Essentials for a stylish family picnic

Picnic season is well and truly underway, but with so many beautiful spreads in glossy magazines and Sunday supplements, not to mention on Pinterest and Instagram, you can avoid picnic envy – that’s totally a thing, OK! – with these essentials for an insta-worthy and probably more importantly, tasty and stress-free family picnic.

Picnic hamper, £65; Lunch boxes, £6; Round picnic blanket, £20 all c/o Next | Leather sandals, £55, c/o Becksondergaard | ‘Hello Summer’ straw hat (ages 3-14), £12, c/o Marks and Spencer | Sensitive moisture protect sun spray, £7.35, c/o Marks and Spencer

Coolers for little ones

Easy to use and easy to wash, these cups are ideal for children and grown-ups alike but we found a top solution to keeping the mini ones cool:

Add water, fresh sliced fruit and an ice pole (you could just use ice but let’s be honest, an ice pole is more fun!) to the cup, screw on the top and you’ve got a fun kids’ cooler ready for the picnic.

Cups with straws, £10, c/o Next

Sun protection

There’s no doubt that this is a summer time picnic essential but we tried the kids’ sun care range from Marks & Spencer (no, we didn’t know they did sun creams either!) and it’s definitely our new go-to brand. The childrens’ lotions and sprays are coloured when applied but disappear when rubbed in and while the spray is ideal for parents to apply, there’s also a roll-on sun lotion in the range which is the perfect size to pop in childrens’ book bags or backpacks for school or nursery. My two also find it really easy to apply themselves – anything to be independent!

Sensitive moisture protect sun spray, £7.35, c/o Marks and Spencer

Footwear

Yes, shoes are generally a good idea, nothing new there! But the style/practicality/comfort equation for mums is always going to be a consideration. If you’re likely to be able to sit down for more than five minutes (I’m thinking with teeny ones sleeping in prams here, obvs) then sliders like those pictured above are ideal for slipping on and off between pushing the stroller and reclining on a picnic blanket.

If there’s more chance you’ll be enrolled in team games and races between bites to eat then trainers are the order of the day to tick the practicality and comfort boxes then the style element comes into the picture with fun, detailed trainers by Ash.

Ash trainers, from £95, Daniel Footwear 

Sun hats

For the young ‘uns, hats don’t come much cuter than a boater and an added phrase around the brim makes it just so 2017 – not that your mini ones will be bothered by this, but it does make it totally instagrammable! For mama, this Becksondergaard hat is a great size; not too big that it will overpower if you’re petite, yet a wide enough brim to flatter broader shoulders. It’s also easily packable and springs back if it gets squashed.

‘Hello Summer’ straw hat (ages 3-14), £12, c/o Marks and Spencer

‘Gabriel’ hat, NOW £16 in sale, c/o Becksondergaard

Cocktails for the grown-ups

Fun drinks aren’t just for the children – why should they get all the treats? – so here’s our tried and tested frozen rosé cocktail recipe to make up and bottle before you head to the park or enjoy on a summer’s evening when the little ones are fast asleep.

Lively Lychee Frosé cocktail

75ml Echo Falls White Zinfandel
50ml lychee juice
1/2 tsp orange water
50ml honey water (1 part honey for 1 part water or 25ml/2 tsp of honey)
25ml Monin sugar syrup (I substituted this with a little extra honey)
10 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients together for 15 to 20 seconds. Enjoy!

So prepare some great food, get those accessories sorted and you’re all set for a family picnic in style.