It’s a beautiful, sunny day and someone sings out “ Let’s go on a picnic!”.

It’s time to pack up the picnic basket!

The trick is to pack as much tasty nourishment into a small space with as little weight as possible. Remember you will need to bring lightweight plates, cups and eating utensils. Also, depending on the menu you might include a large knife, cutting board and a rugged thermos. An extra special touch is to pack some wet washcloths for cleaning sticky hands. Of course, you will also need to bring special fabric or table cloth to set this special meal.

Any dishes that are intended to be served cold should be wrapped up tightly and placed in a cooler. Salad and sandwich dressings can be placed in screw top jars and kept close to the ice pack.

An outdoor meal invites playing children, even dad will join in the fun! You can be certain the whole troop will be hungry for the fun, fanciful feast you have created!! Sometime during the meal, someone will remark that food always tastes twice as good when you eat it outdoors- simply because it does.

Fried chicken is a picnic staple, it is easy to transport and can be eaten hot or cold. This recipe adds a nice touch of parmesan cheese.

Such a convenient way to transport the potato salad-

Another favorite and easy picnic setting has sandwiches as the main menu. Placing all ingredients on a platter allows each person the freedom to make their own creative sandwiches.

Pretty platters of vegetables, meats and cheeses invites everyone to join in the fun.

For days that are cloudy and chilly, soup is a wonderful dish to serve outside in the elements. This soup recipe includes condiments to allow each person to “personalize” their soup bowl.

A wonderful idea from a Betty Crocker children’s cook book. These recipes allows children to make a picnic lunch for a special friend.

Serving lunch or dinner outside can be such a treat!

This beverage recipe uses drink powder such as Kool Aid to make the ice cubes. Place these into a thermos until its time to pour fun summer flavors.

For a more formal picnic dinner with adult friends and neighbors the back yard can be decorated with pretty clothes and Tiki torches to create an elegant ambiance.

Of course after your memorable picnic you will hear everyone sing “Let’s do this again!!”

These great fun picnic recipes and tips come from the following books:

How wonderful a new family has moved to the neighborhood!

Peeking through the curtains, children are curious to see if there are possible new friends and companions. Neighborhood adults casually walk by hoping to get a glimpse of the new additions.

Give the new family a few days to allow the them time to settle into their surroundings. Understand the move can be a difficult and hectic time for them. Then approach the house with a small platter of treats or casserole. Bearing food, is a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the new neighbors.

What to bring? A family with children may enjoy a platter of cookies, or the wife may appreciate a delicious casserole that can be warmed up to feed the family during these busy times. So the new family does not need to dig up any utensils, send it over as a complete package, including paper plates, cups, napkins and cutlery. Their children may enjoy it as a cheerful picnic, and the parents will find it a wonderful relief. The choices of what to bring are up to you!

Here are some ideas, let’s start with some casseroles that are easy to make and a cinch to warm up.

Here is a treat that will make the new neighborhood children feel special, and soup is always heart warming.

It may be nice to include your own children in baking treats for the new family. These are two easy yet special cookie recipes made especially for little helpers.

Opera fudge is a simple yet versatile recipe. You can add colors or toppings to make these an elegant treat.

It is always in good taste to welcome new families to the neighborhood. Hopefully, you will create an atmosphere to begin life long friends.

These welcoming recipes are from these heart warming books;

Helpful instructions and hints for creating the perfect sandwich loaf.

In this recipe- the cream cheese was colored to create the flowers decorating this elegant sandwich loaf.

The layers are interchangeable and can be adapted to suit your own taste buds.

Using only two different fillings with multiple layers, this tower of a sandwich will tempt the most disconcerting appetites.

This star of a sandwich can be served for numerous occasions. In the photo below, this was used for a graduation celebration. The tomatoes stuffed with olives make a tasty and eye catching addition.

Garnishes can be ornate- using colorful peppers, pickled vegetables, flowering herbs, cheese cut outs will all reflect the creativity and ingenuity of the distinguished housewife.

These tempting recipes and photos from the following books.

In general the rule is that tea foods should be only those which can be picked up in the fingers. But what a wealth to choose from! Closed or open faced with bread cut as thin as possible. The shapes can be fingers, triangles, rounds, pinwheels or using cookie cutters a variety of styles. They should be in bite size or two bite size. Hot or cold canapés, tiny biscuits, miniature cream puffs filled with vegetables and cream, chicken or seafood are as good as they are beautiful. For the ladies, making fancy sandwiches is a lovely way to make everyone feel special

At such a get together tea or coffee is served to a group of five or six, usually around the living room coffee table. The sandwiches are delicate, small plates should be set at the table.

Thanks to these books for these wonderful tea sandwich tips:

The lunch box

When packing the lunch box for your husband and children, spend the time to make a delicious meal they will look forward to eating. Remember this should be both nourishing as well as appetizing.

To make school lunch more fun, let children choose their own lunchbox, one they are proud to carry.

The classic lunchbox item of course is the sandwich, so the preparation is very important. The filling should be abundant in amount. Here are some tips for packing the lunch box including instructions for properly wrapping sandwiches in waxed paper.
Keep in mind the time of season when planning the menu. In winter, use soup as the main dish, the wide mouth thermos can hold nice thick soups such as potato, or rich corn chowder. Other thermos fillers: stew, baked beans, scalloped potatoes or macaroni and cheese. On warmer days, something cool and refreshing; lemonade, milkshake, canned fruit juices, or that always appreciated, ice cold milk.

This is a lovely recipe for a warm lunch on a cold day.

Here are some other popular menu suggestions:

For a special treat make the sandwich that has different names in different parts of the country-all yell out “hungry”; submarine, grinder, hero or po boy. Split a piece of French or Italian bread butter it well then pile in a favorite combination: Cheese, chicken, bologna, salami, roast beef, ham, tuna salad, egg salad, tomatoes, pickles, and onions are all good ingredients.

Another special sandwich for dad or a growing teenager would be the Dagwood sandwich.

Desserts must be something that can travel, any individual fruit flavored gelatin or pudding would be happily welcomed as well as any kind of cookie.
Little surprises should handful of potato chips, raisins, or salted nuts, a hard cooked boiled eggs; a couple of marshmallows or lollipop for the small ones. For the grown ups some crackers and cheese make the lunch box cheerier

Extra tips for creating a delicious lunchbox.

An example of a nutritious and attractive lunch to go:

These photos and recipes from these lovely books