Picnic & BBQ

The list adapts to you

When you add it, the checklist asks a couple of questions and keeps only the items that fit your situation.

• Grilling on a BBQ? NoYes
• Traveling with kids? NoYes

What's inside

1. Pick a spot and check the weather forecast

   Check the forecast a day or two before and have a backup plan — a shaded spot, a covered area, or a rain date.

2. Bring two blankets

   One goes on the ground (which is usually damper than it looks), the other stays clean for sitting on and wrapping up in later.

3. Pack a cooler bag with ice packs

   Meat and dairy can spoil within a couple of hours in the heat — freeze the ice packs the night before.

4. Marinate the meat the night before

   Overnight, the marinade soaks in far deeper than the couple of hours you'd get marinating the same morning.

5. Wash vegetables and greens at home

   There's no water for washing up at the picnic spot — do it ahead and pack everything in containers.

6. Bring more water than you think you need

   Heat and active games burn through water faster than it seems from home — pack more than your initial estimate.

7. Pack a cutting board, knife and bottle opener

   These are the most commonly forgotten items — without them you're cutting bread and opening bottles with whatever's on hand.

8. Pack napkins, wet wipes and trash bags

   Dry and wet wipes, plus bags to carry all your trash out with you — leaving it behind isn't an option.

9. Bring insect repellent and tick protection

   If you're sitting on grass or near woods, treating clothing with a tick-specific spray cuts bite risk far more than plain mosquito repellent.

10. Bring sunscreen

    A full day outdoors can burn you even under clouds — reapply every couple of hours.

11. Pack a mini first aid kit

    Antihistamines for insect bites, plasters and antiseptic — these cover the most common small mishaps outdoors.

12. Bring a charged speaker

    Check the battery ahead of time and bring a power bank — there won't be an outlet out there.

13. Bring a ball, badminton set or cards

    Something active fills the gaps between eating and heads off boredom, especially with a bigger group.

14. Pack warm layers for the evening

    Even on a warm summer day, temperatures drop noticeably after sunset, especially near water.

15. Bring a sun shade or umbrella

    Especially important if there's no natural shade — midday sun wears out the whole group fast.

16. Bring the grill, grate and skewers Yes

    Check before you leave that the grate and skewers are actually with you — they're rarely stored together with the grill itself.

17. Bring charcoal, firelighter and matches Yes

    Pack extra firelighter — it burns through faster than expected in wind or damp conditions.

18. Bring long tongs Yes

    They let you flip coals and meat safely without leaning over the fire or burning your hands.

19. Bring a heat-resistant glove Yes

    Useful for moving the grill or adjusting coals when tongs alone aren't enough.

20. Bring foil Yes

    For grilling vegetables, keeping fish off the bare grate, and wrapping up leftovers to take home.

21. Fully put out the coals before you leave Yes

    Douse with water or bury in sand until the hissing stops — coals smoldering under ash stay dangerous for hours.

22. Check fire safety rules for the area Yes

    Open flames are often banned during dry spells, and fines for violating this can be steep — check local rules before you go.

23. Pack a full change of clothes for the kid Yes

    Kids get thoroughly dirty outdoors — a change of clothes beats trying to clean anything on-site.

24. Bring outdoor toys Yes

    A shovel, ball or scooter keeps the kid occupied for the whole time adults spend cooking.

25. Bring a familiar snack for the kid Yes

    Grilling takes a while, and a hungry kid has no patience for it — familiar snacks on hand save the moment.

26. Assign a supervising adult near water and fire Yes

    Agree on a rotation in advance — attention near water and the grill needs to be constant, not remembered occasionally.