Picnic Checklist

In the previous article, we suggested that you start a picnic checklist, improve it over time, and keep it handy for picnic prep. Here's a list to get you started. Scratch out the items you don't need and add others until you have the perfect list for your family. If you keep the list on your computer, you can print out a new copy whenever you need it.

We suggest keeping picnic and camping items in large containers in the corner of your garage where you can grab them in a moment and be ready for an outing.

* Cooler

* Ice for cooler (we prefer those "blue ice" blocks that can be frozen in the freezer and reused)

* Eating and serving utensils

* Tablecloth or picnic blanket

* Cutting board and two sharp knives-a serrated knife for bread and a paring knife to cut vegetables and other foods

* Napkins and paper towels

* Cleaning wipes

* Moist washcloth in a zipper-type plastic bag

* Hand towel

* Seasonings (we keep a small plastic tub filled with seasonings plus salt and pepper)

* Sugar

* Condiments

* Vegetable oil for cooking

* Grill and propane or charcoal and fire starter

* Cooking pans and utensils

* Camping stove if you use one

* Drinking water

* Beverages

* A good book and family games with which to wait out a summer storm

* Repair kit (we keep a tiny repair kit with a strip of duct tape, a sewing kit, a small pocket knife, and a length of pliable wire)

* Matches

* Flashlight

* Can opener

* Insect repellant

* Sunscreen

* Calamine lotion

* First aid kit

* Roll of aluminum foil

* Trash bags for refuge

* Camera

* Bathing suit

* Folding chairs

* Map

Dennis Weaver is the general manager at The Prepared Pantry (http://www.preparedpantry.com) with recipes, ideas, and the best selection of mixes and ingredients. Visit the free Bakers' Library for more articles like this, free baking guides, and tested recipes.

---

Bacteria and Food-borne Diseases

Types of BacteriaBacteria are all around us, in the air, water, ground, on our skin and in our bodies. They are classified in a variety of ways,... Read More

Pyrex Mixing Bowls ? A Kitchen Favorite

Pyrex mixing bowls typically come in sets of 3 with a small, medium and large bowl that sits snuggly inside each other. Pyrex has been around for... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Beef

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked... Read More

Cooking Lobster at Home

Lobster has always be one of those extravagant meals which few people ever try because of the high cost. With restaurants paying thirty dollars a pound, by... Read More

Family Meal Planning Made Easy

As moms, we have hectic lives. Whether we work out of the home, in the home or look after the kids full time, we definitely have our... Read More

How to Grill Most Any Vegetable You Can Think Of!

Grilling vegetables is easy. The fact that more people don't do it is the strange thing. The general rule is to cut the vegetables into pieces that... Read More

Cookware ? Whats In It?

Have you ever wanted to buy new cookware but didn't know what kind to buy? There are many types of cookware from which to choose. The following... Read More

Ten Steps to Perfect Pasta

I'm amazed at how often I get e-mail from a disgruntled home cook, lamenting the fact that, once again, a dish of pasta has turned into a... Read More

Better Baking Technique: Is it Done Yet?

Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to come out of the oven yet?The ability to tell when products are baked seems to cause more... Read More

Make It With Mint

It wouldn't be summer without fresh mint in pots on the front porch and in the garden. Mint is so easy to grow, it has such a... Read More

Fine Tuning Bread Machine Mixes

Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were trying to help a customer whose bread did not rise enough. It seemed that he did everything right. Come... Read More

What is Gluten and Why does it Matter?

Gluten is a substance made up of the proteins found in wheat flour that gives bread its structure, strength, and texture. Without these marvelous little proteins, bread... Read More

Prepare the Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes that you enjoy at your favorite restaurant, but have no idea where to start to achieve that... Read More

10 Simple Ways To Safely Store Food

Storing foods can present its own set of problems. And different types of foods have different storage requirements to prevent bacteria from setting in. Here's some tips... Read More

Flax Seed Will Add A Little Extra Flavor To Your Recipes

Flax seed will add a pleasant nutty taste to any recipe. The attractive, round reddish-brown seeds of flax add flavor, extra texture and good nutrition to your... Read More

Cooking -- What You Need To Know

From ancient times till the nineteenth century cooking was basically a survival skill. The nineteenth century marked the division of cooking into two main categories.The two branches... Read More

Kitchenaid Stand Mixers ? A Kitchen Work Horse

Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and it is easy to see why. These stand mixers have stood the test of time and have... Read More

Save Time in the Kitchen - Cook Pasta the Way Restaurant Chefs Do

Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a dish of pasta to your table in about four minutes when you know it takes ten minutes... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 3 of 5) Seasoning Your New Wok

Seasoning is the most important thing you can do to your wok. Only carbon steel and iron woks need to be seasoned. The purpose of seasoning is... Read More

10 Smart Shopping Tips To Protect Your Family From Getting Sick

Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the supermarket. Here's how to start off safely.1. Pick up your packaged and canned foods first. Buy cans... Read More

Dutch Oven Cooking Basics

Pioneer CookingWhen you think of a cast iron Dutch oven, what comes to your mind? Pioneer cooking? Stews over the open fire?Of coarse both are true, but... Read More

The Noble Crescent Roll - How to Roll a Masterpiece

Ahhh?the noble crescent roll. In some forms it has its origins in the Middle East and in Europe. We know that during the 1600's crescent rolls of... Read More

Using Bread Machine Mixes in Your Oven

You don't have to own a bread machine to enjoy the variety of bread machine mixes. And you don't have to make blocky, square loaves with holes... Read More

Garlic: A Quick Guide

Garlic, there's nothing like the smell of garlic. It's great in soups and sauces, roasted with meats or on it's own, and it's wonderful mixed with butter... Read More

Rice Cookers - Perfect Rice Every Time

Love fluffy cooked rice but dislike the preparation time and clean up? Then rice cookers maybe just what you need. Today's rice cooker is a thrifty time... Read More

Homemade Whipped Cream

Most grocery stores carry cans of whipping cream ready to spray onto your favorite desert. Some of these cans even come in chocolate flavor. But, instead of... Read More