Backyard Picnic | North Carolina lifestyle

One of the bright spots that has come out of the quarantine is the time I’ve spent at home while also being creative with spending time with friends and having my weekly date nights with David. I have been doing my own version of contact tracing and limiting my exposure to friends, but the few I have seen during this time, we have been having picnics. So, today, I thought I would share 10 backyard picnic essentials that we have found handy during this time. Be sure to tell me in the comments how you have been making the most of your social distancing during this time.

10 Backyard Picnic Essentials

Acrylic Stemware: Now that I’m a self proclaimed sommelier, it’s important to have beautiful stemware even for outdoors. Check out some of my favorite wines I’ve been trying during quarantine here. Want to support NC wineries? I’ve got a post for that, too! P.S. Check out these fun acrylic glasses as well!
Wine Cooler: David and I use this to keep our beverages cold, but it is also helpful to transport items out to the fire pit or on to the front porch.
Reusable Plates: While I don’t like using my normal place settings outside, we try to avoid using paper plates. These reusable plates are quite adorable!
Sun Protection: This is obviously a non-negotiable and ranges from sunscreen to hats for us.
Serving Tray: Depending on what you’re having, a serving platter or a tray makes it easy to have a nice meal. Haand Cheese Tray c/o Haand
Seating: Whether it is a blanket, portable chairs, or something more permanent like Adirondack chairs, be sure you have comfortable seating! We added this set of two ottomans and table to our front porch, but they’ve been convenient for our backyard patio as well! See more of our porch favorites here.
Thermacell: Our Thermacell is a non-negotiable to help keep the mosquitos away. I also like having candles lit, so citronella candles are a nice, functional touch!
Reusable Silverware: Having reusable silverware is nice for dining outdoors!
Reusable Napkins: These serve a double function of helping cover food, make clean up easy, and go right in the washing machine after we’re finished.
Portable Speaker: No picnic is complete without a portable speaker for listening to music. Some of my favorite Spotify playlists include Jazzy Dinner and Adult Dinner Party.