5 Reasons an Autumn Picnic May Be Better Than a Summer Picnic

the park where we had our picnic

When we think of a picnic, we often think of a summer experience. But today, I'm here to tell you why an autumn picnic may be better than a summer one.

Our after-church big meal of the day on Sunday was a picnic in the park, literally a picnic in the park. My daughters put together all of the food for us.  They made sandwiches, cut up apples into wedges and carrots into sticks, made a tasty batch of caramel popcorn, and brewed some spiced tea to bring. I grabbed a couple of fleece blankets, and we were on our way.

. . . and looking the other direction 

There were several aspects of the day that stood out to me. Here are my top 5 reasons an autumn picnic could be better than a summer one:

Weather For the Body: Early autumn can be a beautiful time of year, with lovely warm days -- no extreme heat to deal with and perhaps fewer biting or stinging insects out and about. I think it's a lot easier to put on a sweater or a jacket in fall than it is to strip down to a tank top and super short shorts in the heat of summer. And if the grass has any dew on it, a fleece blanket does a good job of not wicking the moisture up to your clothing.

Weather For the Foods: It's a whole lot easier to keep a picnic cooler cool when the air temps have cooled in autumn. We didn't even need a cooler for the fruit and vegetable part of our meal.

Crowds: Parks are not nearly as crowded in early autumn as they are in peak summer. We had an entire section of the park all to ourselves on Sunday. And when we decided to walk the trails, we could just enjoy the scenery at our own pace and not feel like we had to get out of someone else's way.

Beauty of Color Changes: The leaves are just now changing in my area. Not all of the deciduous trees had changed color, but a good many had.

Experience the Last Blast of Fair-Weather Outdoor Activity: In just a few short weeks, the days will be so much shorter with dew on the grass lasting most of the day, and the trails will become muddy. The rains will return, and picnics will become a thing of dreams for us. 

So now that I've established why I prefer an autumn picnic to a summer one, what are some ideas for a meal to pack with minimal effort? In case you don't have a couple of daughters around who will put together a picnic for the family, here are other options.

How To Make the Food Part Easy

• Sandwiches with fruit and raw veggies you have at home.
• Pick up fried chicken from the deli at the supermarket on your way to your destination, along with bringing fruit and veggies from home.
• Leftovers! Whatever leftovers you have on hand, reheat if necessary, then wrap them in foil and place in an insulated bag, or turn leftovers into a salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Bring crackers or thick slices of bread with butter.
• If there are bbq facilities at your destination park, bring hot dogs and buns plus sides of fresh fruit and raw veggies from home.

That's what came to mind for me. What would you bring on an autumn picnic to make the preparations easy?