Saturday, July 10, 2010

The Benefits of Creating a Camping Checklist for Yourself

Have you recently made reservations at a campground park to go camping?
Whether you are camping with friends, family members, or your romantic partner, preparation is important. Have you already started preparing for your trip, in terms of packing the supplies that you will need or the food that you would like to bring along with you? If you have yet to do so, you may want to take the time to create a camping checklist for yourself, as there are a number of benefits to doing so.

Before examining the many benefits of creating a camping checklist for yourself, you may want to take the time to familiarize yourself with what a camping checklist can include. In all honesty, a camping checklist can include just about anything that you want. Most people use camping checklists to ensure that they bring enough food and clothes with them, as well as the right camping equipment. You can also use your camping checklist to make a list of each of the activities that you would like to participate in while on your camping trip. As previously stated, the options are unlimited when creating a camping checklist for yourself.

As for the benefits of creating a camping checklist for yourself, the biggest benefit of doing so is that a camping checklist helps to ensure that you do not leave anything behind. You should know that this happens quite often, in fact, you may have forgotten to bring something important along with you on one of your previous trips. A camping checklist, especially one that is made in advance, can help to make sure that you bring enough food, drinks, snacks, clothing, and other important camping equipment, like your tents or sleeping bags.

Another one of the many benefits to creating a camping checklist for yourself is that it is easy to do. In fact, when it comes to creating a camping checklist, you will find that you have a number of different options. One of those options involves making your own camping checklist from scratch. You can sit down and make a list of everything that you would like to bring, as well as everything that you need to bring on your next camping trip. Once your checklist has been compiled, you will want to try and keep that camping checklist in a handy location, like on your refrigerator. This is ideal as you can easily add any other additional items that you can think of to your camping list later on.

In addition to making your own camping checklist from scratch, you can also find camping checklists online. These online camping checklists should be free and easy to print. What you will want to do though is be sure to add your own information or anything else that you can think of. Most of the online camping checklists that you will find are generalized ones; therefore, you should add your own personal touch. To find online camping checklist templates, to use or even to just get suggestions, you will want to perform a standard internet search.

If you are interested in making a camping checklist for yourself or even just adding on to an online checklist that you printed off, you may want to sit back and envision your next camping trip. What do you see yourself doing, eating, or wearing? This may help to ensure that your checklist is complete and filled with everything that you need and want. Also, since you will likely not be camping alone, you may want to have your family or your romantic partner add their own wants and needs to your camping checklist as well. This will help to ensure that everyone has a pleasant camping trip.

As outlined above, there are a number of benefits to creating a camping checklist for your next camping trip. With a camping checklist being relatively easy to create, why not at least give it a try?

For more great reading Tips for Planning a Camping Trip with Young Children

Friday, June 18, 2010

Tips for Planning a Camping Trip with Young Children

Are you a parent? If you are, do you and your family enjoy camping? As fun and exciting as camping can be, it can be a little bit frustrating or stressful when you go camping with young children. With that in mind, there are a number of steps that you can take to ensure that your next camping trip, namely one with your young children, goes off without any problems.

One of the first things that you can do, when planning a camping trip with young children, is keep your children in mind. While this may seem like common sense, it is important to do. For starters, you will want to examine where you will be camping. This includes the campground park that you choose to visit, as well as which camping spot you choose. Since younger children can easily get bored, you will want to choose a campground park that gives you access to an unlimited number of activities, such as one that has a lake, swimming pool, playground, tennis courts, or hiking trails.

As previously stated, it is also important that you carefully choose which site you and your family would like to camp at, in the campground park. This is important for a number of different reasons. It may be a good idea to choose a camping site that is located close to any playgrounds or bathrooms. It may also be a good idea to stay away from camping sites that are close to swimming pools, lakes, ponds, or hiking trails, especially if you have small children. Keeping them away for potential dangers may help to allow you to sleep better at night, as well as help you enjoy yourself more.

Another one of the many ways that you can make your next camping trip with young children enjoyable is by letting your children help you plan some of your camping activities. For instance, your toddler or elementary school aged child may have a number of activities that they like to do, like playing soccer. Let them choose a few of your camping activities. This will help to keep them excited about your next camping trip, as they still get to do many of the things that they love. It is also important to mention that your child will likely be proud of the fact that they got to help you plan your next family vacation.

