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It’s a long holiday weekend, the kind that offers up outdoor spectator activities. It’s time to pack picnic baskets, coolers, chairs, umbrellas, blankets and anything else you think will contribute to your comfort and merriment. Consider the following when it comes to food.
You are not going to dine and have a 3 or 5-course meal. You are going to lime, eat, drink, laugh, gyaff, play and have a good time. It’s an all-day thing, therefore, don’t cook like you are going to be having a sit-down meal. And even on the occasions when you sit down, you want to have food that you can handle and balance comfortably, so keep this in mind when you shop, prep and cook.
Food
Prepare food items that can last a long time at room temperature – without spoiling or losing their taste and texture. Also, try to stay away from things that have sauces and gravies, that’s spillage and dripping waiting to happen – as you transport as well as consume.
Here are examples of things that work well for picnics:
Vegetable and/or garden salads
Sandwiches
Warm pasta salad
Warm potato salad
Dips
Nuts
Crisps (like plantain or cassava chips)
Pastries
Bakes and saltfish (sandwiched)
Fish cakes
Egg balls
Potato balls
Cassava balls
Baked chicken
Macaroni pie
Cook-up rice
Wraps
Fruits
Cheese
Nuts
Roti & curry (wrapped)
Steak & pork bites
Meatballs
Fried fish
On the sweet side of things:
Buns
Cakes
Loaves
Muffins
Pastries
Granola
Serving
Often, you are not going to be sitting or sitting comfortably. You are either standing, sitting on a stump, a rock or bracing against a vehicle, a tree or some sturdy structure. This means that whatever you are eating should be presented in a way that enables you to eat without having to bother about balancing things. I recommend that the food and snacks be packed in servings that you can grab/pick up and go. For example:
● If you plan to have roti and curry, then make the curry boneless and wrap it in the roti.
● Put servings of the salads (regardless of the type) in individual serving containers that carry a sealed lid. For the salads that require a dressing, drizzle the dressing at the bottom of the container, then put the salad ingredients on the top. When people take their salads, just tell them to shake it up to mix with the dressing before eating.
● If baking chicken, go for the drumsticks for this occasion. Wrap the narrow end of the drumstick in foil when packing, this way, it is easy for people to pick up and hold it while eating.
● Macaroni pie can be cut into single-serve portions and be wrapped or placed in individual containers.
● Wrap sandwiches and wraps individually and place in large containers.
● Pack the pastries by type, that way people do not have to be touching all the others to get to the type they want. Therefore, patties (chicken, beef or veggies) in their own containers, cheese rolls separately as well as pine tarts and egg tarts.
● Fish cakes, meatballs, steak and pork bites, apart from obviously being packed separately, should be portioned off in multiple containers (based on quantity). For example, have 2 or 3 containers with each of the items, preferably already tooth picked for easy retrieval. The reason I am suggesting that there be more than one container of each is so that things do not go off. The constant accessing of food by various persons can contribute to the slightest of bacteria from an unclean hand. The other thing is that you are likely to be out all day, so spread the things out. There are always people who come back later to ask if all the (fill in the blank) gone or gone already (lol).
When it comes to the sweet treats, buns, rolls and muffins are already individual things, consider wrapping them as such. Slice cakes and loaves and wrap individually. Granola can be put into little single-serve containers with lids.
Wrappers & Containers
● If you are making Cook-up rice, take it to the picnic in the pot in which it was cooked. It will keep the food hot for a long time.
● Select wrappers and containers that will keep the food secure, fresh and safe so that they do not dry out or lose their texture. This is important as you think of what to make to take on a picnic because there are certain things that are best hot or warm but not at room temperature.
● Plastic wrap, parchment paper, greaseproof paper, paper bags and aluminium foil are all excellent wrapping material. Save the plastic bags to carry the stuff, after they have been wrapped up.
● There are containers made of certain types of materials that attract heat and cause their contents to heat up as well and sweat. This can lead to spoilage so check that the containers you are using are food safe and heat resistant. We live in a tropical environment and cannot get away from the heat, however, consider the cool spots where you picnic to store certain things.
● Finally, before wrapping and packing certain things, ensure that they have been cooled and are at room temperature. Wrapping and packing them while still hot can lead to spoilage. Remember they are going to be placed next to other packed containers and be outdoors all day. This is also important to ensure that the food, whatever it is, maintains its integrity.
Enjoy! Have fun!
Cynthia
