DIY Southern Picnic Boxes

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The perfect Southern Picnic Boxes – Easy, Beautiful and Tasty!  DIY your way to picnic perfection this summer!

Have you created your summer bucket list yet?   The night before school got out (just a two short weeks ago – but, seems like forever ago, doesn’t it?) we came up with ours:  Firefly catching, sandcastle building, rainy-day movie watching, and big time pool playing.  Oh, and picnics.  Lots and lots of picnics.

My kids would prefer that we eat all meals outside on a picnic blanket, were that possible.  And it would be, except that we have this little crawling critter (James) that lives with us and whose primary purpose in life is to destroy all picnics.

We can’t make every meal a picnic.  But, I can make the picnics we do get to have special.  But easy.  Always easy.  With three kids, you gotta push the easy button at every opportunity.

Here’s my Picnic “Easy Button” Process:

Step 1: Something Savory – Hit up the Walmart Deli for some fried chicken done right.  And priced right too.  From small picnics to large bashes, you’ll be able to get enough chicken to feed your crew.

Step 2: Something Sweet – Fresh fruit with a little homemade dressing.  My favorite way to dress up fruit?  My own Citrus Honey Vinaigrette.

A squeeze of fresh orange juice, a drizzle of honey.  A dash of rosemary from the garden.  A drizzle of olive oil and just a wee pinch of salt.  Whisk it up and pour it over summer berries.  My favorite combo is strawberries and raspberries.  Simple and perfect.

Step 3:  Something Salty – does it get any better than classic Lay’s? Nope.

Step 4: A sweet reward – I found these little pecan pie beauties at Walmart and thought they’d make the perfect little portable sweet treats for our picnic boxes.

Step 5: Southern Sippers – Half lemonade. Half Sweet Tea.  It’s what summer was made for.

Finally, if you’re so inclined, it’s time to pretty up the picnic boxes!  I found these small cake boxes at the craft store.  Layered with tissue paper and decorated on the outside (let each kid decorate their own if you like for a little extra craft time), and they are perfectly cute and oh-so portable!

VOILA!

A picnic to remember.

It’s as simple as that –  the ingredients for the perfect picnic starts with a quick stop to the Walmart deli!  Where will you be picnicking this summer?