DIY: Picnic Hacks

It’s picnic season again and I went in search of some new and clever picnic hacks.  I found these tips at The Cottage Market website.

Shower Curtain

Buy a cheap plastic shower curtain – this is about to be your favorite picnic hack. There’s nothing worse than picking a spot, laying your blanket down, and once you sit down…you realize it’s actually wet. You can skip experiencing ruined pants by putting the plastic shower curtain under the blanket. 

Hawaiian Roll Mini Sandwiches

Mini Sandwiches are a Picnic-Perfect Food!
If you don’t already know the delicious glory of Hawaiian rolls, I urge you to try some. They are perfect for any kind of slider or mini sandwich you can think of. They’re absolutely perfect to take camping with you. Take your entire flat of Hawaiian rolls out of the package – try to take it out in one solid piece. Using a bread knife, cut your sheet of rolls into 2 pieces – the tops and the bottoms. Just like you’d cut a cake into two layers. Set your tops aside. Add condiments to the rolls if you want any. Put on the fillings of your choosing. Put the top layer onto the bottom half and cut the sandwiches apart on their natural edges. Then slide the sheet of sandwiches back into the package the rolls came in. Once you get to your picnic, just pull out what you need.

Salads in a Cup

Don’t fuss with a whole bowl of salad and dressing on the side. That can take up so much room. Cut down on space by making individual salads in plastic cups with lids. If you want to add dressing before the picnic (rather than at the picnic), put the salad dressing in the bottom of each cup. Add all of your veggies next, and finally any toppings such as seeds or croutons. Cut the cover on, and it’s ready to go! 

Egg Carton Treats

A real tasty treat to bring on your picnic, are chocolate filled strawberries. Cut the top off the berry, cut out some of the middle, and fill with melted chocolate. The perfect place to set them while they’re setting up is in an egg carton. That egg carton will be perfect inside the cooler and will ensure your sweet berries stand up straight and nothing squishes them.

Muffin Tins
This is so useful if you’re sitting on the ground. Finding a level place to set down cups can be a real challenge. Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about that with this picnic hack! Use the muffin tin for a cup holder in the middle of the blanket, so everyone can use it.

Homemade Bee & Ant Spray

Homemade ant spray is so easy to make! It’s only two ingredients – water and peppermint essential oil. In a spray bottle, fill it 2/3 of the way full of water. Add 12 – 15 drops of the peppermint. Shake and viola! Once you’ve laid down your blanket, mist around the edges.
Also – back along some fabric softener sheets to keep the bees away. Stick one under each edge of your picnic blanket. You’ll be able to eat in peace without the fear of anyone getting stung.

More tips can be found at: thecottagemarket.com