In keeping with letting your child help you plan your next camping vacation, you may also want to let your child choose some of the foods, snacks, and drinks that you bring along with you on your next camping adventure. In fact, you may even want to let them go shopping with you. Once again, this will create a proud feeling for your child. It will also prevent that “I don’t want to eat that,” speech that many children often give their parents when they are unable to help plan their meals or pick out their own foods.

The above mentioned tips are tips that you may find helpful, when looking to plan a camping trip with young children. Although it may sound a little bit hard to plan a camping trip with young children, once you are on the campground, it is likely that everyone, including your child or children, will have a blast.

For more great reading The Benefits of Having Family Picnics

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Benefits of Having Family Picnics

Are you a parent? If you are, you may regularly be looking for ways to spend quality time with your family. If that is the case, have you ever thought about having a family picnic? If this is not something that you have considered, you may want to at least think about doing so, as there are a number of benefits to having family picnics.

One of the many benefits to having a family picnic with your family is all of your options, in terms of locations. There are a number of different locations that are perfect for family picnics. Perhaps, the best location is that of your own backyard. In addition to having a backyard family picnic, you may also want to examine your local public parks, state parks, and so forth.

As previously stated, the greatest benefit of having a family picnicis the quality time that you are able to spend with your family. If you are a parent, you likely already know how difficult it can be to try and spend time with your family. With hectic schedules, many families are constantly running short on time. What is nice about picnics is that they can last as short as a few hours or run as long as all day. It is also important to mention that the change of scenery may do you and your family good, even if that change of scenery is just to your backyard, as opposed to your kitchen table.

Another one of the many benefits to having a family picnic is that they can be relatively easy to plan. Although picnics can be somewhat complicated to plan and prepare for, they are easier when you have small picnics, namely ones where the attendants are your immediate family members. Often times, you just need to barbeque a few meats, make a few sandwiches, and prepare a few side dishes. Depending on the size of your family and their food preferences, you could plan a picnic, as well as prepare all of your needed foods, in as little as an hour or two.

The activities that you can participate in are another one of the many benefits to family picnics. Should you decide to have your next family picnic take place at a local park, you may find yourself gaining access to hiking trails or a body of water where you can go swimming, boating, or fishing. Even if your family picnic is to occur in your own backyard, there are a number of different outdoor activities that you and your family can participate in. To help ensure that everyone has a good time, you may want to consider allowing some of your family members, namely your children, to help you plan your family picnic activities.

What is nice about having a family picnic is that you can do so at just about any point in time. With that in mind, picnics are best during the summertime, when the weather is often warm and sunny. In addition to having a family picnic just because, you may want to use your next family picnic as a way to celebrate an important occasion or event, like a birthday. Whenever you decide to have a picnic or wherever you decide to have that picnic, there is a good chance that you and the rest of your family, including your children will enjoy the time that you were able to spend together, as well as the fun that you all had.

For more great reading What to Consider When Hosting a Picnic

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

What to Consider When Hosting a Picnic

Do you love spending time outdoors? If you do, have you ever thought about hosting a picnic? Although hosting a picnic can be a fun and exciting experience for you, it can also be a stressful and overwhelming one. That is one of the many reasons why not all individuals are able to handle hosting their own picnics, especially those that are larger in size. Before you decide to host a picnic for your friends or family members, there are a number of important factors that you will want to take into consideration. A few of those factors are outlined below for your convenience.

One of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, when trying to determine if you should host a picnic is the size that your picnic would be. Who would you like to attend and how many people would you want to come? This is an important question that you will want to answer, as soon as possible, as it has a huge impact on the picnic planning stages, as well as whether or not you even want to host a picnic. For that reason, you should create a rough draft of the guests that you would like to invite to your picnic. If you are concerned with hosting a large picnic, you may want to start out small and only invite a few of your closest friends and family members.

