Goodies For a Grown-up Picnic

I recently put up a post with some of my picks for a kid picnic. Here's a few ideas for a picnic for the parents or the rest of the adults out there. :) Summer is full of opportunities for picnicking - at an outdoor concert or a visit to a local park or beach. Charcuterie boards are the way to go these days, so pack a board and a knife and slice up some of your favorite meats and cheeses to enjoy for a meal in the outdoors. Here's a few ideas from Chicago Foodie Sisters of what to pack in that perfect picnic basket.

1) Viki's granola - This wholesome snack is great with a handful of fresh berries or nuts.

2) Trois Petits Cochons - pate, sausage, mini peppers and petit toast. Have a little upscale bit of protein instead of a boring sandwich. Among their products are air dried sausage and pates, including a chicken and duck fois gras, pork and chicken liver mousse and duck rilettes. The Saucisson Sec sausage, made from an old-school French recipe was a hit on our picnic. The Petits Poivrons (sweet mini peppers) are designed for charcuterie board in mind - a nice little bite to add to your meats, cheese and fruit.

3) Cheese - to accompany the sausage and crackers. I had some Gouda on hand, one of my variety cheese varieties.

4) Flat bread crackers from Drier's Meat Market in Three Oaks, Michigan. I love these. They have lots of seeds and lots of crunch and are great for spreading things on or dipping.

5) Pitted Olives from Gaea. Olive lovers will enjoy these small snack packs to include in the grown-up picnic.

6) Nuts. I had a mix of macadamia, cashew and pecans. Bring some plastic bags or a bowl to mix the nuts with some granola and fruit for a nice little homemade trail mix.

7) Fresh berries - I had some freshly picked blueberries from a visit to a U-pick in Northwest Indiana. And I also had some raspberries from our own backyard. Fresh is the best. :)

8) Don't forget the beverages - like pink moscato or a nice light Belgian ale. Leffe is one of my favorites. :)



***Disclosure: The Viki's Granola, Trios Petites Cochon products and Gaea Olives were provided. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.