Picnic Time!

The term 'alfresco dining' generally brings to mind cities like Rome, with our mind conjuring images of cobbled streets lined with cafes, or a meal in a quaint outdoor restaurant on the Amalfi coast. However this summer, alfresco dining is no longer limited to the Mediterranean but has instead taken centre stage all around the world and so we've put together a list of essentials to ensure you have the ultimate outdoor dining experience.

Whether enjoying a garden party with your friends, a beach picnic with your family, or (another) walk in the park, here is the perfect starter kit to get you ready for a summer of dining outdoors:

1. Reusable Cutlery and Cups

While it can be tempting to buy disposable plates and cutlery, why not try our sustainable bamboo range? Designed by the artist Angels Romero in conjunction with IRIS, the Bali collection consists of a picnic bag with a bottle holder, a 750ml stainless steels flask with a bamboo lid, and a bamboo cutlery set with a cotton cover, among other things. We may not be able to go abroad at the moment but IRIS's new Bali collection fills the tropical paradise hole in our lives!

2. Bottles

Another new release from IRIS, the Fruit Colours Collection has landed in store just in time for summer. With a 750ml capacity and a guaranteed 9 hour thermal reach for hot drinks and 15 hours for cold, these stainless steel bottles are the perfect addition to your picnic basket! And you can choose whether to match your bottle with the colour coordinating snack bag or mix and match for a more eye-catching effect, leaving you both sustainable and stylish.

3. Insulated Picnic Bag

While traditional woven picnic baskets are cute, these insulated and collapsible picnic baskets are far more practical - and, in our opinion, more modern. With the ability to keep your food or drinks cold for up to 12 hours, these baskets will ensure your food remains tasty and fresh no matter where you go, making them an essential element of your outdoor summer.

4. Food Cover

A food cover may not be the most exciting or aesthetically pleasing item on our list, but it certainly is an essential. Whether picnicking by the beach or eating in your own garden, it's important to protect your food from sand and flies during the summer months. We recommend this collapsible food cover from KitchenCraft: it's easy to store, comes in multiple sizes, and easy to clean - simply wipe it down after you use it!

Now that we've covered the picnic basket basics, here's some of our most popular products to elevate your picnic game to the next level and provide your friends and family with memories to last a life-time.

5. Barbecue's

While there's no better way to enjoy the outdoors than a barbecue with your family and friends, finding the space for a barbecue is often an issue, particularly when it may only be of use a few months a year. That's why we recommend these BergHOFF table barbecues, perfectly sized so as to feed 4-6 people comfortably! The Ceramic BBQ (left) is 40cm tall with a 33.5 cm grilling surface, and the White Portable Tabletop Grill (right) is 8.3 inches high with a 13.75 diameter and adjustable straps which make it easily portable and perfect for beach and park picnics.

6. Outdoor Pizza Oven

Can't travel to Italy? Bring Italy to you and take your BBQ game to the next level with this Camp Chef outdoor pizza oven. At 19 inches in height and 31 inches in diameter, this pizza oven is the perfect fit for your table and will provide a lot of fun for the family! Pair it with this Italian Pizza Serving Set to really impress your guests and make the most of your dining experience.

7. Glass tableware

Though glass may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of picnics, these drink dispensers are an ideal way of keeping refreshed during the hot summer days. Perfect for garden parties and barbecues, this dispenser looks amazing and can be filled with any drink of your choice - we recommend sangria!