Once you have determined an estimated number of picnic guests, you will then want then focus on the location. There are a number of different locations that are ideal for picnics. These locations tend to include state parks, local parks, campground parks, lakes, ponds, as well as in your own backyard. Why it is advised that you wait until after you have an idea as to how many guests you would like to invite to your picnic, is because the size of your picnic may limit your options. For instance, if you have a small backyard, you may not be able to have a large picnic. In that instance, a state park or a local park may be a better option for you, and so forth.

As you likely already know, hosting a picnic involves a lot more than choosing a location or creating a guest list. As the host of a picnic, you will likely have to arrange all of the food and drinks, as well as purchase them. For that reason, you will want to focus on how much money you want to spend. In fact, you may actually want to focus on how much money you do have to spend. Creating a budget for yourself is nice, as it can serve as an important guide for you. A budget can help prevent you from spending more money than you need to spend or more money than you have to spend.

Speaking of the food and drinks, you may want to examine what food and drinks you would like to serve at your next picnic. What is nice about being the host of a picnic is that you have the freedom to serve whatever you want. With that in mind, you should know that popular picnic food includes barbeque meats, as well as sandwich meats. As for picnic drinks, bottled drinks, such as bottled water, comes highly rated and recommended among many picnic goers. If you are looking to reduce the amount of money that you have to spend, you may want to think about asking your guests to contribute. They can easily do this by brining a side dish with them.

The above mentioned factors are just a few of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, before you decide to host a picnic. Although hosting a picnic may seem like a long, complicated, and overwhelming process, it isn’t always. With that in mind, you will find that the payoff, which is a great picnic, makes all of the planning more than worth it.

For more great reading Great Picnic Locations

Monday, May 17, 2010

Great Picnic Locations

Are you interested in having a picnic adventure? If you are, you are definitely not alone. In the United States and all around the world for that matter, a large number of individuals, families, and couples love hosting or attending picnics. One of the many reasons for that is because picnics don’t just involve eating, they also involve socializing with friends or family, as well as playing outdoor games and sports.

If you are in interesting in hosting a picnic, you may be wondering what your options are, in terms of location. If you are, you will want to continue reading on. Below, a few of the many places that are great for picnics are outlined below.

Perhaps, the best place for a picnic is at a park. When it comes to parks, you will find that you have a number of different options. No matter where you live, you should have access to a number of nearby parks, parks that many include public parks, campground parks, or state parks. Most parks have areas that are ideal for picnics. These areas often include shade from trees, picnic tables, and nearby fun activities, like a pool or body of water for swimming or fishing.

Speaking of a body of water, you may also want to think about having your next picnic, should you choose to have one, near a body of water, such as a lake. As previously stated, it is possible to find public parks that are located near lakes; however, you may also be able to find public land that is ideal for picnicking. These areas may not necessarily have playgrounds for children or public restrooms, but they may provide you with a little bit seclusion, as well as an absolutely beautiful view.

Speaking of seclusion, if you are looking to have your picnic double as a romantic date, you may be looking for privacy. One of the many ways that you can find privacy is in a wooded area. This is best if you are already visiting a state park, public park, or campground park. You can also use wooden areas around your home, namely ones that you may be familiar with. As nice as having a picnic on a blanket in the forest may sound, it is important that you use your best judgment when taking this approach.

As great as it is to go camping in a beautiful location, a secluded location, or one that gives you access to a number of other fun outdoor activities, like swimming or boating, you may be looking to stay at little bit closer to home. If that is the case, you can have your picnic right in your own backyard! This is ideal if you are looking to have a picnic with your family, namely small children. Doing a few “practice,” picnics at home may help to prepare your young children for the real thing later on.

Although not as glamorous as the above mentioned picnic locations, you can also have a picnic right inside your home. This is best if you had a small picnic planned, but the weather took a turn for the worse and you are unable to have your outdoor picnic. Laying a blanket down in a family room may provide you with enough space to have the picnic of your dreams, just indoors. This is particularly ideal if your picnic was intended to be a romantic date for you and your partner.

The above mentioned locations are just a few of the many places that you may be able to hold a picnic. When deciding where you would like your next picnic to occur, it is important that you place a focus on the size of your picnic, like how many people you plan on inviting. Doing so will enable you to choose a location that will allow you and all of your guests to have a great time.

