Discover the joy of a backyard picnic at home! Use these creative ideas, helpful tips, and mouth-watering recipes to elevate your outdoor dining experience. From setting up a cozy picnic spot to preparing delectable dishes, unlock the secrets to a memorable and relaxing gathering right in your own backyard. This post is sponsored by The National Watermelon Promotion Board. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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One thing that we love to do during the summer is spend more time outdoors. Since I’ve had my kidney transplant I’ve been so much more intentional about this. I love going outside and playing with my kids. It’s just something so nostalgic about it. A backyard picnic at home is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors, bond with family, and savor some fun new recipes. It’s the perfect opportunity to create lasting memories while soaking up the sun. With the right planning and a touch of creativity, you can transform your own backyard into a perfect picnic spot.

Watermelon is one of our favorites. Not only is it filled with nutrients but it’s so versatile that we love using it for a few different dishes. During the summer we love grilled watermelon slices, salads, and refreshing watermelon juice. It’s such a sustainable fruit. Did you know that the entire watermelon is edible?

If you’re planning a memorable backyard picnic at home, these tips and recipes will definitely come in hand for an unforgettable day.

Preparing for Your Picnic

My kids love to cook. I think it’s a hobby that they’ve picked up from me. It’s one of the many activities we enjoy doing together. Before our picnic we sat down and decided what food and activities we wanted to have. You want to keep things simple when you plan your picnic.

Picnics have always sparked happiness for us. What if I told you that happiness was just a slice away? According to a 2022 survey, funded by the National Watermelon Promotion Board, 100% of consumers say watermelon makes them feel happy.

That’s the main reason we chose watermelon as the star of our picnic. It provided a perfect canvas for creativity and joy. You can’t deny that watermelon is a comfort food. Slice it, dice it, and turn it into refreshing watermelon juice, or skewer it into watermelon fruit kebabs. We even chose to do a fun snack board with some of our favorite fruits, snacks and dips.

Easy Recipes for Your Picnic

The joy of a backyard picnic is really all in spending time together and creating priceless memories together. Both of these recipes are easy to make, kid-friendly, and guaranteed to be a hit with everyone.

Watermelon Fruit Kebabs

These watermelon kebabs will add a smile to your face with every bite. They’re sweet and savory with a delicate texture. It’s the perfect appetizer for a picnic, summer bbq or even a date night at home. My kids love these and ask to make them frequently. It’s probably my go-to recipe when we’re hosting no matter the season.

Get the full recipe here

Refreshing Watermelon Lemonade

I’m a huge fan of juicing and will juice about anything. Watermelon is by far one of my favorite things to juice. Not only is it super hydrating but it can be juiced alone or paired with pretty much any fruit or vegetable. For this recipe we juiced an entire watermelon to make a watermelon lemonade. We’ve juiced watermelon before but have never used it for lemonade. Making this watermelon lemonade is super simple and only requires a few ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 whole watermelon, cut into cubes without the rind
• 1 green pear
• 2 lemons, cut into quarters
• 2 cups ice cold water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare and cut all ingredients.
2. Add ingredients to juicer. (If you don’t have a juicer, you can use a blender but be sure to peel all of your fruits before blending.)
3. Strain juice using cheese cloth or fine strainer.
4. Mix ice cold water and sugar in a pitcher until sugar is completely dissolved.
5. Add watermelon juice to pitcher and stir.
6. Serve and enjoy.

Watermelon Lemonade

With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a refreshing and hydrating drink that will keep you cool on hot summer days. This lemonade combines the juicy goodness of watermelon, the subtle sweetness of pear, and the zesty tang of lemons.

Course:

Drinks

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

drinks

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Bianca Dottin

Ingredients

• 1
  watermelon
• 1
  green pear
• 2
  lemons
• 2
  cups
  ice cold water
• 1/2
  cup
  sugar
• mint
  optional

Instructions

1. Prepare and cut all ingredients.

2. Add ingredients to juicer. (If you don’t have a juicer, you can use a juicer but be sure to peel all of your fruits before blending.

3. Strain juice using cheese cloth or fine strainer.

4. Mix ice cold water and sugar in a pitcher until sugar is completely dissolved.

5. Add watermelon juice to pitcher and stir.

After making all of our recipes we saved the rind and remaining watermelon for a special science project plus another recipe. We’ve been talking all about sustainability to our kids about cutting down on food waste. We wanted to find a fun way to use the whole watermelon so we decided to try a fun science project where we use the remaining watermelon to dye some cloth napkins. Since it’s summer time I figured the kids would really enjoy diving into a project that could be hands on for them. I’m super excited about this so stay tuned for the results and a tutorial for how to try this at home.

As for the rind, we’re going to try our hand at making this watermelon rind cake. I knew the entire watermelon was edible but I had no idea you could make a cake with watermelon rind. Isn’t that amazing? Comfort food really does come in all shapes and slices.

Essentials for Planning a Backyard Picnic at Home

Before your picnic you’ll want to make sure that you have everything that you need. A successful backyard picnic goes beyond just food—it’s about creating an enjoyable experience for the whole family. If you want to shake things up just a little bit more for some added joy, you can bring games on your picnic. Fun activities will add an extra layer of excitement and create beautiful memories. Since our picnic was right in our backyard we pulled out our corn hole and some bubbles. We love competing against each other in corn hole. It gets super competitive but it also helps our kids work on the hand/eye coordination so to me it’s a win/win.

Another fun, small portable game option could be playing cards or a board game.

To set the mood and add ambiance, curate a lively music playlist that suits everyone’s taste. This is such a fun activity that everyone can do together, or you can opt for this Slice of Happy Playlist here. The right music can uplift the atmosphere and make the picnic more enjoyable.

Some things you’ll want to make sure are on your list are picnic blankets, a picnic basket, cups, cooler and of course food.

Planning a backyard picnic at home is a great opportunity to create cherished family memories. From preparing fruity recipes together in the kitchen to indulging in delicious watermelon-themed treats, every step of the process is filled with happiness. It’s the perfect way to boost your mood. Spending quality time outdoors, soaking up the sun, and fueling your activities with watermelon will leave you with a sense of happiness. So start planning your picnic and invite your friends and family for a little bit of backyard magic.

P.S. If you don’t have a backyard, don’t let that stop you from planning your next outdoor adventure. Head to your nearest park, beach or loved ones house to have your picnic.