Spontaneous picnics are fabulous; you get up, see the weather is gorgeous, raid the fridge, pack everything and off you go! But, from personal experience, it does help to be a little prepared in advance. So here are my top tips to be ever ready for a perfect picnic.

Blanket
For impromptu picnics, it’s very handy to keep a rug or blanket in the car (or within easy grabbing distance). Even better, find a blanket/rug with a waterproof backing, in case the grass is damp.

Cool bag/box
Picnic hampers are beautiful to keep all your eating equipment in but the food itself is best stored in a cool bag or box even if you’re not venturing far from home. Throw in a couple of frozen blocks to keep everything cool.

Re-usable ice blocks
Always keep a couple of re-usable ice blocks already frozen in the freezer. That way you’ll never have to plan ahead and remember to freeze them before hand. When you get back from your picnic, just wash them and put them straight back in the freezer, ready for next time.

Games
Taking games is not just for keeping kids entertained! Stick with easy to pack games like a frisbee, pack of cards or our favourite – rounders bat & ball.

Portable BBQ
It’s lovely to eat freshly grilled food in the outdoors, so taking a portable BBQ is a great idea. But beware of the foil disposable kind, they easily burn the grass beneath or make pebbles/sand extremely hot – a danger for bare feet and kiddie fingers. A small portable gas BBQ is by far a safer option.

Shade
It’s always handy to take a large umbrella, either to act as a sun shade or to deal with the unpredictable English weather!

Music
Take a battery/wind-up powered radio or an MP3 player with speakers. There’s nothing like chilling outdoors to your favourite music or having a boogie with the grass under your feet.

Bug Repellent
Along with the warmer weather, come the biting bugs, so take a citronella candle with you to keep the bugs at bay whilst you’re eating. Citronella even repels wasps and flies. You can also spray/smother yourself and the kids with natural bug repellents to keep those flying irritations away.

Clean Up
At the end of your lovely picnic, I can guarantee there will be rubbish of some description and of course it is polite and environmentally friendly to tidy-up after yourself. So take a few bags with you, into which you can easily distribute recyclables, food waste and pure rubbish – this will prevent the whole lot going in the nearest bin and save you the trouble of sorting it all when you get home.

Borrow
There’s no reason to rush out and spend a fortune on all your picnic gear, borrow it! Or get together with friends/family, combine your equipment and go on a picnic together – the more the merrier!