D Home editor Joslyn Taylor had this brilliant idea of doing a cross post. Since the weather has been kind of wunderbar, we thought it’d be fun if I picked out my ideal picnic basket foods while Joslyn paired them with pretty basket accessories.
Jump if you can’t wait for this weekend.
I tried to pick foods that would be good for families with kids and no kids. (Or even picnic baskets for those of us who like to go on dates by ourselves with a nice book.) Either way, the grub has to be good, right?
1. JJ&B jelly – I’m just terribly smitten with the toasted pecan-pepper jam. Kathy Neumuller makes her jams locally, and you can find her sitting at a booth every second and fourth Saturday at the White Rock Local Market. If that’s too long of a wait, then head over to the Garden Cafe where they offer a little shelf of these jam beauties.
2. Crackers and jam go hand-in-hand. Ak-mak 100% whole wheat crackers are the most versatile crackers I have ever eaten. They go well with hummus, cheese, and any other kind of spread. Whole Foods, Central Market, and Bolsa Mercado all carry them.
3. Enough about side items. You need something light, but filling, to occupy your stomach. Bridge Bistro’s chicken salad sandwich is not too mayonnaise-y, and it has onions, tomatoes, lettuce, grape halves, and nuts infused in the chicken salad mixture. I could eat one every single day of my life, and that’s saying a lot. Order this item to-go and save yourself some time.
4. Holy moly, have you tried Holy Kombucha yet? I walked into Bolsa Mercado the other day and saw that they offered green apple ginger and pomegranate for $4 a cup. A little pricey, if you ask me, but totally worth this brew of fermented tea and sugar cane. It’s also a local product that you can support.
5. Your picky little ones might not like weird kombucha flavors. I suggest you mix your own lemonade for the kiddos instead. (Recipe here.) It’s easy and takes two seconds.
6. Edamame is such an easy snack. You can buy these anywhere, and the steam bags are a time saver. A friend of mine told me that edamame is a great way to keep his kids occupied. They’re so busy getting the pods out that they’re quiet and enjoying something healthy at the same time. If you don’t want your kids running wild around your picnic blanket, hand them some edamame.
7. What’s a picnic without strawberries? Now that they’re in season, you can buy them everywhere as well. I really do suggest you pop into Urban Acres, though, and buy your strawberries the local way.
