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Picnics are great fun and planning on having a picnic at the beach is a great way to spend time with your kids this summer. Gather a few friends or family members with their kids to make it a really fun occassion. When planning however, make sure you have everything you need.
1. Choose your picnic area wisely. It's better to be back up the beach than to have to suddenly jump up and move everything because you are too close to the incoming tide.
2. Be sure to prepare the area before you start laying out your beach blankets, towels etc. Remove all rocks, seaweed, rubbish which may have accumulated there before you begin.
3. When packing your picnic lunch try to avoid salty snacks. The combination of sun, salty ocean and general running around is dehydrating enough without adding in salty snack food as well. If you insist on doing so make sure there are also plenty of drinks on hand as well in addition to the number you would have packed anyway.
4. Avoid food which spoils easily or will become mushy. Mayonnaise on sandwiches should be avoided and any pickles, spreads, ketchup and relishes should be applied at the time of consumption. If possible, pick up some of those restaurant-style packets of ketchup etc. to minimise on the bulkiness of your cooler.
5. Always use a cooler to pack your food in as food spoils quickly in the hot temperatures you will (hopefully!) be experiencing at the beach. A cooler with wheels is a big bonus when you have a lot of people as no one wants to be lugging around a large heavy cooler in hot temperatures.
6. Pack plenty of snacks as well as the main picnic lunch as people are bound to get hungry both before and after the picnic. Light fruit and vegetable snacks are great here as they keep well are are non-salty.
7. Don't forget the beach blankets and beach towels to prepare your picnic area.
8. Shade is a necessity with a beach picnic. Make sure you pack enough portable beach umbrellas to provide shade for everyone, something which shouldn't be a problem if everyone brings their own.
9. Paper plates and plastic cups are great for picnics but beaches can be breezy places so try not to let them blow all over the beach. Heavier plastic plates and cups like those found in good quality picnic baskets might be a better bet. Especially avoid glass bottles and glasses as these become a hazard if they become accidentally buried or carelessly left behind.
10. Whichever you choose, ensure you leave your picnic area the way you found it. Clear up all your litter, including food regardless of whether you think the seagulls might like it, so as to preserve the beach for the next people who come along.
11. Use some beach etiquette to avoid causing a nuisance to other beach users.
12. Planning a big beach party? Check to make sure this is legal as many beaches are owned by local government and may have restrictions against large parties on the beach. Always check first to avoid disappointment.
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