10 Picnic Essentials for Fun in the Sun

Ahh, picnics. A well-planned picnic is relaxing, fun, and memorable. But a poorly planned picnic is messy, stressful, and memorable for the wrong reasons. Knowing what to take for picnic outings is half the battle. Then, just place the goods in your basket, choose a lovely outdoor spot, and enjoy! 

Check out this picnic essentials list so you never get to the park without the necessities again! 

What to Pack for a Picnic: The Ultimate List

What to bring to a picnic depends on your preferences, how many people are coming, and where you live. But there are some picnic essentials that you can’t go without. 

Here are ten must-have items for the perfect picnic:

Sunscreen

Sunscreen should be at the top of your picnic checklist – especially if your picnic doesn’t have the benefit of natural shade or a tent. This CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen for the face has SPF 50. Its zinc oxide and titanium dioxide protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. 

This easy-to-blend formula is lightweight and not greasy—there’s no white residue here! Developed with dermatologists, this safe and gentle sunscreen works well for sensitive skin.

Bug Repellent

Regarding protecting yourself from nature, bug repellent comes next on our list of things to bring on a picnic. As soon as you leave your home, you’re in insect territory. And they want to join the picnic! 

To keep them from buzzing and crawling over your legs and charcuterie board, pack OFF! Clean Feel Insect Repellent. It wards off the worst picnic party crashers: ticks, mosquitoes, and biting flies. This formula also feels good on the skin with a non-greasy feel and unscented aroma. The key Picaridin ingredient means it won’t damage clothing. 

Picnic Basket

What’s a picnic without a picnic basket? Make your life a bit easier (especially if you need to walk from the subway or the car to your picnic spot), and put all your picnic stuff in a cute, classic picnic basket. With sturdy handles and water-resistant wood, this woven basket is deep enough to store all your snacks and drinks, plus a bouquet of flowers! 

Its red and white gingham fabric liner with bows on the outside is picture-perfect. Post your picnic setup on social media or send a photo to loved ones who couldn’t be there. 

Corkscrew/Bottle Opener

One of the most commonly forgotten picnic essentials is the corkscrew. Small but mighty, you don’t want to be caught on a picnic with a bottle of rosé and no way to open it! Unless you’re doing a backyard picnic, you can’t just hop inside to retrieve forgotten items. That’s why we recommend investing in a corkscrew and bottle opener tool that you can always keep in your car. 

This handy corkscrew and bottle opener tool includes a leather pouch for safe portability. This multifunctional stainless steel tool also includes a beer opener and serrated knife. Its handle is beautifully inlaid with wood.

Ice Packs

Wondering what to take on picnic outings to keep your food fresh and cool? Don’t waste your money on ice that’ll melt within hours. Get some ice packs instead! This set of five leak-free, sturdy, and reusable ice packs lasts up to 48 hours. So, if you’re going on an overnight picnic/hiking expedition, your food and drinks won’t spoil. 

Ice packs are double as first aid items if someone at your party scrapes a knee or needs to quell inflammation while on the picnic. Use these ice packs repeatedly by filling them with water using the funnel, then freezing them.

Food Tent

Remember those insects we talked about? Trust us, they’re hanging around to get your food. A food tent keeps bees, flies, and dirt away from your food. And it ensures the breeze doesn’t blow away your napkins. Just like tents protect humans from the elements, food tents protect your home-cooked goodies, too! 
This mesh hexagonal food tent has a delicate umbrella-like design. It’s perfect for afternoon tea or a picturesque picnic in the wilderness. It is collapsible for easy transport and storage. Add a mesh food tent to your picnic items list to take food presentation to the next level.

Portable Cutlery

Unless you enjoy finger food, you must include portable cutlery on your “things to bring to a picnic” packing list. Of course, single-use plastic cutlery is not an eco-friendly option, nor is it cost-efficient to keep buying them repeatedly. Reusable, dishwasher-safe cutlery is the way to go. Reusable, portable cutlery options include sets with engraved spoons, forks, and chopsticks. A travel container for your cutlery makes them easy to pack, so you won’t have the stray fork loose in your picnic basket. 

A designated set of flatware is useful for eating outside the home, from picnics to work lunches. Keep one in the car so you’re always prepared!

Thermos

A thermos keeps food and drinks warm or cool for hours. This stainless steel, 24-ounce container will protect your food or drink: hot contents will stay hot for up to 14 hours, and cold contents will stay cold for up to 24 hours! For an all-day summer picnic, it’s perfect for storing fruit, pasta salad, or iced water. 

A large thermos is the way to go for picnics year-round! It can serve multiple people, using the built-in serving bowl that doubles as the leak-proof lid, or it can be enjoyed for individual use. Either way, a thermos is the way to go for picnics year-round!

Wine Table

Finally, the ultimate list of what to pack for a picnic would not be complete without a trusty portable wine table. Have you ever tried to steady a wine glass in the grass? This folding wooden low table has cutouts, especially for wine glasses. You don’t want to place your wine glass on uneven ground, where it could spill on your blanket or shatter. 

This lightweight, foldable table secures up to four glasses. Plus, there is room in the center of the flat table for hors d’oeuvres to share. Talk about a luxury picnic!

Find Picnic Supplies and More at Price.com

Price.com offers the best deals online on picnic essentials so you can get out there and live your best life. Score coupon codes and shopping hacks, compare shop, and get price drop alerts on your favorite items. There’s no better way to shop for your picnic setup!

About Price.com

Price.com, the all-in-one savings platform, maximizes its users’ savings at over 100,000 stores through AI-powered advanced price comparison, online and in-store cash back, coupons, price history, and price alerts. Available for free as desktop and mobile websites, iOS and Android apps, and Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge browser extensions, Price.com is the simplest way to save.