This is the fifth installment in The Family Dinner Project’s Family Picnics series. We’re adding new picnics weekly throughout the summer of 2020, to help families breathe new life into their time together. While social distancing restrictions continue, change, and in some cases resume in different places, we know that keeping a sense of fun and enjoyment in daily life can be difficult. We hope that families will use some of these ideas to create a new weekly ritual to look forward to.
This Week’s Family Picnic Menu
In honor of the 4th of July, this week’s menu is a perfect backyard cookout. Try these easy recipes for stuffed burgers, corn salad and red, white and blue fruit skewers!
We featured these Inside-Out Burgers in our book Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook. You can stuff them with any cheeses you like. Try using ground turkey or chicken to switch things up, too!
Corn is a summertime staple, and it gets a make-ahead twist with this salad recipe. Add beans, cheese, diced vegetables and a refreshing dressing to make a great summer side dish. And since it keeps well in the refrigerator, you could make it a day or two in advance.
Finish your picnic with sweet grilled strawberries, toasted marshmallows and a simple blueberry sauce for dipping!
Fun
Nothing completes a backyard picnic like water play! Get the whole family to make a splash with a game of “Dink Dink Dunk” — a wet and wild version of “Duck, Duck, Goose!”
Conversation
It’s July 4th weekend, so mark the occasion with these conversations about freedom and history.
