Have a fall picnic

A fall picnic is a short, easy plan for an afternoon with friends. It takes an evening to plan and pack, costs under $20 if you share the food, and needs no booking. The trick is to treat it like a picnic for the cold: pack more blankets than you think, bring something hot, and go early enough to catch the sun.

Choose the day and the time

Pick a dry day with light wind, and look at the forecast for the hours you’ll be out. A clear, cool day around 55 to 65°F (13 to 18°C) is comfortable with layers. Cold and still is better than mild and windy.

Aim for mid-afternoon. Sunset comes earlier every week in fall, so work out roughly when it is where you live and plan to be set up with a couple of hours of daylight left. The warmest part of a fall day is the middle of the afternoon, and the temperature drops quickly once the sun lowers.

Pick the spot

• Somewhere with colour: a park with maples and oaks, a hill with a view, or a lake shore.
• A sunny patch rather than the shade. In fall you want the sun on you.
• Somewhere sheltered from the wind, like the lee side of a hedge or a group of trees.
• Dry ground. Damp grass soaks through a blanket, so look for a slope, a dry patch or a picnic table.
• Somewhere you’re allowed to be. Check whether the park needs a permit for groups or restricts food, and use the trash cans or take your trash home.

What to pack beyond the list

You already have blankets, a thermos and snacks. A few extras make it work in cooler weather:

• A waterproof layer. A tarp, a shower curtain liner or a picnic blanket with a plastic backing keeps the damp out.
• Cushions or a folded coat. The ground is cold, and a thin blanket doesn’t stop it.
• Hats, gloves and scarves. You will sit still longer than you do when walking.
• A bag for trash and a few napkins or wet wipes.
• A small knife and board, if you’re bringing cheese or fruit that needs cutting.
• A speaker, if the park allows it and you keep it low.

Food that works in the cold

Fall picnics are easier than summer ones, because nothing melts. You also don’t need a cooler for short trips if the day is cool. Some ideas:

1. Something hot. Soup in a good thermos, hot chocolate, tea or hot cider.
2. Something to share. A cheese board with apples, pears, nuts and crackers, or a loaf of bread with a dip.
3. Something filling. Sandwiches, wraps, or a pasta salad that tastes better after a few hours.
4. Something baked. Muffins, cookies, a slice of loaf or a hand pie.
5. Something sweet. Fall fruit, caramel, dark chocolate, or whatever you made earlier in the week.

Food safety is simpler in cool weather, but it still matters. Keep meat, dairy and anything with eggs cold until you eat it, and don’t leave it out for more than a couple of hours. If you’re taking soup, make sure it’s piping hot when it goes into a pre-warmed thermos. If the weather is warm, treat the food like a summer picnic and use an insulated bag.

If you want to include a drink for the 21-and-over crowd, a bottle of wine or a spiced drink in a thermos is traditional. It’s optional. Keep it modest, and don’t drive after drinking.

Set up for staying

1. Lay the waterproof layer down first, then the thick blanket on top.
2. Put the food in the middle and the bags and shoes at the edges to weigh the corners down in the wind.
3. Keep the second blanket folded within reach, so anyone who gets cold can wrap up.
4. Sit with your backs to the wind and your faces to the sun.
5. Eat slowly. The point is to stay for an hour or two, not to finish quickly.

Things that go wrong

• It gets cold faster than you expected. Bring extra layers and leave before you’re shivering, not after.
• Wasps. Fall is when wasps go after sugar, so keep sweet drinks and food covered, and check your cup before drinking.
• A wet blanket. Put a plastic layer underneath, or bring a picnic bench alternative.
• A fire ban. Don’t light candles or portable stoves in dry grass, and check the rules for the park before you bring one.
• It’s dark by the time you pack up. Bring a phone flashlight and leave early enough to get back to the car or the path in the light.

Make it a fall afternoon

Combine the picnic with another idea: have it after apple picking and eat the apples you just picked, or go to the best foliage spot you can find and stay until the light goes gold. Bring a deck of cards or a book, and stay for the sun.