How to Plan a Memorial Day Picnic Menu
In recent years, Memorial Day weekend has become popular for retail sales. Another popular pastime for Memorial Day is hosting picnics. Whether you choose to hold your picnic on Memorial Day or sometime over the preceding weekend, you should plan your menu carefully based on both convenience and tradition.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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Choose Items for Your Memorial Day Picnic Menu
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Find out if your guests have any dietary restrictions. Some of your guests may be allergic to some foods like peanuts and shellfish, while others might be vegetarian or vegan. You should make sure that you have options on your picnic menu for these guests.
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Consider adding healthy items to your Memorial Day picnic menu. Many Americans are concerned with their weight and their health, preferring items that improve their overall health or have a lower fat content. You may want to include items such as potato salad made with reduced-fat mayonnaise or sandwiches served on whole grain or wheat bread.
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Offer your guests a variety of beverages. Plan on offering a combination of water, juices, sports drinks, sodas, beer and wine that complements the food on your Memorial Day picnic menu. When selecting beverages for your picnic menu, you should consider both your guests and the activities in which they may be participating.
Select a Vendor for Memorial Day Picnic Items
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Decide which, if any, of the food for your Memorial Day picnic you will prepare on your own. You may want to prepare a dish that is your specialty. You can save time, however, by purchasing menu items that have been prepared by a caterer or grocery store.
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Compare the selection of picnic foods offered by different grocery stores in your area. You may also have cafes and specialty stores that can prepare picnic baskets for you. You can save time by purchasing your menu items from a single vendor.
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Place the order for your Memorial Day picnic at least a few days in advance. This will prevent you from scrambling at the last minute to assemble your menu.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure that you pack bottle openers or corkscrews if you will need them to open any of the beverages on your Memorial Day picnic menu.
If you plan on serving alcoholic beverages at your picnic, be sure that you are permitted to do so. You can incur fines if you serve alcohol in locations where it is not allowed.
