Stylish picnic essentials: our top 10 small business picnic treats for 2024

Living Creatively

By Holly Tucker

1ST MAY 2024

Time for some stylish picnic must-haves to make the most of summer? Well, it is almost Pimms o’clock! Here are some of my favourite small business picnic finds for 2024 to encourage leisurely afternoons spent with those you love.

Stylish picnic essentials: what do you need on a picnic?

My perfect picnic involves good friends / family, a lovely setting, decent weather (nothing lifts the spirits like a sunny day in Richmond Park!), something comfortable to sit on, delicious food (preferably involving Monster Munch) and potentially a drink or two (!). If we only have 29,000 days on the planet, I most definitely plan on making the most of mine this summer. Care to join me?

What to consider when choosing picnic essentials

The truth is you don’t need much to have a good time (and see my Picnicware & Outdoor Dining Collection for more ideas here) — but the odd stylish picnic essential just makes it all the lovelier and elevates an everyday picnic into a memorable event. You’ll want to pick items that are light yet beautiful, make the food or drink look delicious (but yet be practical enough to transport), and of course, you’ll need something wonderful to carry it all in. So let’s have a look at some ‘chic and functional’ picnic must-haves for 2024.

Our top stylish picnic essentials

Set Of 6 Embroidered Food Proverb Napkins

SEE + QUIN, £65

Now I ask you, what kind of philistine would expect to host a stylish picnic without napkins (lol)?! If they happen to have colourful food proverbs embroidered on them, all the better.

Bill and Ben Ladybird ceramic straw seen in cup of juice.

Ceramic Ladybird Drinking Straws

Bill & Ben's Occasional Emporium, From £8.45

Reusable straws are always handy to have for picnics but just look at these! If you’re going to get some, you might as well choose ones you’ll bring out year after year for outings like these, garden dinners or just those summer G&Ts!

Bright Vintage Inspired Cutlery Set

Merry + Brite, £54

Why have disposable cutlery when you could repurpose the good stuff? This colourful, vintage-inspired set will bring a cheery pop of colour to any picnic proceedings, can be used at home too and the resin handles mean they’re even light to carry.

The Picnic Basket Of Dreams

Alex And Annie, £85

Beautiful picnic baskets are a must in my book. These ones are designed to help us slow down and enjoy life. They’re insulated to keep picnics cool and the lid, rather cleverly, doubles up as a cheeseboard — perfect for long, lazy afternoons.

2 slices of bruschetta sat on a beige, oval plate with the word 'alfresco' stamped around the edge

'Alfresco' Ceramic Brunch Plate

Teppi, £28.95

And how about a reminder not to sit indoors eating when we could all be outside? I love this handmade speckled stoneware plate — just perfect for picnics.

Bag Shaped Serving Board

Artshed Brighton, £95

Or if you want something else to serve your food on that’s equally unique, how about this bag shaped serving board? It’s beautifully made using Yakisugi (the Japanese technique of colouring, sealing and preserving wood) — gorgeous.

Chocolate Slugs

The Edible Museum, £23.95

Now ‘Mischief’ is sometimes Auntie Holly’s middle name, but what picnic wouldn’t be made more memorable by inviting along a few special guests? My niece adores these chocolate slugs (and so do I).

Chilled Out Woven Cotton Throw

Denim and Bone, £150

Looking for a long-lasting picnic blanket? Here’s all the excuse you need to buy one of Denim And Bone’s incredible ‘Chilled Out’ rugs. It doubles up as a bedspread, throw or wall art and is (rather handily) machine washable.

Hepple Douglas Fir Vodka

The Hepple Spirits Company, £35

Now booze is not a stylish picnic essential per se (apparently!) but when you see beautiful bottles like these in individual miniatures of artisan gin, well, one must wonder. Plus with notes of green juniper, Douglas fir needles, bog myrtle, lovage and blackcurrant leaves, it’s surely made to be enjoyed outdoors?!

The Garden Tote Bag

The Jacksons, £104.50

And finally, if you’re not opting for a basket, you’re going to need something to carry it all in. These gorgeous yet practical bags are made from strong, sustainable jute, by talented handicraft women in rural Bangladesh, which helps support financial independence and strengthens their role in society.

The best picnic essentials for the very best picnics

Anything that has as much style as it does purpose is a win/win in my book, and these picnic items are second to none! If you want to discover more inspiration for the great outdoors (or even the great indoors!), try our Home & Garden Department.

3 quick picnicware FAQs

1. What should I have for a picnic?

That’s the beauty of it — you can take anything you like depending on what you prefer. Personally, I love new takes on the old classics from scotch eggs to quiches, but not being one to cook, it’s usually whatever Frank rustles up! As long as you’ve got something cold to drink and some nice crisps or bar snacks, you’ll be fine.

2. What are some tips for a perfect picnic setup?

Don’t forget a blanket (or serving boards for the food), find a nice spot and always, always clean up after yourself. Some people love to take games or music along but for me, the real treat is chatting to those I love (and laying everything out beautifully so it looks inviting!).

3. Are there any trendy picnic themes for 2024?

If there are, I’d be tempted to ignore them. I think the best picnics are those that are personal to you. Whatever you end up doing, I hope you thoroughly enjoy it. Shall we all aim to do a few more of them this year?

Author’s bio

Holly Tucker MBE, is the founder of notonthehighstreet and Holly & Co — a highly curated small business marketplace, where 95% of the small businesses are female founded.

Having championed entrepreneurship across the UK for more than 20 years, had a Sunday Times bestselling business book Do What You Love and the award-winning podcast Conversations of Inspiration, Holly passionately believes in living creatively and that anyone can build a business doing what they love.