Get the kids out of your hair and into the sun with a healthy finger food picnic. Bring a couple craft activities to relax and grab a Frisbee or a ball to work off your treats.
Menu
Finger Sandwiches (peanut butter and honey, cucumber and hummus, or turkey and cheese)
Deviled Eggs (use light mayonnaise or a mix of mayo and plain Greek yogurt)
Carrots, Celery, Sweet Bell Pepper Strips
Melon Kabobs
Lemonade
Activities
DIY Picnic Games and Nature Art
Crafters: Have kids cut a hole in a paper plate and then hang the loop from a tree branch. Kids can take turns trying to toss a ball through the hole...and adults, too.
Artists: Have kids pack up and bring their art supplies and a clipboard to hold their paper. Then, pick an outdoor scene for them to draw from the picnic site.
Writers: Have kids take turns describing something at the picnic with 3-4 words and see who can guess it. For example, these words — ringed, swaying, gnarled, slender — could be used to describe a tree. Have older kids take it a step further and write a short poem about something at the picnic using as many descriptive words as they can.
Cooks: Depending on their skill level, pick an activity that is safe and fun for kids.
Cut bread for sandwiches into small squares.
Make finger sandwiches.
Peel eggs after cooling them.
Prepare deviled egg mixture.
Stuff deviled eggs.
Arrange cut up vegetables on a platter.
Cut melon into cubes or balls.
Assemble melon kabobs.
Stir lemonade.
Bright Idea! Be super smart about food safety in the summer heat. Load cold foods into an insulated cooler with plenty of ice to transport it to your picnic site. Leave foods sitting out of the cooler for no longer than 1 hour before packing them back into the cooler. Replace the ice if it melts.
For more theme dinner ideas, download a copy of Dynamic Dinners on Amazon.
