Outdoor activities are starting to become more appealing.  Free festivals, concerts and baseball games are re-emerging as part of the social scene. What to do about food?

Good question. If you are going somewhere and you don’t want to have to be bogged down by a lot of containers then you might want to purchase food and a beverage. But if you do a couple of free things a week, then you will definitely hurt your budget.

Planning to bring portable food is a really simple way of keeping your finances in check. Even when you go to the baseball game, if you bring your own bottle of water purchased at a convenience store it will be half the price of buying it in the park. A little known fact is that some ball parks will let you bring in your own food if it is in a clear container/wrapping. To me, that defeats the purpose of going to a baseball game – but I will bring my own water since a 20 ounce bottle of water is $4.

Depending on the venue or event, there may be several food offerings or just one. Make your own food to take. Since outdoor concerts are special – even if you go once or twice a month – make your food special. Buy a favorite type of deli meat and a special roll add your favorite condiments and wrap in waxed paper. Like fruit – many berries are available inexpensively and easy to eat without utensils – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Put some chips or raw crunchy veggies in a bag and you have an instant side.

Container? You might want to take a picnic basket which can double as a tabletop if you are sitting on the ground. Or you may just want to use an insulated bag. If you want to keep hot things hot, put them in an insulated bag. Freeze a bottle of water to keep the cool things cool. Any old bag will do, really.  For messier foods, or anything that might spill, you may do better using a picnic basket or picnic backpack.

Depending on how long your food will be out, you might want to avoid bringing things that need to be refrigerated unless you have a cool pack in your bag.  Bottled water or your own container if there are no restrictions at the venue you are going to makes it easy to take your own beverage. Some places discourage wine or other alcohol in public parks, so for easy to clean mess, bottled water works well.

Let’s say you are going with friends and each of you wants to have something to share – make an extra sandwich, cut up a melon mix with other fruit and put it in a container. Very easy way have something sweet. Need ideas? A picnic doesn’t necessarily mean you have to take the whole house with you, this can be something easy to carry, and easy to clean up. Stuck for ideas?  Try these suggestions by Mark Bittman or the Picnic Site.