Taking advantage of the great outdoors during summer is a great way to be frugal. Why go out for lunch or dinner when you can pack your own meal and have a great outing in the sunshine for essentially free. Whether you’re looking for frugal date ideas or summer fun for the family, a picnic is the perfect solution.

Now, in order to have the perfect picnic, you certainly can’t go unprepared. There are factors, such as location, food and activities, can make or break your outing. Here are some of my best ideas for making your picnic one to remember on the cheap, and an event that you’d like to repeat over and over again while the weather holds up!

Where to Have Your Picnic:

• A local park
• Your own backyard
• The beach
• Botanical gardens
• Along a lake or river
• In an open meadow
• A National Park
• On a rooftop (if it’s allow, of course!)

What to Bring:

• An Old Tablecloth: as you Tip Heroes know, uses for old tablecloths pretty much endless. Why not use one to spread your picnic out on? It will work even better if your tablecloth is waterproof. Then you need not worry about spills!
• Small Cooler with Ice Packs: don’t have your own reusable ice packs? That’s ok – you can easily make your own.
• Can Cooler: if you plan on staying out in the sun for a while, you’ll need a way to keep your drinks cold. Try making this simple can cooler to solve the problem.
• Sunscreen: you won’t be thrilled that you spent all day in the sun if all you have to show for it is an obnoxious sunburn afterward. Make sure to lather on that sun block, and bring more just in case you need to reapply. Check out this Tip Hero’s suggestion for getting cheaper sunscreen.
• A Basket With All the Necessities: make sure you bring everything you’ll need to help you enjoy your food! Things like forks, knives, spoons, straws, can openers, wine openers, napkins, cups etc. will most likely be needed.
• Bug Repellent: nothing quite kills a picnic like an unexpected mosquito, fly or ant attack. Mix up your own repellent and bring it along.
• Plastic Grocery Bag: clean up in a cinch by having a ready-made trash bag on hand. Throw all your trash in here after your picnic for a quick and hassle-free cleanup.

What to Prepare/Eat:

Picnics are a great way to use up last night’s leftovers. For example, if you plan ahead, you can have some kind of chicken dish the night before. Then use the leftover chicken to top a salad you bring on your picnic. How about using last night’s bread as croutons for the salad as well?

Another great snack idea for picnics is using summer veggies, like carrots or cucumbers, to dip into a simple homemade spread or dip.

Here are some other recipe ideas for you to play with:

• Linda’s Mom’s Potato Salad: Linda of Busy Cooks at About.com raves that this is the best potato salad recipe ever and is a must-have for any picnic or barbecue.
• Super Easy Fruit Salad: seasonal fruits are a must for any picnic, and fruit salad makes transporting and eating fruit super easy. Try this recipe that calls for summer fruits such as strawberries, grapes, kiwi and bananas.
• Cold Tuna Macaroni Salad: this recipe only takes a half hour to prepare and cook. Make it ahead of time and refrigerate it for at least an hour before your picnic.
• Fresh Tomato Salad: this great summer salad features tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and herbs that you could pick from your garden.
• Egg Salad Sandwiches: try this frugal recipe for a cheap main dish for your picnic. 6 eggs, lemon juice, salt and pepper, chives, 2 handfuls of lettuce and celery make enough for 4 sandwiches.
• Mix Up Your Own Lemonade: mix up a creative twist on lemonade on the cheap for your special occasion.

What to Do:

• Bring some music to listen to. If you have a smartphone of some sort, you can simply use the Pandora app and have a ready-made soundtrack for your picnic. If not, a simple radio or boom box will do!
• A deck of cards can provide hours of entertainment. Do a quick search for card games online before you leave if you need some ideas.
• Fly a kite! Better yet, make your own kite and then bring it along on your picnic.
• Bring along a Frisbee or a baseball and play some catch.
• If you’re near water, bring your bathing suit so you can take a nice afternoon dip.
• Take your favorite board game and start a little friendly competition.
• People-watch. But be discreet.

What are some of your best picnicking tips? Please share your ideas in the comments section below. Thanks for being a Tip Hero!

Additional Source: Hot Date Ideas, Frugal Family Fun Blog, College Candy

Photo credit: stevendepolo