like a little picnic archipelago.
Or, Paul Cocksedge Studio, a design firm based in London, released a free template to make a futuristic-looking social-distancing blanket. It is a circular cloth with the center cut out, sort of like a hub-andspoke wheel, with “seats” along the perimeter.
Prep the menu
When planning your menu, think of dishes that do well outside, like finger foods. Get some pita chips and some potato chips, and make some dips. (Making food is also a good way to relax and kill time if you’re bored.) Green Goddess dip zings with herbs, and guacamole is always a solid choice. Also, hummus is really simple to whip up.
You also can’t go wrong with a cheese-and-meat platter. For the cheeses, select one that’s spreadable (like brie), a blue cheese and at least one hard option. (Did someone say manchego?) Pick up some salami, prosciutto and crusty bread or crackers. Add grapes, nuts or olives. Pack each item in separate containers, and assemble at the park so nothing gets soggy.
Or if you’re in the mood for something sweet, bake … anything. Brownies take under an hour to make. If that’s too long, you could throw some cookies together in 15 minutes. And Rice Krispies Treats are always great. Try them with pretzels and chocolate.
Your picnic might also be a great opportunity to support a local restaurant that offers takeout.
Not sharing is caring
You should refrain from using any public barbecue pits, and passing any food back and forth between people from whom you are distancing.
Coordinate with the other group beforehand to make sure you both have drinks, condiments and utensils. There’s a 0% chance that you won’t be asked to pass the ketchup or lend a fork.
Play a game
Leave the Frisbees and soccer balls at home, especially since you can’t control where they might land (i.e., in the middle of another socially distanced picnic). And steer kids away from any public equipment, which is difficult to sanitize between uses.
Bring several different games instead. The app Heads Up! is a fun option. Hold your phone to your forehead and the screen will show a “name.” ( You are the only one who cannot see it, so you are the only one doesn’t know who “you” are.) Try to guess from your friends’ clues.
Or try Midpoint, a wordassociation game. Sit in a circle and start with two nouns, like “time” and “desert.” (Just start with the first two that come to mind.) On the count of three, two people try to come up with the “midpoint,” or the thing that both words have in common. (One plausible answer: sand, as in an hourglass.) If they guess the same word, the game is over. If they guess different words, the midpoint moves down the circle. One of the guessers pairs with the person next to them, and so on.
Charades is also great. Have each group make its own suggestions and draw from its own hat. Mix up the teams, to guess.
Clean up after yourself
In general, just don’t litter. Not only is it rude, but it pollutes the environment and places an undue burden on emergency workers.
“It has always been about an ecological conservation practice,” said Homer Garcia III, director of the San Antonio Parks & Recreation Department. “In this instance, it has taken on a new meaning.”