Spring Fling
It’s Picnic Season — Here Are 8 Of TikTok’s Best Hacks
Pic(nics) or it didn’t happen.
Spring has finally sprung, and you know what that means: picnic season is officially upon us. But if you think the most planning you’ll need to do for your next picnic is making sure you have a blanket to sit on, you’ve got it all wrong. There are so many things that go into making sure your picnic goes off without a hitch, from picking out decorations to preventing your food from melting in the sun. Thankfully, TikTok is filled with the best picnic hacks and tips worth keeping in mind this season, so you can throw an event that’ll make everyone at the park jealous.
When you think of picnics, you probably picture checkered blankets, wicker baskets filled with snacks, and maybe a charcuterie board if you’re feeling fancy. But with the help of these tips from TikTok, your next picnic can be so much more than that. Whether you’re looking for a chance to reconnect with your friends or with nature, or you just want to have a cute photoshoot for Instagram, there’s so much you can do to take your picnics from good to great.
Make A DIY Picnic Table
Sure, the whole point of having a picnic is to use the ground as the table, but if you want a little elevation to keep your food away from the ants, @HelloFresh suggests using a shipping pallet as a DIY picnic table to create some height. Of course, not everyone has a shipping pallet laying around, so you can also bring step stools or wicker basket trays as seen in this TikTok from @__ttbaby.
Put Watermelon On A Stick
Deciding what to include in your picnic spread is always a struggle — you want to bring things that are easy to eat but don’t make a mess and will look good on your IG Story, too. To keep things simple, @Lifesum recommends putting watermelon on a stick so you can enjoy the classic picnic food without getting it all over your hands.
Pack The Salad In A Jar
Another helpful @lifesum hack is to pack your salad in a jar so that when it comes time to add in the dressing, you can close the lid and shake it up as much as you want. Genius.
Freezing Is Your Friend
One last @lifesum hack to keep in mind is to freeze your grapes ahead of time so that they can act like ice cubes while giving your drinks a little extra flavor. After all, real ice cubes will probably melt before you get there, anyway.
If you know it’s going to be extra hot on the day of your picnic, @morganaliceb also proposes freezing your drinks and butter to keep them cooler for longer, too.
Bring Finger Foods
If you’re looking for even more picnic food inspiration, TikTok user @cristinaviseu suggests bringing “anything small and handheld,” such as chocolates, fresh fruit that’s either pre-sliced or “small and bite-sized,” sliders, donuts, or pre-packaged snacks like chips or candy. Oh, and don’t forget to bring pre-cut cold cuts for your charcuterie board, obviously.
DIY Cooler Hack
If you don’t have a cooler you can bring to the picnic, @veryuk has an easy DIY hack to keep your food. All you have to do is fill an aluminum baking pan with water and put it in the freezer overnight so it freezes. Then, while you’re at the picnic, just place the food you’d like to keep cold on top of the baking pan and you’re good to go. Keep in mind, though, the ice block won’t last too long on a warm day, so you’re probably gonna want to eat your food as fast as possible.
Make It ‘Gram-Worthy
If your picnic isn’t ~aesthetically pleasing~, did you really have a picnic? To make your set up look straight out of a Pinterest board, make sure to bring lots of pillows that are just as cute as they are comfortable, and plenty of things to decorate with, including candles, a cute picnic basket, vines, branches, and flowers. You know what they say: pic(nics) or it didn’t happen.
TikTok user @morganaliceb also suggests bringing real glassware (not those cheap plastic cups from the convenience store) by wrapping them in tea towels for easy and safe transportation.
Bring Games & Extra Blankets
More is more when it comes to picnics, so @orlpicnicpopup recommends bringing extra blankets to ensure there’s enough space for everyone to sit, as well as bringing games or activities to keep the energy alive. It never hurts to come compared.
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