Gather the kids, the dog and the cooler for a fun, relaxing day of picnicking to celebrate Independence Day. Here are some great ideas from The Crafty Hostess and our friend, Little Choux!
Pack the picnic basket!
We love the Metro Basket from Picnicfun. Available in seven colors, it’s a stylish way to pack your favorite snacks and beverages. Plus, find coordinating items like wine totes and insulated coolers.
What should you pack? According to TLC Cooking, below are the Top 10 picnic foods. Tip: please be sure to store food properly. If dishes like potato salad or deviled eggs are made with mayonnaise or other perishable ingredients, always store chilled in an insulated cooler packed with ice. For more information on food safety, visit the FDA web site.
Top 10 Picnic Foods:
- Potato salad
- Fried chicken
- Watermelon
- Pasta salad
- Pinwheel sandwiches
- Assorted cheese and bread
- Deviled eggs
- Burgers and hot dogs
- Lemonade
- Fruit salad
Don’t forget the drinks!
No picnic is complete without iced tea and lemonade.
The Takeya Flash Chill Lemonade Maker and Iced Tea Maker allow you to make the perfect beverage, transport and serve — all from one container. Available at Chef Central.
Make it special for the kids with some help from our friend, Little Choux!
Embellish the kids’ table with red, white and blue from Little Choux. Make the little ones feel extra festive with their own star-spangled pillows, melamine cups, plates and more.
Keep them busy all day with Big Bubble Wands, Bowling Skittles and Tic Tac Toe.
Let them wear red and blue! Add to the festivity of the day with adorable Navy Stripe Hair Bows and Red Stripe Hair Clips.
CRAFT Idea: Make a Fourth of July Cookie Bouquet!
Here’s a fun – and edible – craft for the kids to make before the picnic. Use it as a centerpiece on your picnic table then enjoy the cookies for dessert!
(Recipe courtesy of SheKnows Chef Mom)
Ingredients:
1/2 (16 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
10 to 12 craft sticks or popsicle sticks
2- to 3-inch star cookie cutters
1 (14 ounce) bag Wilton’s white candy melts (or white candy coating)
Red sugar
Blue sugar
Curly red, white, blue, and silver ribbon
1 (10-inch high) terra cotta flower pot
8-inch square or circle of Styrofoam
How to:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Let your kids roll the dough out to 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut dough into 10 to 12 star-shaped cookies.
- Kids can place the cookies on 2 large baking sheets and insert a stick into each cookie. Bake according to package directions. Remove and let cool on the baking sheets.
- Meanwhile, heat white candy in a double boiler, stirring often, until candy is melted and smooth. Let cool but not harden.
- Transfer cooled cookies to a large sheet of wax paper and let your kids spread cookies with a thin layer of melted white candy.
- Let the kids sprinkle red and blue sugar onto the cookies as desired. Allow candy coating to set.
- Kids can tie ribbons around the cookie sticks while you place the Styrofoam inside the flower pot, pressing it so it is well anchored.
- Let your kids press cookie sticks into Styrofoam at varying heights and adding more ribbon to fill in any gaps.
