What to buy for a winter picnic
A winter picnic needs more than food and drinks: guests also need warmth, light and somewhere dry to sit. This shopping list covers the practical supplies for an outdoor setup, including hot drinks, serving equipment, blankets, lighting and heating. Use your final guest list to scale food, cups and seating before you shop. Check the forecast first, because wind and low temperatures may affect how many blankets, heaters and tents you need.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Party tentsqty 2
- Tablesqty 6
- Chairsqty 45
- Picnic blanketsqty 10
- Blanketsqty 45
- Tableclothsqty 6
- Windbreaksqty 4
Tableware
- Reusable platesqty 50
- Reusable bowlsqty 50
- Reusable cupsqty 100
- Coffee cupsqty 50
- Cutlery setsqty 50
- Serving spoonsqty 8
- Serving jugsqty 6
Kitchen
- Coolersqty 4
- Thermos flasksqty 6
- Cutting boardsqty 3
- Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 4
- Serving plattersqty 10
- Aluminum storage containersqty 12
- Food thermometersqty 2
Equipment
- Outdoor gas heatersqty 4
- Gas cylindersqty 6
- Bluetooth speaker
- Power banksqty 2
Lighting
- String lightsqty 6
- LED lanternsqty 8
- Spare batteriesqty 2
Decorations
- Winter table decorationqty 6
- Lanternsqty 12
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 4
- Bucketsqty 3
- Cleaning clothsqty 12
- Dish brushesqty 3
- Hand soap dispensersqty 3
Safety
- First aid kit
- Non-slip matsqty 6
Catering
- Groceries
- Brown rolls - 50 pieces
- Multigrain bread - 4 loaves
- Mini croissants - 50 pieces
- Butter - 1 kilogram
- Cream cheese - 1 kilogram
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Brie - 1 kilogram
- Back ham - 1 kilogram
- Smoked chicken breast - 1 kilogram
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Strawberry jam - 2 jars
- Eggs - 30 pieces
- Bacon cubes - 1 kilogram
- Potatoes - 5 kilograms
- Winter carrots - 2 kilograms
- Onions - 1 kilogram
- Leek - 1 kilogram
- Celery - 1 kilogram
- Garlic - 3 bulbs
- Pumpkin - 3 kilograms
- Vegetable stock - 4 liters
- Chicken stock - 4 liters
- Coconut milk - 4 cans
- Cooking cream - 2 liters
- Lentils - 1 kilogram
- Chickpeas - 6 cans
- Olive oil - 1 liter
- Sunflower oil - 1 liter
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Curry powder - 1 jar
- Cumin - 1 jar
- Nutmeg - 1 jar
- Cinnamon - 1 jar
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Pickles - 2 jars
- Apples - 5 kilograms
- Mandarins - 4 kilogram
- Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Mixed nuts - 2 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 5 bags
- Plain chips - 5 bags
- Popcorn - 3 bags
- Chocolate cookies - 5 packs
- Marshmallows - 3 bags
- Chocolate bars - 50 pieces
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Cocoa powder - 2 packs
- Cane Sugar - 2 packs
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Whipped cream - 6 cans
- Honey - 2 jars
- Lemons - 2 kilograms
- Ginger - 500 grams
- Mulled wine - 12 liters
- Non-alcoholic mulled wine - 6 liters
- Apple juice - 6 liters
- Orange juice - 6 liters
- Cola - 6 liters
- Cola Zero - 6 liters
- Ginger beer - 4 liters
- Spa Blauw - 24 bottles
- Sparkling water - 12 bottles
- Ice cubes - 10 kilograms
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls
- Trash bags - 50 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 3 refills
- Hand sanitizer - 3 bottles
Tips
- Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then add one drink per person for each additional hour. Include both hot drinks for the thermoses and chilled drinks kept in coolers.
- Allow one reusable plate, bowl, cup and cutlery set per guest, plus about 10% extra. For 30 guests, that means 33 of each item so a dropped or misplaced set does not stop service.
- Prepare at least one warm dish and hot drinks in separate thermoses. Label containers clearly and pack serving spoons, jugs and food thermometers with the food rather than leaving them behind at home.
- For a cold evening, provide one blanket per seated guest and check the heating plan at least 48 hours before the picnic. Gas cylinders are easy to forget, and heaters cannot be used without the correct fuel.
- Pack lighting for the whole setup, not just the buffet: string lights, LED lanterns and spare batteries should be ready before guests arrive. Bring power banks as a backup for phones and Bluetooth speakers.
Frequently asked questions
- What food should I buy for a winter picnic?
- Plan warm dishes, snacks and drinks for the final guest count, then add around 10% extra for snacks and serving portions. Buy food that can be kept safely in aluminum containers and check temperatures with food thermometers.
- How many blankets do I need for a winter picnic?
- Start with one picnic blanket or seat covering per guest, plus one extra blanket for every five guests. For 30 people, prepare at least 36 blankets or equivalent warm coverings, depending on the seating layout.
- How much tableware do I need for a winter picnic?
- Provide one plate, bowl, cup, coffee cup and cutlery set per guest, with 10% spare. For 20 guests, prepare 22 of each reusable item and enough serving spoons and platters for every dish.
- When should I buy supplies for a winter picnic?
- Reserve tents, tables, chairs, heaters and other hired materials at least two weeks ahead. Do the main shopping two to three days before the picnic, then chill drinks and pack dry supplies the day before.
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