Beach picnic essentials + what to pack when you’re planning a summer date at the beach. Summer is here and with that come long lazy days at the beach. I find that the easiest menu for a beach picnic involves a lot of finger foods.  A great charcuterie board is a must-have in my opinion for a beach picnic. You can easily prepare all the food you want for your board in advance. I recommend a selection of 3-4 types of cheese, a great cured salami, olives, pickles, pistachios, cut veggies ( I chose carrots and snap peas), blackberries, grapes, fresh figs, crackers, and a couple of jellies or jams. I love fig and hot pepper jelly on my charcuterie board. I also roasted up some garlic and garnished the board with some fresh sprigs of Rosemary.

Finding beaches that are remote or not very busy is the first tip for planning the best beach picnic for two.

Cut up a baguette ahead of time and place all of your food into glassware to transport to the beach. I love fresh summer salads, so I included a French country salad and a tomato and burrata salad served over fresh local microgreens and herbs for us as well.

If you are looking for a way to celebrate the summer solstice this year, a beach picnic may be just the thing for you.

I picked up a 4-pack of Dillon’s Negroni and a bottle of Laurent Miguel Vendanges Nocturnes Classic Rosé. Please drink responsibly, and if you’re planning on bringing alcohol to a beach picnic, find a remote beach that isn’t public. Maybe one day here in Ontario, we’ll be legally able to bring a bottle of wine to the park or to the beach…I have fond memories of living in France and how normal it was to bring a bottle of wine for a picnic anywhere.

Okay, so we covered the food and drink ideas for your perfect beach picnic, now let’s chat about some other beach picnic essentials. 

A great beach blanket is necessary. You do not want to place your food directly on the sand. Of course, it’s highly likely you’ll still get some sand in your food, but you can minimize this with a great blanket.

Bring a wooden crate to use as a small table for your glassware and drinks. I packed up some of the accessories in my wooden crate to save on space.

Mason jars and tea light candles are a great accessory to add some ambience to an early evening beach picnic. I brought the ones that I use in my backyard which also have some pretty glass stones in them.

When you get to the beach, just add some water into the jar and float your tea light candles. 

Baskets are great for packing up your picnic and to use as décor or storage when you set everything up.

Why not bring a couple of your outdoor pillows to sit on?

Don’t forget serving dishes, charcuterie board, utensils, cutlery, glassware, linen napkins, a bottle opener or Swiss Army Knife and plates.

This was a special celebration, so I picked up some roses to add to the ambience of our beach picnic.

Create a fun playlist and use your smartphone or bring a portable Bose with you. Music is always a great addition to any gathering.

Lastly, don’t forget the ice. My tip? Bring the largest ice cubes you can make. I love my large circle ice cube trays. I only brought four ice cubes with me for this beach picnic.

Enjoy the summer!

Are you celebrating the summer solstice?

Cheers,

Jen