Winter Picnic

Planning a winter picnic is not as crazy as it may seem. It may be cold, but the sun is bright and the world is covered in an amazing blanket of white. So pull out your long underwear and embrace winter! You will have wonderful solitude with nature as fewer people venture outdoors in the cold. Another huge bonus? No bugs!

Help keep your family fit and healthy this winter with these fun winter picnic activities:

• Walking/Hiking. A brisk walk can help reduce anxiety and depression and lessens your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis and even certain cancers.

• Build a Snowman. Rolling and lifting heavy snow works your back, arm and leg muscles.

• Snowball Fights. Work those arms!

• Skating. Build up your leg muscles and your endurance.

• Hockey. All the benefits of skating plus teamwork!

• Sledding. Walking back up that hill is a great workout!

• Snowshoeing. Gets your heart and lungs pumping and is great for the legs.

• Skiing. Cross-country skiing is a great all-body workout!

• Horseback Trail Ride. Believe it or not, riding a horse is a great exercise for your butt and legs.

Of course, after one or two of these winter activities you will have built up a huge appetite! Healthy picnic food is needed to give you the heat and energy your body needs. Bring along high carb foods made with whole grains for the energy they provide. Foods made with healthy unsaturated fats will also provide you with heat energy (twice that of a good carb). GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts) is also great choice. And a hot drink is a must! Be sure to fill up your insulated vacuum bottle with some of my favourite gourmet hot chocolate recipes or perhaps you would prefer some mulled wine or other hot drinks.

How to Plan a Winter Picnic

1. Check the Weather
   Okay, seems obvious right? But checking the weather report becomes even more important if you are venturing out of the city. It may be lovely in town, but you could be heading into a blizzard or towards a cold front.

   If the weather is terrible, don't let it stop you! Consider an indoor picnic:

   • Bring the kids to the local science center
   • Head to your local indoor botanical garden
   • Some of the larger hotels have lovely lobbys with big fireplaces or garden areas
   • Stay home, lay out a blanket and eat beside a roaring fireplace

2. Location, Location, Location!
   Great choices of picnic locations include your local parks or river valleys. And don't forget about those wonderful winter activities and bring your lunch along to the local skating pond, sledding hill, or your favourite ski area.

3. Plan Your Menu
   If you are eating outdoors, consider bring along some heated comfort foods to warm you from the inside out. Pack an insulated box (see below) with a big pot of chili or homemade soup, and don't forget the hot chocolate!

• Choose a box or container three to four inches larger than your pot of food (a pot made of thick aluminum or a heavy cast-iron kettle with a good fitting lid retain heat the best, but crock pots also work great).
  
  
• Place a thick picnic blanket (or sleeping bag) into the box and wrap it around your food (use double layers). The blanket should be snug around the food and the box, if it isn't you'll need another blanket or a smaller box. Make sure that the food and its container are very hot! This should keep your food warm for 2-3 hours. The added bonus is that you can sit on the blanket when you're ready to eat!
  
  
• Another method is to use newspapers, placing a 1-inch stack of newspapers on the bottom of the box. Line each side (and top) of the box with an additional 1-inch thick pad of newspapers.