Why You Need Picnics

How long has it been since you’ve gone on a picnic? It’s not something people usually think about and to some it may even seem a bit silly. I didn’t realize it until I started thinking about it, but our family has had a tradition of going on picnics and it started with my husband.

First Date

The first date I ever had with my husband included a picnic. We were in college in the middle of winter and he planned our date on a day we both didn’t have classes. He packed a picnic lunch and he picked me up at my dorm on a snowmobile! Yep, I was impressed! We took off that day and drove across the beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula. I had only ridden on a snowmobile once before and had never been on such a unique date. Our picnic was trailside under bright blue, sunny skies next to pines trees covered in snow. It was fun and romantic and the first of many picnics we would share.

Picnic with Kids

The little beach town we live in is pretty conducive to having picnics. Lots of people easily pack a cooler and head to the beach. When our kids were little and we didn’t have air conditioning, we would head to the beach with a picnic dinner just to cool off. Every Tuesday night, we would ride bikes to the local park and eat a picnic dinner while enjoying live music in the park. A lot of weekends, we’d pack up lunch, fit it in our bike baskets and ride to the local waterfront park to play frisbee, eat our picnic on a blanket and watch all the boats go by (and of course finish with ice cream). 

Continuing Traditions

We have continued our tradition of picnics, sometimes at the beach, sometimes at our favorite waterfront park. Instead of a frisbee, we bring books and instead of a blanket we bring chairs and our picnic lunches have gotten a bit fancier. Gone are the Goldfish crackers, juice pouches, and peanut butter sandwiches. Now we usually pack up an assortment of sausage, cheeses, olives, nuts, and fruit and throw in some cocktails too.

You Need Picnics in Your Life

I didn’t realize how much I needed picnics in my life. They force you to slow down, to not rush through a meal, and to enjoy the scenery around you. It’s made my husband and I appreciate where we live even more. It’s made us not work every day of the week (as it’s so easy for a small business owners to do). Picnics make us unplug and spend quality time with those we love. They create space for more conversation and time to literally just watch the clouds go by. Some of our favorite memories and just every day moments with our kids involved a picnic. 

Gather your friends or family and take a little time for yourself this spring to have a lunch or dinner out of doors. You’ll be so glad you did!