What to bring to a reunion picnic

A reunion picnic needs more than food and a blanket. Plan seating, shade, chilled storage, serving utensils and clearly labelled meals before you shop. For drinks, allow two to three per person for the first hour, then one per person for each additional hour, plus extra water on warm days. Pack reusable tableware, ice packs, lighting and waste bins so setup, serving and cleanup do not depend on last-minute purchases.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Foldable tablesqty 6
Folding chairsqty 45
Picnic blanketsqty 8
Party tentsqty 2
Tableclothsqty 6

Catering

Coolersqty 5
Ice packsqty 20
Groceries
- Spa Blauw - 8 bottles
- Spa Red - 4 bottles
- Cola - 4 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Lemonade - 3 bottles
- Orange juice - 4 cartons
- Apple juice - 3 packs
- Iced tea - 4 bottles
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 bag
- Milk - 4 liters
- Lemons - 6 pieces
- White rolls - 50 pieces
- Whole wheat rolls - 20 pieces
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Tortilla wraps - 30 units
- Unsalted butter - 2 packs
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Back ham - 1,5 kilogram
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Cream cheese - 1 kilogram
- Egg salad - 1 kilogram
- Vegan cheese - 500 grams
- Falafel - 2 kilograms
- Iceberg lettuce - 6 heads
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Bell peppers - 2 kilograms
- Red onions - 1 kilogram
- Potato salad - 4 kilogram
- Pasta salad - 4 kilograms
- Mixed salad - 3 kilogram
- Olives - 1 kilogram
- Pickles - 2 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Apples - 40 pieces
- Bananas - 30 pieces
- Grapes - 4 kilograms
- Watermelons - 3 pieces
- Cookies - 6 packs
- Brownies - 3 trays
- Ice cubes - 10 bags
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Trash bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls

Tableware

Reusable platesqty 50
Reusable cupsqty 80
Coffee mugsqty 40
Cutlery setsqty 50
Serving boardsqty 8
Serving plattersqty 10
Serving trays with lidsqty 6

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Kitchen knivesqty 6
Serving tongsqty 8
Serving spoonsqty 10
Thermos flasksqty 4

Equipment

Bluetooth speaker
Power banksqty 2

Lighting

Battery lampsqty 6

Decorations

Party buntingqty 6
Name badgesqty 50
Waterproof markersqty 6

Sports equipment

Frisbeesqty 4
Badminton setsqty 2
Footballsqty 2
Card gamesqty 3

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Hand sanitizer dispensersqty 4
Cleaning clothsqty 12
Bucketsqty 3

Tips

Plan one reusable plate, cup and cutlery set per guest, then add 10% extra for dropped or misplaced items. Bring separate coffee mugs if coffee is part of the menu.
Use at least one cooler for drinks and another for food, with enough ice packs to keep both cold throughout transport. Chill drinks before loading so the coolers are not doing all the work.
Allow one picnic blanket for every 4–6 people who may sit on the ground, and provide one folding chair per guest who cannot comfortably sit on a blanket. Add party tents when shade or rain cover is limited.
Buy or bring serving boards, platters, covered trays, tongs and serving spoons before preparing the salads and fruit. Covered trays are especially easy to forget and protect food during transport.
Pack waterproof markers and name badges with the decorations, not in the food boxes. Charge the Bluetooth speaker and power banks the day before, and bring battery lamps if the picnic may continue after dark.

Frequently asked questions

How much food should I buy for a reunion picnic?: Plan about 500–700 g of food per adult for a meal-style picnic, including salads, fruit, bread and mains. Add roughly 10% extra when attendance is uncertain or guests are travelling a long way.
How many drinks do I need for a reunion picnic?: Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Include water separately and bring extra on hot days; chill everything at least 6–12 hours before leaving.
How many plates, cups and cutlery sets should I bring?: Pack one complete reusable place setting per guest plus 10% spare. For 30 guests, that means 33 plates, 33 cups and 33 cutlery sets, with separate mugs if you are serving coffee.
When should I buy ice and prepare the picnic supplies?: Buy or freeze ice packs at least the day before and wash reusable tableware 24 hours before setup. Prepare salads and cut fruit as close to departure as practical, ideally within 4–6 hours, and load chilled food last.

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