More great reading Can Dads Do Picnics Too?

Monday, April 26, 2010

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Sunday, April 04, 2010

Can Dads Do Picnics Too?

By Lauren McNeal

So, you think you're the only one capable of organizing events for the family? Why don't you give your husband the responsibility of putting together the picnic the kids have been going on about for the past two weeks?

Dads, if you're reading this, it means you've been allocated the task of picnic organizer. You're not too sure where to start? Cheat! Why not have a get together with the kids and ask them what they think. Make a note of their ideas and try to think about how you can make this a reality.

Interestingly recent surveys have shown that dads are spending much more time with their kids. Most dads tend to be more active than mothers so why not think about some games that you can enjoy with your kids. Sack races and bat and ball games are good ideas. If you are friends with other dads why not go that extra mile and coordinate a mass picnic get together. With each family being responsible for their own food you can put together fantastic team games. If you are the nature loving type why don't you get a nature trail designed to keep all the kids entertained, make the most of the good weather and get outdoors.

Try to put together a rough time line of when things are going to be done, but don't turn it into an army operation, you are not at work so let go a little!

Dads can do picnics providing they learn to leave their work at the office. Don't take business calls when you are spending time with your friends and family, you need to ensure that you dedicate time to them as well as your business partners.

If the final is on and your tempted to take a portable television or radio with you, don't, you can watch the replays when you get home. It's important that you take the essential time to be involved in your kid's lives.

If you're not sure about what best regarding the food, ask your wife for advice, but do your best to prepare the food yourself. Pick things that are easily put together and are fun for the kids to eat.

Don't leave all of the tidying up and washing up for your wife; make sure that you play an active role throughout the picnic. Bringing black bin liners and investing in some proper picnic Tupperware will show that you have had some forward thinking.

If you do a bit of photography as a hobby, a picnic is the perfect opportunity to take a few action shots of the family to work on when you get back home. These photos will be great editions to albums or even as a Christmas present for the kid's grandparents.

Dads are more than capable of organizing great picnics for the family, providing they make sure that once they are there they relax and enjoy yourself, remember your kids wont be young forever and nor will you, so make the most of it!

Lauren McNeal invites you to take a look at the latest picnic baskets offered at Epicnicbasket.com. Specialists in picnic backpacks, picnic supplies and outdoor gifts, you're sure to find something to your liking.

Here is another good post about picnics Picnics: Cold Sandwiches or Barbeque Meats: Which is Best?

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Picnics: Cold Sandwiches or Barbeque Meats: Which is Best?

Are you interested in hosting a picnic in the near future? Whether you are looking to host a large picnic, which may also be referred to as a picnic party, or if you are looking to host a picnic just for your immediate family, you may be wondering which type of foods you should serve. As you likely already know, cold sandwich meats and barbequed meats are two types of picnic foods that come highly rated and recommended, but which should you serve?

At first glance, the decision to serve cold sandwiches or barbeque meats at your next picnic may not seem like a big decision, but it can be. What you need to remember is that most picnics are focused on food. For that reason, if you want your next picnic to be a success, it is important to make sure that the foods that you serve, as well as the other snacks and drinks, are ones that are the perfect match for you and your picnic guests, no matter who those guests may be.

If you have having a difficult time determining whether you should serve cold sandwiches or barbeque meats at your next picnic, you may want to examine the advantages and disadvantages of doing each. For starters, we will focus on cold sandwich meats. What is nice about serving cold sandwiches is that they are relatively easy to make, as well as affordable. You also have a number of different options. For instance, you can prepare your sandwiches beforehand or you can give your guests the opportunity to create their own sandwiches at your picnic.

As for the disadvantages to serving cold meat sandwiches at your next picnic, one is the creation. Should you decide to pre-make all of your sandwiches, you may find that not all of your guests like the sandwiches that you make. This is particularly common if you are hosting a picnic party. Unfortunately, many individuals are known as being picky eaters. With that in mind, if you allow your picnic guests to create their own sandwiches, you may have a large mess on your hands, as you often have number of utensils, condiments, and so forth left out.

