Issue #2 - Why I ♡ an indoor picnic

this is an easy-breezy approach to dinner to dial down the humdrum and dial up the enjoyment factor of feeding the masses for the night.

Jan 06, 2023

This is a free post for all subscribers. If you enjoy it, help me spread the word about the newsletter by sharing it. If you’re able to become a paid subscriber (for around £1.50 per week), you’ll get access to extra content + you’ll be able to comment on posts and join in the conversation.

Hello lovely people,

It's good to be here again. How has the week been treating you? ♡

What are your thoughts on indoor picnics? Did you even realise that indoor picnics are a thing? It's not that I don't love a proper, fresh air, 'in nature' outdoor picnic. When the weather's good, when I'm wearing the right quantity of clothes (ie not too hot, not too cold) and when I've got something decent to sit on (Me? High Maintenance? Not a chance ...) then I am a proper outdoor, picnic blanket, great outdoors, embrace the insects kind of girl.

But what I love EVEN more than an outdoor picnic is an INDOOR picnic. Let me explain ... ♡

For me, an indoor picnic is code for a casual dinner, for food relaxation, where nobody needs to cook or travel to the perfect picnic spot. There is no need to have one eye on the weather and there is no requirement for food that packs up well.

At the very least, it may involve a sprint around the M&S Food Hall (or similar) and it certainly only involves an oven for warming purposes, definitely not for anything that requires culinary effort or cooking from scratch. It lends itself to spontaneity and the aim is for dinner to be the equivalent of a virtual exhale. Sounding good? You might call it 'Snack Night', it might be your 'Picky Bits' (this guy on TikTok makes me laugh so much!) but whatever its name, this is an easy-breezy approach to dinner to dial down the humdrum and dial up the enjoyment factor of feeding the masses for the night.

It’s really easy to share this newsletter - and you might just make someone’s day ♡

It could be an 'end of the week' thing
Perhaps it's a celebration of a special moment
Maybe it's a good way to cheer up the mood after a disappointment
It's my go-to when I/we have just run out of energy and need a bit of TLC

I do think you just know when it's time ...

The aim is for dinner to feel a little special but in a casual way, so letting go of your 'normal' dinner trappings feels important.

Changing the location - If we are in a phase of always eating around the dinner table, then laying out dinner on the coffee table and in front of the TV works. Vice versa also applies. Beware of the temptation to lay out the food on a blanket on the floor if you have pets - been there, done that and the roast chicken didn't survive.
Help yourself - Everyone choosing what they want and filling their own plates is a big part of the mood - especially fun for the younger ones amongst us ♡
Loosen up - It's not the time for 'everyone MUST have vegetables' (that's me if I don't watch myself!) - this is relaxation for EVERYONE, not just the person who is normally in the kitchen.
Embrace entertainment - Watching TV at the same time as enjoying an indoor picnic is absolutely a thing.
No need for fancy - Leaving things in their original packaging (rather than decanting them into dishes) makes the clear-up afterwards easier and all adds to the vibe ♡

This is often not the cheapest way to feed a family - but on the plus side, there are always leftovers, so packed lunches and/or food for dinner the next day may also be covered.
If you are trying not to overeat, the 'buffet' nature of an indoor picnic can be tricky.
It's harder to successfully embrace an indoor picnic for just one or two people, unless you accept either less variety of foods or plenty of leftovers.

There are absolutely no rules around what foods make an indoor picnic - this is about a casual spread of food that sparks a bit of joy and feels like a tiny treat. What suits you and yours is perfect for your indoor picnic but here are some ideas from ours -

rotisserie chicken - especially if it's still warm. Be wary of the wandering eye of pets ...
sausage rolls - definitely not made from scratch, but possibly cooked from the freezer

hard-boiled eggs - always make an appearance
cheese - a small selection of varieties (this is mostly for me but I like everyone to have their thing, so that we all feel appreciated)

pizza - cut into slices that are easy to manage
good bread - often Tiger bread and definitely not anything that feels excessively healthy
crackers - for my mini cheese board or some of these pita bread crisps
crisps - it would feel wrong to miss out on some crisps and it's funny to have some noisy food if you're also trying to watch a great film on the TV
pickled red onions - because it would be rude not to …

olives - from the deli counter not the horrid cooking ones in a jar
gherkins - I could literally eat the whole jar so get in first when you're sharing a picnic with me ♡
caper berries - the little stalks make this a great picnic food. They're not for everyone but they look really pretty.
dips - I always like the idea but nobody seems to eat them. Not even me, come to think of it!

little sweet things - M&S come into their own here. Generally, everyone around here is a bit full once the urge for something sweet kicks in but those little tubs of tiny cornflake cakes, mini rolls and tiffin totally hit the spot ♡
apples - random, I know, but surprisingly popular; particularly if someone cuts it up into easy-to-eat slices

'Shall we have a picnic for dinner?' - words that actually make me smile inside.

Of course, I’d love to hear about your version of an indoor picnic. You can join the conversation by commenting below or you can get straight into my inbox by emailing me at rachelpage@substack.com.

marmalade & me

Discussion about this post