The Great British picnic has come a long way from a soggy sandwich in a field, so brighten up your basket with peppy picnicware.
What we want when we’re picnicking:
Minimum fuss: Sometimes you want the full wicker hamper, china and glass experience but for most outdoor meals, it’s plastic and paper all the way.
Food you can hold: Go the whole hog and dispense with plates and cutlery altogether with sandwiches, small pies, pasties, pieces of cake, and fruit.
Clever wheezes: Use a cardboard box lined with a plastic tablecloth to carry your picnic, then use the box spread with the cloth as a table. To keep everything cold, freeze cartons of juice and bottles of water and use instead of cool blocks.
Don’t forget: Always bring wipes, sunscreen and bin bags.
See our picnic recipes
Bright Picnicware Tiffin Box: £20, John Lewis. The four dishes clamp together with a stainless steel band – just flip the catch to open.
Bambu sporks: £8 for 24, Bambu Boutique. Made from organically grown bamboo that’ll biodegrade in six months.
Sun-Powered Sun Jar: £20, The Eden Project. This solar-powered frosted jar lamp lights up automatically once it gets dark, so you can see your way to the car, or linger awhile under the stars.
Summer Picnicware Jug: £6, and glasses, £2 each, John Lewis. Made from lightweight plastic, for easy transportation.
Melamine Polka Dot Dinner Plate: £3.49, and Side Plate, £2.49, Lakeland. Light to carry, this range includes bowls and mugs, too.
Mini Salt & Pepper Balls: £5.86 each, Lakeland.These dinky, one-handed grinders come ready-filled.
Sigg 400ml water bottle: £10.99, Sigg. The original water bottle is still the best: leakproof and virtually unbreakable. Available in various sizes, and in hundreds of nice designs.
Linea Stripe Family Cooler: £10.99, by Polar Gear. Leakproof, lightweight carry-all with strong, comfortable handles.
Polka Dot Picnic Rug: £10.79, Lakeland. Polyester-backed to ensure there are no wet bottoms, this rug folds up neatly and comes with its own handle.
Screwpull compact corkscrew: £15.66, Salt & Pepper. No picnic is complete (for adults) without a tipple in the sunshine. So remembering a corkscrew that opens wine and beer bottles is a must.