As previously stated, a common alternative to cold meat sandwiches is that of barbeque meat. What is nice about serving barbeque meat at your next picnic is that it is something that most individuals love. For many, outdoor cooking is automatically associated with barbeques. You will also find that you have a number of meats to choose from, such as hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, steak, and chicken.

Although there are a number of advantages to serving barbeque meat at your next picnic, you will also find that there are a number of disadvantages to doing so as well. One of those disadvantages is the cooking time. When barbequing your meat outdoors, you may find that it takes a considerable amount of time for all of the food to cook. With that in mind, this may be the perfect time to enjoy some fun outdoor picnic games, such as badminton or volleyball. Due to the cost of many meats, you may want to think about purchasing your food when it is on sale.

The above mentioned advantages and disadvantages are just a few of the many to having barbeque meats and sandwich meats at your next picnic. Should you still be unsure as to which would better suit your next picnic, you may want to consider serving both.

Here is another good post about picnics Seasonal Picnics

Friday, April 02, 2010

Seasonal Picnics

By Lauren McNeal

Picnics are always fun. No one can deny that outdoor meals never fail to make the food look and taste more sumptuous with the ambiance of nature and cool breeze.

If you would have it your way, you would rather go on a picnic everyday or if not, at least every week. Picnics are a universal way of getting your family and friends together for a meal while enjoying a beautiful scene, delicious outdoor meals and fun conversations. Going out on picnics is a fun and healthy way to stay in touch with your family and relax all at the same time. However, the current hustle and bustle of our everyday lives have not allowed for more frequent picnics with our family and friends. One is always busy and whenever they are not, another's schedule just got filled up. But don't fret. Seasonal picnics can still be arranged which can be more fun and relaxing for everyone.

Lauren McNeal invites you to take a look at the latest picnic baskets offered at Epicnicbasket.com. Specialists in lunch bags, picnic supplies and outdoor gifts, you're sure to find something to your liking.

Seasonal picnics are excellent ideas because it allows for more planning and preparation. When you schedule your picnic months beforehand, there's practically no reason for anyone not to show up. If you hold seasonal picnics, you get four times in a year to be with your family and friends and enjoy every season. Imagine how much fun you can get from planning you next picnic for a different season! Each picnic should have a theme depending on the season. The holiday season picnic can be a real sensation. Turkey sandwiches and cranberries for a Thanksgiving picnic can just be your new family tradition to replace the old one. A costume picnic can add additional twist on your conventional Halloween party. During the fourth of July, you can also have your own picnic to celebrate the holiday. As for Valentine's Day, you can feature a romantic picnic and have champagne and raspberry drinks with chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. Your guests will surely enjoy the changing themes. Just thinking about it is so much fun!

Holding seasonal picnics will give you and your family and friends something to look forward to that is both fun and exciting. To spruce it up, you can even switch up to who will host the next picnic which gives a different outlook on every season. It's always a fun way to stay in touch and experience fun. You do not have to worry about your picnic themes. The ideas are endless! The only limit is your imagination and creativity. Of course, the picnics may not be held everyday or every week but at least, seasonal picnics can be a good start and it's not too much work that you can't handle. Simply being with your loved ones every season is enough and it's a good way to be in touch.

Obviously, if you want to hold seasonal picnics, you need supplies and food. Again, don't worry. There are a lot of picnic supplies that are available on your nearest home improvement stores or online. There you can find a wide variety of picnic baskets, blankets and other paraphernalia that you will need to make your picnic a blast. There are even picnic baskets that come with free food.

Lauren McNeal invites you to take a look at the latest picnic baskets offered at Epicnicbasket.com. Specialists in lunch bags, picnic supplies and outdoor gifts,
you're sure to find something to your liking.

Here is another good post about picnics Camping and Picnics: The Perfect Combination

Checkout my Classic Auto Trader

Picnic Baskets: Why You Should Use Them and How to Find Them

Are you interested in taking a picnic in the near future? If you are, do you currently own a picnic basket? Although owning a picnic basket may not seem like a big deal, it is something that you should think about. There are a number of benefits to owning and using a picnic basket. Just a few of those benefits are outlined below.

