This weekend we have had some lovely weather and it has turned our thoughts to outdoor eating which is actually quite a rarity here at Baskets Galore HQ. As you have seen from previous blogs, it was Andrea's birthday on Saturday and we had a family BBQ in the garden- the first, but hopefully not the only one, of the year. For eating out further afield you would, of course, require a picnic and I was thinking of what would be nice in a Picnic Basket. When BasketsGalore first started out Lynne, Neil & I used to attend markets and car boot sales and one of the items we sold, alongside baskets, was a picnic BLANKET, not picnic basket. It's funny cos all of us now carry one of these blankets around in our car boots, and Andrea has used hers quite a few times lately.We didn't end up going down the route of the picnic basket or hamper (as in those with plastic plates, cups and cutlery or picnic blankets) once we moved online,  as it transpired that people often didn't see the value of these items when received as a gift. We decided it was better if we supplied the goods they could take on a picnic (instead of the picnic basket itself) but would be equally enjoyable for non-picnics, as lets face it how often do we actually get the weather to enjoy outdoor eating in the UK & Ireland.So back to what is good for a picnic? I decided to concentrate on food as we tend to use a big cool bag when out in the car.First I thought about a family picnic when going for a day trip somewhere.  A flask of tea, or coffee, or in our case one of each would be necessary together with lemonade for the little ones. Drinks sorted then what about some assorted fruit, muffins, cakes, tray-bakes, shortbread, and some chocolate treats. (Sandwiches did you think- boring!)An alternative to this would be a more grown up kind of picnic.  It begins with a couple of bottles of Sparkling wine, followed by some chocolates, cherries for dipping into some delicious chocolate sauce, perhaps some posh sweet potato crisps and some cheese and crackers or smoked salmon/cured meats to finish while you relax with a bunch of grapes. Just don't forget the cork-screw!Picnic Basket On rugWhat could you not do without if you went on a picnic?Some examples of Picnic Themed Gift Baskets would be Cheesy Sunshine £39.99, Sparkling Fruit £49.99, Brunch Basket £64.99, Sparkling Delight £66.99, Sparkling Baked Wishes £69.99 and Artisan Deli £86.99