Nadine Silverthorne

As I mentioned last week, I am married to someone who loves being outdoors. This means my psychotic need to schedule in naps and lunch time will often need to be rejigged a bit to fit a proper outing for family time. So a stroller for naps on the go and a soft cooler full of drinks and snacks are a must on the weekends.

Thankfully, I've gotten this eating on the go thing down. Much like my camping list, my packing list for a day at the beach, the zoo or a super long stroll anywhere usually includes a combination of any of these items: (Ed. note: I don't take ALL of these items. I think I have frightened my colleagues by not making that abundantly clear. Feel free to pick and choose from the list. I find these pack the best.)

Beverages

• Milk. Having kids under age five usually means you can't go out for very long without needing milk. So I pack a large insulated cup (will stay cold from 3-5 hours) to take along.
• Arthur's Smoothies. I just discovered these recently and I am quite impressed with the healthy contents and the great taste. I pour the smoothie into a stainless steel bottle and freeze it. This helps keep perishables in the soft cooler cold, but it also makes the juice that much more refreshing.
• Water. And yet another stainless bottle comes with us -- I'm building muscles without trying very hard.
• Juice boxes. Again, freeze and bring along in the cooler.
• Tomato juice. Those petite cans are perfect for travelling and my kids get some veggie content too, though the sodium content tends to be high (27%).

Snacks

• Goldfish crackers. (a.k.a. Crack Crackers) What family with young kids can living without this invention? Again, sodium is an issue, so proceed with caution and lots of water to wash it down.
• Granola bars. I like the PC brand ones -- their nutritional value is slightly better than their competitors.
• Dry Cheerios. See Goldfish Crackers.
• Olives. Again, salty, but nutrition content is quite good. If your kids don't like them, they make a great snack for mom.
• Carrot sticks
  
• Celery sticks
• Cherry or grape tomatoes. Slice in half for kids under 4 to prevent choking.
• Cheese, cut into cubes
• Frozen berries
• Fruit, preferably cut up in advance for ease.

Sandwiches (the key is to pick ones that have good adherence for less mess)

• PBJ. It's simple and a timeless crowd pleaser, provided your kids aren't allergic. If going to a public place, consider making something else or make sure to dispose of scraps and trash properly.
• Hummous and Cucumber Wraps. Spread hummous on a tortilla or wrap,  and then cover with a strip of thinly sliced cucumber discs. Wrap and slice into sushi size bites.
• Ants on a raft. Spread cream cheese over white or light rye bread. Sprinkle with raisins, cover with another slice of bread and then cut into cubes.
• Mango and Shrimp Quesadillas. Quesadillas can be eaten cold or at room temperature. Make them in advance and serve in triangles. I've adapted an old Amy Rosen recipe to be more mom and kid-friendly (Read: Not a lot of time and no jalapenos). Sprinkle a tortilla with Monterey Jack cheese, then lay frozen cooked shrimp over it (like you would top a pizza) and diced mango. Heat until cheese starts to look melty, fold in half and then cut into triangles with a pizza cutter.

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Five picnic essentials	Summer Activity Guide	Picnic baskets on SweetHome