According to National Picnic Week, the average picnicker partakes three times a year—this equals almost 94 million picnics!
It’s hard to deny that picnics are a huge part of American culture and it’s a great way to get away from the scuffle of suburban or city life and just enjoy the great outdoors with friends and family.
Planning a picnic event for a big group of people can be a bit tough since there’s a lot to do, like finding a good camping ground that’s accessible to all your guests and planning a good menu.
Picnic menus might not sound too hard to make, but they can be a bit tricky. Fortunately, caterers for picnics can help you create a killer picnic menu that’ll delight your guests and make your picnic a hit!
So let’s explore the difficulties you may encounter when creating a good picnic menu and how caterers for picnics can help you out.
What are the challenges of planning a picnic menu?
It might not look like it, but coming up with a great picnic menu is like an art. Here are some challenges you might face when building the ideal menu:
1. Different Tastes and Preferences
Not everyone will like the same things when it comes to food and you need to take this fact into account when planning picnic menus. Also, it isn’t always about the taste—some guests might have dietary restrictions due to allergies and other health conditions. About 6% of adults and 8% of children in the USA have food allergies so you need to be very careful not to include foods with common allergens.
When you’re planning a picnic menu, you need to create one that works for everyone so that no one misses out on a good meal. This can be pretty difficult to do, especially when you have many guests coming over. You may need to ask your guests about their dietary preferences in advance but even with this information, it can be tricky deciding on the right dishes to include in the menu.
2. Storage and Transport
Unlike most indoor events, you’ll need to transport the food to a specific outdoor location. But that’s not the hardest part; what’s difficult is keeping the food fresh during shipping.
You’ll need a big enough vehicle to take all the food to the picnic site without anything spilling over and you’ll also need special containers to keep the food fresh during the trip. Even if you have all this at your disposal, it can still be tough transporting the food when the venue is far from where the food is prepared.
3. Creativity and Simplicity
The food you serve shouldn’t just be tasty; it should have some visual appeal too. When it comes to picnic menus, you need to include dishes that aren’t just easy on the eyes (and appetite) but also simple enough to transport and serve quickly to your guests.
Striking this balance between creativity and simplicity can be a challenge. Also, if you have many people coming for the event, you’ll need a lot of food and this presents another hurdle—food that looks and tastes good but can also be made in bulk.
4. The Time of the Year
You might need to change the menu based on the climate. For example, if it’s hot, you should include some cold dishes and for colder days, the menu should include warm dishes. This might not sound like an important change but sometimes a person’s appetite can be influenced by the climate
How can a good caterer help?
Here’s how reputable caterers for picnics can make menu planning so much better:
1. Logistics Management
Your caterer will handle everything, from preparing the food to transporting it to the picnic site. They have the right storage equipment to ensure the food stays fresh during transport and vehicles that can transport the food easily. Also, the caterer will set up the food tables, making sure that the food is protected from the weather, and they’ll also clean up after the picnic is finished.
2. Customization
Caterers often have a big selection of food items for picnics. Their menus include dishes that are perfect for outdoor events, like sandwiches, and wraps and desserts like cookies and muffins.
Also, they may have lunch box menus that come with simple but tasty dishes that your guests can munch on during the event or take home with them if they aren’t hungry.
Another great thing about caterers is that they may allow you to customize picnic menus to fit your requirements. For example, they may include vegetarian options and avoid adding dishes that have common allergens.
3. High-Quality Ingredients
Don’t worry about quality; a good catering service will always use the best-quality ingredients for their dishes. They may also source their ingredients locally and use healthy organic ingredients.
4. Expertise
If you don’t have any experience in planning a picnic menu, your caterer can help you out. Caterers have years of experience in planning menus for outdoor events like picnics and they can help you choose the ideal menu items based on the time of the year, the preferences of your guests, the ages of your guests (if the picnic is for children), and your budget too.
5. Time-Saving
Planning a menu for any kind of event can be time-consuming and it can distract you from planning other aspects of your picnic, like choosing a good venue or sending out invitations.
When you have a caterer taking the wheel for meal planning, you’ll have enough time on your plate to focus on making this picnic event the best!
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some commonly asked questions about picnic catering services to consider for your next event:
1. Should I order extra food for my picnic event?
It isn’t necessary, but ordering more food than required can be a good idea if you decide to add more people to your guest list in the last idea. But you will have to expect some leftovers if you over-order.
2. What do I do with the leftover picnic food?
You can ask your caterer if they offer cardboard lunch boxes. These can be used by your guests to take home any leftover food if they wish to.
3. Will picnic caterers help me find a good venue for the picnic event?
No, the picnic caterer will help you with the menu and other catering services but you will need to secure a venue yourself and let the caterers know about the location.
Caterers for picnics can be a godsend
Planning a great picnic event takes a lot of time and effort and a subpar food menu can ruin the experience if you’re not careful. But with the help of a reputable catering company that offers a great picnic catering menu, you can almost guarantee your picnic will be a certified hit!
Start hunting for the perfect caterer today!