Perhaps, the greatest benefit of owning and using a picnic basket is the environment that it can help to create. Picnic baskets can make picnic adventures seem more real. In the movies, as well as in many stories, you will see that picnic baskets are used on picnics. Picnic baskets can be used to hold all of your food, as well as other supplies that you would like to bring along with you. Whether you are looking to have a picnic adventure with your family or a romantic picnic with your partner, owning and using a picnic basket can make the whole adventure seem a lot more “real.”

Another one of the many benefits to using a picnic basket, when going on a picnic adventure, was briefly touched on above. That benefit is the ability to store all of your picnic food and any other additional supplies. This is nice, as it can be difficult to transport food without a picnic basket. Picnic baskets are designed to hold food in a matter that should reduce or completely eliminate spills and messes. Many of your other alternatives, as opposed to using a picnic basket, include using store bags, a large cooler, or a backpack. To help keep your food and drinks in tact, you should look into buying a picnic basket, if you don’t already own one.

Speaking of buying a picnic basket, should you decide to do so, you will find that you have an unlimited number of options. What is nice about picnic baskets is that they come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. It is possible to find traditional whicker picnic baskets, but you can also find plastic or even metal picnic baskets. When buying a picnic basket for yourself, you will want to make sure that you buy one that you will use. That is why it is advised that you consider size. When buying a picnic basket, it is always best if you aim for a little bit larger in size than what you may think you need.

Your buying options are another one of the many benefits to owning and using a picnic basket whenever you and your family or you and your romantic partner decide to take a picnic. When it comes to buying a picnic basket, you not only have options concerning the size, shape, or style of your picnic basket, but you also have options when it comes to buying your picnic basket. A number of different retailers sell picnic baskets. These retailers tend to include discount stores, traditional department stores, outdoor stores, as well as home and garden stores. You can also shop for a picnic basket online. For the largest selection of picnic baskets to choose from, you may want to try the internet. You can easily get started with a standard internet search.

Whether you only go on picnics a couple of times a year or if you do so every week, you may want to look into buying a picnic basket for yourself. After doing so, you will likely be pleased with your decision, as they can make picnics much more enjoyable, as well as easier.

Here is another good post about picnics Picnic Recipes: How to Find Them and Why You Should

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Picnic Recipes: How to Find Them and Why You Should

Are you interested in hosting a picnic in the near future? Whether your picnic will just involve your immediate family or if you plan on hosting a picnic party, you may be wondering what you should serve, in terms of food. While you may have a good idea already, there is a good chance that your picnic foods will involve many traditional foods. While this approach is an okay one to take, you may want to think about “spicing,” up your next picnic. You can easily do this by finding new picnic recipes.

When it comes to finding new picnic recipes, many individuals wonder why they should take the time to do so. What you need to remember is that picnics are quite popular. Many people attend picnics, especially in the summertime. To prevent your family members or your guests from assuming that your picnic will be like all the rest, you may want to think about creating new meals for your next picnic. You may not only have fun doing so, but your family members or your guests will likely appreciate the extra steps taken.

As nice as it is to hear that you should take the time to find and research new picnic recipes, you may be wondering exactly how you can go about doing so. That is what is nice about finding picnic recipes, you have a number of different options. If you are looking to “spice,” up your next picnic with new, fun and exciting meals, you will want to continue reading on.

One of the many ways that you can go about finding new picnic recipes is by purchasing yourself cookbooks. You should be able to find a number of cookbooks that deal specifically with picnics or outdoor cooking in general. You should be able to find these cookbooks for sale locally. If you would like to shop locally, you will want to take the time to examine your local department stores, book stores, as well as kitchen stores, namely those with a focus on cooking.

In addition to buying a picnic cookbook or an outdoor cookbook locally, you can also do so online. What is nice about finding these types of cookbooks online is that it is quick and easy. You should have access to an unlimited number of online retailers including bookstores, that have cookbooks available for sale. In addition to visiting online retailers that you already know of, you can perform a standard internet search. When performing a standard internet search, you may want to perform your search with phrases such as “outdoor cookbook,” or “picnic cookbook.”

