Entertaining Good Times, Good Food What to Pack for a Romantic Picnic for Two By Aly Walansky Aly Walansky Aly Walansky is a New York City-based lifestyle, food, and travel journalist with twenty years of experience covering budget cooking, food news, and culinary travel for various digital publications. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on July 7, 2021 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Meredith Picnics in the park have always been popular for date night, but as gathering al fresco is more popular than ever, picnic dates are certain to be having their moment this summer. Whether enjoying wine and cheese or coffee and bagels, having all the necessary accessories is sure to help set the mood. Here, we have gathered picnic essentials for a date in the grass (or at a concert venue, in the outfield, or on a park bench). If you're looking to spoil your significant other with a sweet outdoor picnic or you just want to change up dinner plans one night, everything you need for a wonderful time is here. We've pulled gear — you can't picnic without a blanket — as well as nibbles and drinks you can order right to your front door. Want to cook something special? Check our our collection of 15 easy picnic recipes to enjoy all summer long. The Gear No picnic is possible without some essentials like a basket, a blanket, and even a game or two. These picnic essentials will keep everyone dry and comfortable, and will make serving wine and snacks easier and cleaner. Wine Tumbler Amazon Buy Now An important part of any picnic is the beverages. Keep your wine chilled and fresh with these stemless insulated wine tumblers. They can maintain the temperature of any drink for hours, whether or not those hours involve a few refills. Buy It: $20; Amazon Related: 8 Insulated Wine Tumblers Guaranteed to Keep Your Drinks Cold and Hands Dry Picnic Blanket Amazon Buy Now Planning to picnic and then take in an outdoor concert or movie? Those nights may get a bit chilly as the sun starts to go down. These blankets are extra long and have an adorable foot pocket. Perfect for snuggling! Buy It: $50; Amazon Insulated Bottle Amazon Buy Now Tumblers keep drinks chilled once poured, but this water bottle keeps the wine or cocktail chilled before it's ready to serve. Complete with positive energy quotes from superstar Zendaya, this 17-ounce, double-walled stainless steel water bottle can be used for water, cocktails, wine, or even coffee. Buy It: $35; Amazon Adventure Blanket Amazon Buy Now What makes this picnic blanket unique is that it's also a travel pillow, sleeping bag, or even a poncho. So use it as a table when it's time to lay out the food, but you may also need it as a sleeping bag later if the picnic turns into a camping trip, or a poncho if the weather goes south. Buy It: $80; Amazon Bug Spray Amazon Buy Now Mosquitos in your face can put a damper on the evening, fast. Keep pests at bay without any aggressive bug repellent smell hanging in the air with this natural repellent made of lemon and eucalyptus. Buy It: $10; Amazon Picnic Basket Amazon Buy Now Perhaps it feels a bit obvious, but what really is a picnic without a basket? Use this to store your various cutlery, snacks, and even items like sunglasses and romantic accompaniments like candles or a flower. Buy It: $45; Amazon Related: The 10 Best Picnic Baskets, According to Thousands of Reviews Waterproof Cooler Nordstrom Buy Now Ideal if the picnic is part of a camping or hiking afternoon, this cooler will keep your snacks and beverages cool — but also be easy to carry with you from one location to another. Buy It: $115; Nordstrom Ice Pack Walmart Buy Now Toss a few of these ice packs in the cooler or picnic basket and they'll make sure that fruit and cheese stays cool, even on a sweltering day. Buy It: $1; Walmart Bottle Opener Walmart Buy Now Whether you plan on opening wine bottles or needing a cap removed from a bottle of beer, this is an important asset for keeping those beverages accessible throughout the picnic. Buy It: $6; Walmart Sunscreen Target Buy Now The last thing you want in love is to get burned — by your date or by the sun! It's a good idea to keep sunscreen handy and reapply often while having an outdoor date. This 100 percent sheer mineral sunscreen blends well and offers Broad Spectrum SPF 30 protection against both UVA and UVB. Buy It: $20; Target Lip Balm Amazon Buy Now It is a date, after all. You'll be out in the sometimes dry, windy air, snacking and drinking. A quality lip balm keeps lips smooth and kissable. These taste delicious, with ingredients like Manuka honey and coconut. Buy It: $15/pack of 4; Amazon Golf Umbrella Amazon Buy Now Whether you are at the beach, park, or even the golf course, this UV protection umbrella will keep you protected from the sun and its harmful rays as you enjoy your time together. It also may keep the wind from blowing away all your yummy snacks. Buy It: $39; Amazon The Snacks A romantic picnic is as successful as its snacks are delicious. You can certainly make sandwiches, salads, or a few wraps to split, but if you're eyeing something a bit easier for your rendezvous, go ahead and order up one of these snack kits or the pieces of a DIY snack tray. How to Make the Ultimate Crowd-Pleasing Snack Boards Cheese Sampler Amazon Buy Now What's a picnic spread without cheese? This sampler contains four pounds of gourmet cheese, ranging from Brie or horseradish Cheddar to Gouda and Manchego. The cheeses are vacuum sealed for freshness, so they'll taste exactly how they are meant to when you open them up. Buy It: $80; Amazon Italian Charcuterie Amazon Buy Now Few things say "romantic" like sharing authentic Italian charcuterie on a picnic date. This sampler includes hard salami, spicy Abruzzese, and delicate salami Milano, perfect for pairing with other nibbles like crusty bread or delicate cheese. Buy It: $21; Amazon Crunchy Chickpeas Amazon Buy Now These oh-so-tasty chickpeas offer a perfect crunch factor when snacking. They feels a touch more elegant than pretzels or chips, too. It's all about the ambiance, after all. Buy It: starts at $4; Amazon Dried Fruit Amazon Buy Now Dried fruit can pair beautifully with charcuterie or cheese, and offer a sweet and tart accompaniment to the evening. Buy It: $23/40-ounce pack; Amazon The Drinks Snacks without drinks is like love without hugs. It's not a great idea for anyone, so go ahead and grab a few bottles of the bubbly or brew that you know the two of you will enjoy sipping all afternoon. Not a fan of wine, beer, or canned drinks? You can shake up a few cocktails (pour them right into the insulated bottle for chilled keeping) instead of trying to make them at the picnic itself. That can get messy quickly. A Bottle of Bubbles Wine.com Buy Now This Champagne house was founded through a love story (the marriage of Nicolas Francois Billecart & Elisabeth Salmon). What better bubbles to toast to your own love? Buy It: $80; Wine.com Canned Spirits Drizly Buy Now Canned cocktails feel like adult boxed drinks, and these come in fun flavors like Margarita. No need to bring multiple bottles of liquor and mixers — just chill and go! Buy It: from $13.19/4-pack; Drizly Dessert Wine Wine.com Buy Now While often used in aperitifs and spritz-type cocktails, this white wine, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes, also makes a beautiful sweet dessert wine to finish off a perfect evening. Buy It: $18; Wine.com The Music A perfect idea for setting the mood is to come equipped with a playlist of romantic tunes to play (with respect as to volume if there's nearby people in the park!). There's even a Romantic Picnic Date jazz playlist that already exists on Spotify! Listen Now: Spotify 10 Tips for Packing the Ultimate Summer Picnic Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit