Perfect Picnic

Bread, cheese, olives, and salami … but what else? Of course, you’ll want to keep it light—for the sake of both the environmental impact and the weight of your backpack—so our list is a portable panoply of principled picnic paraphernalia.

1. Plates. They should be light enough to carry, sturdy enough to hold food, pretty enough to add to the spread, and green enough not to ruin the mood. These biodegradable bamboo plates have got it all.

2. Like the plates, you’ll want utensils with a conscience. This potato starch cutlery is compostable.

3. Picpoul de Pinet, a white Languedoc, is a great picnic wine—easy-drinking and refreshing. We like the 2006 Picpoul de Pinet Hughes Beaulieu.

4. But if you don’t like white wine, how about a bright red vacuum-insulated jar of Sangría?

5. Or fill it with the perfect summer refresher, an Arnold Palmer.

6. Imagine you’re on the Riviera with the classic Nice beach sandwich Pan Bagnat.

7. Old blankets are fine, but if there’s a little unidentifiable dampness on the ground, you’ll want a waterproof barrier between you and it.

8. Do you need a fancy cooler? No. But this one comes with a radio.

9. Don’t forget the summer icon that doubles as delicious—watermelon. If you want to tart it up a bit, mix chunks with feta, red wine vinegar, and mint.

10. Something sweet: ginger cookies.