In keeping with using the internet, you should also know that you can find new, fun and exciting picnic recipes online. One of the best ways to go about doing so is by performing a standard internet search. When performing your standard internet search, you may want to search with phrases such as “outdoor cooking recipes,” or “picnic recipes.” Many online recipes websites will give you detailed, step-by-step directions, as well as show you pictures, possibly of each cooking step.

Many of the online websites that you will come across will be free for you to access. With that in mind, you may also come across a few websites that request the payment of a membership fee. The decision as to whether or not you want to pay to access online picnic recipes is your decision to make, but you should first examine free recipes online. You should also compare the cost of a recipe website membership to the cost of printed for sale cookbooks.

As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can go about familiarizing yourself with new picnic recipes. For that reason, you may want to go ahead and see what you can find, even if you decide to stick with preparing the foods that you know best.

Here is another good post about picnics Deciding What to Eat at Your Picnic

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Deciding What to Eat at Your Picnic

Have you recently decided that you would like to have a picnic? Although some picnics do not require very much planning, you may want to take the time to thoroughly plan your next picnic, preferably placing a focus on the foods that you wish to serve.

Speaking of the foods that you wish to serve at your next picnic, this is often one of the hardest parts of planning a picnic. There are many individuals who are unsure as to which type of foods, snacks, and drinks they should have available at their picnics. If this is a concern of your's, you will want to continue reading on. Below, a number of factors are outlined. These are factors that you will want to take into consideration, when trying to determine what you should serve, in terms of food, at your next picnic.

One of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, when creating a food list for your next picnic is how large you want your picnic to be. For instance, is your picnic one that will involve just your immediate family or are you interested in hosting a large picnic party? If so, it is important to not go broke just buying the food. If you are having a large picnic, you may want to examine foods that are affordable or ones that you can purchase in bulk. It may also be a good idea to think about asking some of your guests to bring a dish, even if it is just a simple macaroni salad.

What your picnic guests would like to eat is another factor that you should take into consideration, when examining picnic foods. This is easily done if you are planning on having a small picnic, like one with just your immediate family in attendance. What you will want to do, if that is the case, is ask everyone for their input. This is particularly nice if you have young children, as they may enjoy helping you plan your next picnic, even if it simply involves helping you choose some of the foods which you will eat.

Transportation is another one of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, when examining which foods would be best for your next picnic. As you likely already know, picnics can occur in a number of different locations. Popular picnic destinations include near lakes or other bodies of water, local public parks, state parks, or backyards. If you are looking to have a picnic away from your home, you will want to make sure that you select picnic foods that will be easy to transport or ones that aren’t so messy.

The weather is another factor that you should take into consideration, when looking to plan your next picnic and the foods that you will eat. Although hearing that the weather should have an impact on your picnic foods may seem a little bit silly, it can actually make quite a bit of sense. For instance, if you are planning on having a picnic away from your home on a hot and sunny day, ice cream may not necessarily be the best dessert choice, as it can melt even if it is in a cooler. That is just one of the many examples of how the weather can and should have an impact on your next picnic and the foods that you plan on serving.

The above mentioned factors are just a few of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, when looking to plan your next picnic. By taking the time to choose the right picnic foods, you and your guests, no matter who they be, will likely enjoy the food.

Do you have anything you would like to add as a tip or your opinion please leave a comment.

Here is another good post about picnics Camping and Picnics: The Perfect Combination

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Camping and Picnics: The Perfect Combination

Are you looking for a fun and exciting way to spend time with your family, with your friends, or with your romantic partner? If you are, have you taken the time to examine camping? Camping is nice as it is occasionally referred to as a recreational activity that is affordable. As nice as camping is, did you know that you can do much more, like have a picnic? In fact, when you think about it, camping and picnics really are the perfect combination.

One of the many reasons why camping and picnics are the perfect combination is because it seems as if they are designed for each other. For instance, if you were to go camping, there is a good chance that you would choose to do so at a state park or a public campground park. When examining these popular camping destinations, you will find that many of them have picnic areas, many of which may be right on or near your campsite. It is common to find parks and campgrounds that already have picnic tables installed or you can choose to bring your own picnic blankets to use.

Another one of the many ways that camping and picnics make for the perfect combination can be seen when you examine popular picnic locations. What is nice about having picnics is that you can have them in your own backyard and at local parks. While some of the local parks that you may be interested in having a picnic at may be “traditional,” in nature, it is possible to find parks that also have onsite camping available. Often times, you may find that camping is included in the cost of your admission. If the cost of camping is not included, you may be surprised with just how affordable the extra cost it.

When having a picnic, many families, friends, and couples, do much more than just eat. That is one of the many reasons why camping and picnics tend to go hand in hand. Many popular picnic activities, depending on the location of your picnic, tend to include boating, swimming, fishing, and hiking. These are many of the same activities that are associated with camping. In fact, you will find that many state parks and public campground parks have swimming pools, lakes, or other bodies of water, as well as great hiking trails.

As much as camping and picnics make the perfect combination, many individuals do not make this association. One of the reasons for that is because many individuals associate picnics with a few hours worth of fun. Although picnics can last a few hours, there is no need to rush. Many families and couples have their picnics last hours upon hours. If you are interested in doing the same and if you would like to picnic in a public location, like a state park, you may want to consider adding camping to your fun list of activities. Even if you aren’t familiar with camping, it is something that you should enjoy and many of the needed supplies are easy to come by, as well as affordable.

As outlined above, camping and picnics really make for the perfect combination. If you have a little bit of free time in your future or if you are looking to take an affordable vacation, you may want to examining combining a picnic with a camping adventure, as you can have an unlimited amount of fun when doing so.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Backpacking Boots?

Backpacking boots or any of the traditional hiking boots may have their place. That place just isn't on my feet. If you don't have specific problems with your ankles, there isn't snow on the ground, and you don't carry more than thirty pounds on your back, try running shoes. You'll be so happy that you did.

Backpacking or hiking boots are heavy, hot, stinky, and stay wet forever. Decent running shoes can be as light as one pound per pair, while most hiking boots top three pounds. Army research showed that a pound on your feet is like five on your back (some say six), so three-pound boots naturally leave you more tired at the end of the day.

Backpacking Boots And Ankle Support

Some backpackers argue for the necessity of ankle support, but throughout history people managed without stiff ankle-supporting boots. Even if you are carrying thirty pounds on your back, consider the fact that there are people walking around that weigh 60 pounds more than you, and without problems. It is an issue of weak ankles, not a lack of support. To solve this problem, try walking a little each week on uneven ground (not in the mall).

While some may really need hiking boots, why not be sure your ankle problems are not just due to a lack of exercise before you settle for backpacking in heavy boots. It is true you may need hiking boots if you carry more than thirty pounds when you backpack. The solution to that is to cut the weight down.

Why Running Shoes?

Your feet will stay cooler in a good running shoes than in hiking boots, and this means fewer blisters. Once I switched to running shoes and lightweight socks years ago, I stopped getting blisters, and I don't mean fewer blisters. I mean no blisters. I haven't had one blister since I switched, not even after a 110-mile 7-day trek in the Rockies, for example.

For socks, I have used nothing but thin nylon dress socks for years. They are cheap, and they weigh less than an ounce per pair. That makes it easy to carry enough fresh socks. They also can be easily rinsed out and dried quickly. My feet won't tolerate hotter socks now, although I do bring a warmer pair for sleeping or for cold weather.

Unless you have size 13 feet, you should be able to find good running or hiking shoes that are under two pounds per pair. Carry a kitchen scale to the shoe store if you have to. Unfortunately, catalogs sometimes don't show weights, so you'll have to guess which hiking shoes are lighter based on the description and photo.

The higher quality shoes have soles stitched to the uppers. Look under the insoles to check this. A removable insole is another sign of quality shoes. Usually you can find a good pair of running shoes under 28 ounces and under $80, or half of that on closeouts.

Until you try it, you won't know how liberating it is to ditch the heavy pack and heavy boots and hit the trail in running shoes. Go more miles more comfortably. Run up a hill just to see what's there. I haven't yet met a person who has tried backpacking in hiking shoes or running shoes - and then returned to backpacking boots.